Presbyterians and the American Revolution 長老教會與美國革命(中文翻譯)之四 @ 艾摩俠的社科研究所

During: Urging Americans To Arms 革命期間：鼓動美國人民武裝

點擊左邊播放背景音樂(Captain America Theme Song)

接續前篇 Presbyterians and the American Revolution 長老教會與美國革命(中文翻譯)之三
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The Presbyterian response to the Revolutionary War was far from monolithic—there were Patriot, Loyalist, and neutral Presbyterians. But the majority of church leaders supported the rebels. Twelve of fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were Presbyterian, including the only clergyman, John Witherspoon. Others supported the war effort as chaplains and soldiers, and from their pulpits and pews.

長老教會對於美國革命戰爭的回應遠遠不是單一的 ─ 其中有愛國者(革命派)，保皇派和中立的長老教會三種。但是大多數教會領導人都支持叛亂。"獨立宣言"的五十六位簽署者中有十二位是長老會成員，包括唯一的牧師約翰威瑟斯普恩。其他人教徒則從他的講台與座位走出來，以隨行牧師或者士兵的身分成為支持戰爭的力量。

In the spring of 1775, the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, the national governing body of American Presbyterians, circulated a pastoral letter among its members to prepare them for the war ahead:

在1775年春天，紐約與費城長老教會總會(詳見註一)這個全國性的長老教會理事機構給其會員發了一封牧函，為未來的戰爭做好了起頭：

Synod of New York and Philadelphia pastoral letter, May 1775.紐約與費城長老教會總會牧函，1775年5月。

“If…the British Ministry shall continue to inforce their claims by violence, a lasting and bloody contest must be expected.” Counseling fortitude, the letter reminded Presbyterians that, though “it may please God, for a season, to suffer his people to lie under unmerited oppression, yet…we may expect, that those who fear and serve him in sincerity and truth, will be favoured with his countenance and strength.”

Strongly influenced by Witherspoon and the Philadelphia ministers George Duffield and Francis Alison, “radical” ministers such as John Rodgers in New York, David Caldwell in North Carolina, and John Blair Smith in Virginia espoused the principles of individual and national liberty to their congregations. From the pulpit of New York City’s Wall Street Church, Rodgers (1727-1811), a staunch patriot who would later serve as a chaplain during the war, lauded those Continental army volunteers who chose “rather to risk their lives in the cause of liberty, than to resign their privilege and live in slavery.”

"如果......英國政府將繼續通過暴力強硬執行他們的主張，那麼可預期的會有一場持久而血腥的權力遊戲。" 這封信提醒長老會，雖然" 上帝容忍他的百姓一時的在冤屈受苦之中，但......我們仍可期的是，那以誠實與敬虔來敬畏和服侍他的人，終要因神的轉臉，賜下力量而得到幫助。"

受到威瑟斯普恩和費城宣教士喬治‧杜斐德和法蘭西斯‧艾利森的強烈影響，一些"偏激"的牧師們像是紐約的約翰‧羅傑斯、北卡羅來納州大衛‧考德威爾和維吉尼亞州的約翰‧布萊爾‧史密斯，向會眾宣傳個人和國家自由的原則。來自紐約市華爾街教堂的牧師約翰‧羅傑斯（1727-1811）是一位堅定的愛國者，後來在戰爭中擔任隨行牧師，他稱讚那些自願參與大陸軍者(詳見註二)選擇"寧願為自由事業冒生命危險，而不是投降放棄他們的基本權利並為奴苟且偷生。"

Portrait of John Rodgers. Engraved by T.B. Welch, undated.約翰‧羅傑斯肖像畫，由T.B.維爾奇刻畫，未標註日