T5620-Freedom Is a Gift—And a Test - John Witherspoon

“Freedom Is a Gift—And a Test.”
At 53 years old, John Witherspoon, a Scottish-born minister and president of what would become Princeton University, brought more than intellect to the cause of liberty—he brought conviction. A man of the cloth and the classroom, he had come to America to mold minds, not to lead a revolution. But when the debate over independence broke out, Witherspoon rose to his feet and declared, “The country is not only ripe for the measure, but in danger of rotting for the want of it.” He gave all he had—his home, his college, and most painfully, his son James, who fell in battle at Germantown. Yet he stood firm. For Witherspoon, liberty was not merely political; it was moral—a matter of principle, conscience, and courage. His legacy endures as both a founding father and the only clergyman to sign the Declaration. His words still echo: freedom is not just a gift—it is a test.

Categories: American History