Baptist History from the Founding of America to the Present

There can be no doubt that the idea of freedom of conscience must be logically connected with freedom of speech, for whatever a man thinks in his heart he should be free to express. Thomas Jefferson did not write his own ideas into the First Amendment to the Constitution. He obtained these ideas of freedom of speech and religion from the true history of Christianity and western civilization as preserved by the independent, Bible-believing churches that have existed since the time of Christ.

True historians have recorded these facts as being an essential part of western history. One such example being the existence of a free-state in the ninth century called Teprice in Armenia which granted freedom of speech to all its citizens. Teprice was established by the Bible-believing Paulicians and lasted for 150 years. Although the Paulicians and other Bible-believing peoples were called many different names by their enemies, they all preserved the same basic, Biblical ideals of freedom of conscience, separation of church and state, and the autonomy of the local assembly of believers in Christ. These ideals were incorporated into the Constitution of the United States and are still maintained by the independent, Baptist churches of America to this day. 

Recommended Readings:
The Trail of Blood by J.M. Carroll
American Foundations Laid by the Baptists by Ted Alexander
The Collegiate Baptist History Workbook by James R. Beller
The New Testament Church by David W. Cloud
These books can be obtained from any Christian Bookstore.