---
title: 'Can Christians Celebrate Independence Day? William B. Sprague on Freedom and Gratitude'
type: video
hasMedia: true
requiresPurchase: false
authors:
- 'Jonathan Master'
date: 2026-07-04
collection: 'Dead Presbyterians Society'
subcollection: 'Season 3'
topics:
- 'Christian Life'
- 'Church and State'
- 'Citizenship and Government'
- 'Politics'
- 'United States'
- 'Providence'
scriptures:
- 'Psalms 33'
- '1 Timothy 2'
- 'Exodus 13'
- 'Psalms 124'
url: https://confessional.org/dead-presbyterians-society/season-3/can-christians-celebrate-independence-day-william-b-sprague-on-freedom-and-gratitude
---

# Can Christians Celebrate Independence Day? William B. Sprague on Freedom and Gratitude

In this episode, we explore William B. Sprague’s 1827 sermon on the meaning of American independence. Delivered on the Fourth of July, Sprague calls Christians to celebrate the day with gratitude, reverence, and a clear recognition of God's providence in the nation’s founding.A timely reflection on liberty, remembrance, and the faithful stewardship of freedom.

[Watch](https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1206897464)

## Transcript

How should Christians think about Independence Day? We know from the Psalms, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. We know from the New Testament that we're to pray for those who are in authority over us. But how do we celebrate this day of independence while giving proper reverence to our God? Greetings from the past.

Welcome to Dead Presbyterian Society. My name is Jonathan Master. I serve as president of Greenville Seminary, and we are coming to you today with a special episode of Dead Presbyterian Society.

This is the 250th Independence Day. If you're an American, this is July 4th, and we are celebrating our independence. And one thing that I want to begin by saying is this, that for the first hundred years or so, it was very common for pastors in the United States of America to preach sermons on or around Independence Day on this theme.

It is less common today, but it was a fairly common thing. And so today, we thought it might be appropriate for us to look at one of these sermons from an early American Presbyterian, William B. Sprague. Now, he was writing this sermon in 1827.

He preached this sermon in 1827, but it's important to remember the context of it. Each year on July 4th, if you are an American, you gather to mark the birth of our nation. You remember a day when people stepped forward and signed this Declaration of Independence, and we think back on the courage and the sacrifice and resolve that brought this new country into existence.

And of course, there are controversies that surround this. There is disagreement about the biblical wisdom that was exercised by these founding fathers, but nonetheless, we look back with gratitude on all that the Lord did and on all that the Lord has done. And so this is a day for rejoicing, but also for reflecting theologically, for reflecting biblically on these matters.

Sprague was a pastor in the young nation at that time, and he was shaped by its founding. He lived close to the memory of the American Revolution. He spoke to people.

He knew many people who had seen its effects and had felt its significance in their own lives. These were people who had, in some cases, lived through the American Revolution, or if they hadn't lived through it, they'd come right after it. And on the 4th of July in 1827, Sprague stood in the pulpit at Northampton and addressed a congregation that had been gathered for this very purpose, to mark the anniversary of American independence.

Now, he believed that the founding of the nation was an event worthy of remembrance, reflection, and praise. And his words carried the tone of a minister who desired to see his people rejoice in the blessings that God had given and to recognize God's hand in the founding. Before we move into the sermon itself, we need to consider the man who delivered it.

He was a pastor who was shaped by Scripture, and he was attentive to history and eager that his people might give thanks. He was born in 1795, so shortly after the American Revolution, October 16th, 1795, in Andover, Connecticut. He was educated at Yale and then at Princeton Theological Seminary, and he was heavily influenced there by Archibald Alexander and Samuel Miller, those early leaders at Princeton Seminary, of whom we speak frequently on Dead Presbyterian Society.

He was licensed to preach in 1818. He was ordained to the ministry in 1819. He served in West Springfield, Massachusetts, before accepting a call in 1829 to the Second Presbyterian Church of Albany, New York.

He labored there for nearly 40 years. He gained a reputation as a pastor and a preacher and a trusted counselor. His address, ministerial fidelity and prudence, became a respected statement on the balance of conviction, wisdom, and pastoral judgment in ministry.

He authored over 150 sermons, addresses, memoirs, and essays, although he's less well known today. He is best known or was best known in his time for compiling the Annals of the American Pulpit, a nine-volume series that collected and preserved the biographies and ministries of early American Protestant clergy before 1850. So he was a significant figure in early American Presbyterianism.

He died on May 7, 1876, and was buried in Albany Rural Cemetery in Menin's, New York. He was a faithful pastor, a long-term pastor, and a writer whose writings served the church. We also need to understand the context of this sermon.

He delivered religious celebration of independence, a discourse delivered at Northampton on the 4th of July, 1827, while he was serving as the pastor of the First Church in West Springfield. Now, this was the national anniversary of American independence, and so there were public celebrations, there were a lot of gatherings of people, there was patriotic reflection, and yet he approached the moment as an opportunity to reflect on the things of God. He stood before his hearers, first and foremost, as a minister of the gospel, and he wanted to guide their thoughts beyond outward celebration, which all of them would have been engaged in, and into a deeper, more meaningful remembrance of what this day represented.

Now, again, there are different views of this particular event, but in Sprague's case, he drew from Exodus 13.3, that was his text, and the text has to do with Moses leading the people out of Egypt. It says, "...and Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in which we came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage." And what he seeks to do is to set American independence in a broader biblical pattern. He's not saying that America is the new Israel, he's not saying that America was led by God in the same way that Moses was led by God, but he is saying this, that just as Israel was commanded to remember their redemption, so Christians need to remember the founding of their nation and to have gratitude and reverence.

What is his sermon? What is he trying to prove? Well, again, he draws a clear line right at the beginning between the history of Israel and the history of the United States. He is not equating the two of these things, and yet he is saying that Israel had been delivered from oppression, and who had delivered them? Well, ultimately, God had delivered them, and that needed to be continually remembered. It wasn't to be forgotten, it wasn't to fade into the background of history.

And so then he goes on to say, we too have been delivered, we have been given great blessings. Who has given them to us? God has given them to us. And so like the Israelites who came out of Egypt, we too must remember the great acts of God.

We too must live lives of gratitude and of shared identity. He remarks at the beginning that oftentimes Independence Day has been misused. Instead of cultivating gratitude or virtue, it has been used for division and pride and even open sin.

He is concerned that Independence Day be marked by looking to God and looking to God with thanks. Here's what he writes, let the day be observed, yes, we should celebrate, he says, but let it be observed religiously. It's worth remembering the blessings of liberty, it's worth remembering the great acts of God, but it requires more than simply celebration, it requires a heart that acknowledges and gives God thanks for his providence.

Now, what particular things does he say that Christians should give thanks for when it comes to independence? What were the qualities, as he sees them, of the American Revolution? Well, he cites three. First, he says that time under God, remember we're giving thanks to God for all these things, but that time was a time of the noblest efforts of intellect and illustrious deeds of heroism. That's what he writes, he writes almost verbatim, because it is associated with the noblest effects of intellect and the most illustrious deeds of heroism.

He writes about the intellectual labors of that time of independence. Here's what he says, the men whose councils projected and carried forth our revolution were men of no common intellectual stature, that whether they were born giants in reference to the work they had to accomplish or that they became such under the influence of propitious circumstances, they actually exhibited an energy of mind which has never been exceeded by the greatest men of any country. He looks back and sees the great intellectual works of the founding fathers and says, we ought not simply to look at them, we ought to look at God and say, Lord, thank you for giving us this great moment of intellectual fervor.

He writes that there were not other times, not many other times when this sort of intellectual labor was conducted. He writes that it may reasonably be doubted whether there was ever a period in the history of any country in which mind was more active, more capable of commanding its powers, more ready to mount up to lofty and difficult enterprises than the period of our revolution. He also reminds his hearers that this was a time of great heroism.

He writes that these men, these great intellectual giants had quote, invincible moral courage which rose in proportion to the pressure it sustained. They felt such a great pull against the oppression that they forgot about everything else and gave themselves fully to the task of leading this new nation. He talks about the fact that this spread not only to the men whom we call the founding fathers, but to many of the women of that day.

A mother or wife would cheerfully part with her son that he might go and fight for the cause of the country and these mothers and wives were themselves educated and learned and thoughtful. He writes this, there was heroism enough in this community to carry into effect the greatest measures of the greatest minds and this combined with the intellectual energy of which I have spoken may be regarded as the very cornerstone in the temple of our national freedom. Of course he says we need to be careful to distinguish between love of country and love of God.

You surely need not be told that a man may be a very giant in intellect and so devoted to his country as to be willing to face the cannon's mouth in her defense who yet may even be a reviler of the cross. So we ought not to deify these men. Yes they showed great intellect.

Yes they showed great heroism. For that we should thank God. But some of these men in and of themselves were what he calls revilers of the cross.

He writes as well that this was a an event of divine interposition. He says we should commemorate our independence because it commemorates an event which is a signal monument of divine interposition. And what he means by that is that the Lord intervened in significant ways at strategic and key moments in the revolution to enable it to come about.

He intervened on our behalf. Here's what he writes, quote, it may be emphatically said of us as of Israel if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us. It was an extraordinary event those events beginning in the mid-1770s.

The very declaration of such a purpose drew the attention of the people of the world and people everywhere recognized the immense scale of what was being attempted. And what Sprague notes and what many have noted is that this would hardly have seemed possible to most onlookers and yet the Lord at key moments did intervene. Without the intervention of God the human intelligence and heroism would have been of no help in the cause for independence.

And so he says we owe our gratitude to God for making us a free people. And then he said this was a moment of great consequence as well. Intellect, heroism, divine interposition, but also great consequence.

We should celebrate our independence, he says, because it has been followed by consequences of most deep extensive and permanent interest. And standing even further from those events as we do we could underscore this point. Whatever else you want to say about the war for independence, the fact of the matter is it is a consequential event that has had great significance for the history of the nations.

He describes that those events in 1776 as ones which are already beginning to be regarded by the civilized world as an improvement upon the best models whether in ancient or modern times. So he says it's been a model to others. The United States of America in so many ways has served as a beacon of light to the nations.

He writes that our government actually has exerted a more benign influence on all the great interests of our country than was ever exerted by any other government of human origin on any country below the sun. It's a visible testimony. The ongoing significance of our nation is a visible testimony to that influence of which Sprague speaks.

Now then he goes on to say this is actually goes beyond our own nation to the world. The influence of our government is felt at this hour in a greater or less degree by every civilized people. What began as an experiment became a point of reference for the wider world.

The principles, the structure, the example entered into the thinking of other nations. And so then after outlining these reasons for celebrating independence, he then goes on to instruct his hearers and now readers on how we should celebrate our independence. And that's why we wanted to release this on July 4th.

How should we celebrate our independence? He begins with this question, if the day is to be celebrated, and he says yes it is to be celebrated, the inquiry naturally suggests itself in what manner is it to be celebrated. And he gives four ways that we can profitably celebrate our own independence. First with an acknowledgement of God's providence.

We need to observe this day through quote a devout acknowledgement of the providence of God in procuring our independence. And this really sets the foundation for everything that follows. Because God is in control, because God is the sovereign one, God is the one who providentially ordered all things including the independence of the United States of America, we need to give him glory.

We need to acknowledge that it comes from him. And this acknowledgement then shapes how we view the present. He reminds us we should devoutly recognize our dependence on God for the continuance of that freedom and all our national blessings should commit our country anew with all its interest to his special protection.

If God is the one who is in control, if God is the one who providentially ordered it, we need to look to God to continue to give his hand of blessing to us and look to him for our help. He secondly says we need to celebrate this by looking at the passing dispensations of providence. In other words, the ongoing dealings that God has had with our nation.

He writes it this way, this is religiously noticing the passing dispensations of providence towards our country. In other words, we can look at the years after 1776, not just leading up to it, but after 1776 and consider our own history as a nation and the ways in which God has blessed us, the ways in which God has been at work. It's not unlike what individuals do on their birthday.

They look back and they say they don't only celebrate whatever accomplishment they have achieved, but they look back and they see God's hand in their lives over the past year or his hand in their life over the entirety of it. It is right, he writes, that on this day we should devoutly trace the dealings of God towards us as a people ever since we had a distinct existence. And this, of course, would take longer for us today than it would have taken Sprague in his own day.

He had 51 years to trace. We have 250 years to trace, and we need to carefully reflect on all these things. And then he says we should also engage in this Independence Day celebration through special efforts, by special efforts for the benefit of our nation.

He envisions that we would use this time and set it apart for good works that contribute to the good of the country, good works that serve to strengthen and uplift and serve the broader community. He writes it this way, it were well if every person would associate with the dawn of this anniversary a strong impression that, however he may work for himself on other days, on this day he must labor for his country. Now, fourthly, he says this, we should celebrate Independence Day with empathy towards the oppressed.

He urges that the day be observed, quote, by expressions of sympathy towards the oppressed. Now he's thinking here about the outward focus that we need to have. The remembrance of our own independence leads us to consider and to act on behalf of others.

We are strongly reminded, he writes, by this occasion of the days in which we were ourselves an oppressed people. And so there are people in bondage in his day. There were people who were oppressed in his day.

And he believed that Independence Day particularly was a time to look at those who were in oppression and to think about, to consider, and to, in whatever practical ways, help those who are in bondage themselves. This is meant, this day is meant to awaken a sense of responsibility, to remember our own deliverance and to feel the weight of another's suffering, to recognize that the enjoyment of freedom carries with it a call to mercy and to generosity and to engagement in the needs of others. In this way, the celebration of independence extends beyond rejoicing and becomes an expression of love for those who still long for freedom.

Now, as you reach the end of Sprague's sermon and think about the way in which he sought for his hearers to celebrate Independence Day, you realize that this day is a cause for gratitude. It is a reason for remembrance. It is a call, it is an occasion to lift our eyes to God, to consider his providence, and to receive the blessings of freedom with reverence and care.

And so we need to pause today and ask ourselves this, do you give thanks to God for the blessings that you enjoy, even the national blessings that you enjoy? Do you recognize his workings in the history of our nation? Do you recognize that he is the one who is in control of all things? Do you use whatever freedom you have in order to honor God and to serve others? Do you labor for the good of your country, not only in word, but also in action and in prayer? Do you remember those who are suffering and respond with compassion? And this of course takes us back to the purpose of the day itself. This is a reminder of why we celebrate Independence Day. We celebrate because God ultimately has blessed us.

God has sustained us. God has providentially ordered the history of our nation as he has ordered the history of every nation. And therefore we're reminded of the gratitude that we need to have to God, the reverence we owe to him, and the way in which we need to use these great blessings in service to others.

Give thanks to God. Look not unto yourselves on this day.