The Victory Sermon at Yorktown

From Bible Verses That Made America by Robert Morgan

October 19, 1781

The Battle of Yorktown effectively ended the American Revolution. British General Charles Cornwallis, badly outnumbered and isolated, sent out a white flag and surrendered to George Washington.

Israel Evans was there to preach a sermon of victory to the American forces. A native of Pennsylvania, Evans had served as a chaplain throughout the War. His sermons had strengthened George Washington at Valley Forge, and he was standing beside Washington at Yorktown when they were both nearly hit by a cannonball. On October 20, 1781, the day after the victorious battle, Evans preached to the euphoric troops from 1 Samuel 7:12, which is a quotation from the prophet Samuel after a battlefield victory over the Philistines.

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”

Samuel wanted to commemorate the victory, so he established a monument and called it Ebenezer, which meant, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.”

“Praise the Lord, who hath redeemed us from our enemies, for His mercy endureth forever!” Evans shouted to the generals and all the troops gathered before him. He also reminded them of the twists of providence and the rather miraculous moments that had saved America from expected disaster. That the colonial army, ragtag and unproven and outmatched, should defeat the greatest military power in the world was a remarkable exhibition of providence, virtually unseen since the days of Samuel.

Israel Evans’s sermon on October 20 looked backward at God’s providential hand over the course of the War. But later he preached another victory sermon in New York City, in which he looked ahead and painted a picture of what America could be. His words were almost prophetic, and they picture America as she should be.

The great Continent of America . . . is now free and independent! The blood and treasure of the sons of freedom have purchased these privileges.. . . Oh, blessed day which brings us to the possession of all we have been contending for and enables us to erect the standard of liberty and glory upon one of the four great divisions of earth! Hail auspicious morning of the rising empire. Hail arts and sciences, America is the new theatre of your improvements. . . . Commerce and trade shall spread their sails and waft the riches of distant lands to this great continent. Now, without fear of an insulting enemy, the industrious husbandman shall sow his enlarged fields and reap his rich and joyful harvests. Here the oppressed shall find a secure retreat from all the poverty and misery of merciless tyranny. Religion and learning shall raise their drooping heads and flourish again. Now shall the brave soldier claim the honor of being a free and independent citizen of the United States of America. The blessed soil of independence shall strive to reward him for his persevering valor. . . . May peace and love and human affection be once more planted in the human mind, and there grow and flourish till time shall be no more.[1]

The Revolutionary leaders of America understood the meaning of Ebenezer— hitherto has the Lord helped us! There wasn’t a better word in the dictionary to describe their feelings on that day of final victory. And those among them who understood the role of providence knew that the God who had helped them thus far was needed now more than ever for the future.

We all have Ebenezer moments in our lives. Looking back, we can see God’s help; and looking forward we can see God’s hand. Hitherto has the Lord helped us.

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[1] John Calvin Thorne, A Monograph of the Rev. Israel Evans (monograph, Sixtieth Annual Meeting of the Concord Congregational Union, October 20, 1902), 12.