Responsive Celebration of History and Faith
Prepared by Woodbrook Baptist Church of Baltimore, Maryland
This litany was used in the morning worship of Jan. 25, 2015. The congregation is sharing it with others who would like to use it in part or in whole.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ….” (The First Amendment)
For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
CHOIR:
Tho’ creeds and laws imposed by pow’r may mock equality,
our trust in Christ and Christ alone will keep our spirits free.
(Lester Bork) [ST ANNE]
Experience…has informed us that the fondness of magistrates to foster Christianity has done it more harm than all the persecutions ever did. (John Leland)
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (Titus 1:16)
CHOIR:
Riches I heed not, not man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always. (Mary E. Byrne) [SLANE]
“An enforced uniformity of religion throughout a nation or civil state, confounds the civil and religious, denies the principles of Christianity and civility, and that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.” (Roger Williams)
So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25)
Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor. (Romans 15:2)
CHOIR:
We are trav’lers on a journey, fellow pilgrims on the road;
we are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.
(Richard Gillard) [BEACH SPRING]
“The notion of a Christian commonwealth should be exploded forever. … Government should protect every man [sic] in thinking and speaking freely, and see that one does not abuse another.” (John Leland)
Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. (Romans 14:10)
CHOIR:
Let others see Jesus in you, let others see Jesus in you;
keep telling the story, be faithful and true, let others see Jesus in you.
(B.B. McKinney) [COLEMAN]
The liberty I contend for is more than toleration. The very idea of toleration is despicable; it supposes that some have a pre-eminence above the rest to grant indulgence, whereas all should be equally free, Jews, Turks, Pagans and Christians. Test oaths and established creeds should be avoided as the worst of evils.” (John Leland)
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth. (1 John 3:18-19a)
CHOIR:
My faith has found a resting place,
not in device nor creed. (Lidie H. Edmunds) [LANDAS]
Government has no more to do with the religious opinions of men than it has with the principles of mathematics. Let every man speak freely without fear–maintain the principles that he believes–worship according to his own faith, either one God, three Gods, no God, or twenty Gods; and let government protect him in so doing …. Instead of discouraging him with proscriptions, fines, confiscation or death, let him be encouraged, as a free man, to bring forth his arguments and maintain his points with all boldness; then if his doctrine is false it will be confuted, and if it is true (though ever so novel) let others credit it.” (John Leland)
It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labour in vain. (Philippians 2:16)
CHOIR:
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
(Josh Rippan) [FOUNDATION]
“The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded upon the Christian Religion.”
(1797, The Treaty of Tripoli, initiated by President Washington, signed by President John Adams, and approved by the Senate of the United States)
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15)
CHOIR:
And they will know we are Christians by our love—by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
(Peter Scholtes) [ST BRENDANS]
