
audiobook
by W. M. (William M.) Leftwich
MARTYRDOM IN MISSOURI A HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS PROSCRIPTION, THE SEIZURE OF CHURCHES, AND THE PERSECUTION OF MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI DURING THE LATE CIVIL WAR, AND UNDER THE “TEST OATH” OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
PREFACE.
INTRODUCTION. BY REV. T. O. SUMMERS, D.D.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V. FROM THE DIVISION OF THE CHURCH, IN 1845, TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR, IN 1861.
CHAPTER VI. From 1845 to 1861, Continued.
Amid the turmoil of the Civil War’s closing years, Missouri became a battleground not only for armies but for faith itself. This work chronicles how state authorities and wartime legislation targeted churches and clergy, demanding a controversial “Test Oath” that forced ministers to choose between conscience and compliance. Through vivid accounts of arrests, imprisonments, and even violent mob actions, the narrative reveals the stark clash between political power and religious liberty.
The author weaves together court records, personal testimonies, and contemporary newspaper reports to give listeners a clear picture of a community under siege. By focusing on the everyday struggles of pastors and congregants, the story highlights the moral dilemmas faced by those who dared to preach without swearing allegiance to a new constitution. Listeners will come away with a deeper appreciation for the resilience of faith in a time when the very right to worship was contested, and for the enduring lessons such a fraught chapter holds for the present day.
Language
en
Duration
~12 hours (695K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
St. Louis: S.W. Book & Pub. Co., 1870.
Credits
Richard Tonsing, Bryan Ness, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Books project.)
Release date
2024-01-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Best known for a vivid post–Civil War account of religious conflict in Missouri, this Methodist minister wrote with the urgency of someone who had lived close to the events. His surviving work offers both a historical record and a fiercely personal perspective.
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