My first impressions of John Witherspoon were influenced by the movie 1776. As I read the thumbnail sketch of his life in Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, I cannot help but feel the movie did the man a grave disservice.
In the movie, Doctor Witherspoon comes across as mousy. Nothing like the dynamic John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and others. The man playing Witherspoon also lacked a Scottish accent, which surely the Doctor must have had considering he was born and raised in Scotland. I know, not particularly important. The play/movie took the dialogue almost exclusively from records, such as the records of Congress. However, they seem to have failed to truly investigate the men themselves.
I think of the movie and can't imagine the following scene:
"On the first of July, when the subject of the Declaration of Independence was discussed, a distinguished member remarked that 'the people are not ripe for a Declaration of Independence.' Doctor Witherspoon observed, 'In my judgment, sir, we are not only ripe, but rotting.'"
It would have been fantastic but only if Witherspoon was a man, not a mouse.
He graduated at 22 as a licensed preacher from the University of Edinburgh. He served diligently, finally being requested to serve as the president of Princeton. Yes, THE Princeton. It wasn't quality at the time, but Witherspoon changed that.
He served in Congress honorably and once he retired continued to preach.
Honor, courage, faith, strength, pursuing his chosen path. I want to be like that.
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