Forgive me! This was yesterdays post for the blog and I neglected to post it. It was busy today on the phone and I wrote it, but didn’t post it. I will post something new Saturday morning. God bless!

November 1, 1765

Parliament enacts the Stamp Act

In the face of widespread opposition in the American colonies, Parliament enacts the Stamp Act, a taxation measure designed to raise revenue for British military operations in America.
Defense of the American colonies in the French and Indian War (1754-63) and Pontiac's Rebellion (1763-64) were costly affairs for Great Britain, and Prime Minister George Grenville hoped to recover some of these costs by taxing the colonists. In 1764, the Sugar Act was enacted, putting a high duty on refined sugar. Although resented, the Sugar Act tax was hidden in the cost of import duties, and most colonists accepted it. The Stamp Act, however, was a direct tax on the colonists and led to an uproar in America over an issue that was to be a major cause of the Revolution: taxation without representation.

Passed without debate by Parliament in March 1765, the Stamp Act was designed to force colonists to use special stamped paper in the printing of newspapers, pamphlets, almanacs, and playing cards, and to have a stamp embossed on all commercial and legal papers. The stamp itself displayed an image of a Tudor rose framed by the word "America" and the French phrase Honi soit qui mal y pense--"Shame to him who thinks evil of it."

Outrage was immediate. Massachusetts politician Samuel Adams organized the secret Sons of Liberty organization to plan protests against the measure, and the Virginia legislature and other colonial assemblies passed resolutions opposing the act. In October, nine colonies sent representatives to New York to attend a Stamp Act Congress, where resolutions of "rights and grievances" were framed and sent to Parliament and King George III. Despite this opposition, the Stamp Act was enacted on November 1, 1765.

The colonists greeted the arrival of the stamps with violence and economic retaliation. A general boycott of British goods began, and the Sons of Liberty staged attacks on the customhouses and homes of tax collectors in Boston. After months of protest and economic turmoil, and an appeal by Benjamin Franklin before the British House of Commons, Parliament voted to repeal the Stamp Act in March 1766. However, the same day, Parliament passed the Declaratory Acts, asserting that the British government had free and total legislative power over the colonies.

Parliament would again attempt to force unpopular taxation measures on the American colonies in the late 1760s, leading to a steady deterioration in British-American relations that culminated in the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775.
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Nothing particularly exciting happened yesterday. It was Halloween so there were a lot of trick and treaters out on the streets. I did spend some time studying for my church sermon on Sunday and also checked over notes for our radio broadcast and Internet TV broadcast which we will be recording Friday.

I do want to remind all subscribers to The Crusader and The Torch that these are separate publications and they each maintain their own and separate mailing list. If you are a subscriber to both and should move, you will need to notify BOTH addresses with your new address. Don’t just write to one and expect that your address will be changed for both. Also remember that these are mailed out at bulk rate which means if you should move the Post Office will not forward them to you. The Post Office will only forward FIRST CLASS MAIL. If you move and want to continue receiving your papers you need to contact us directly with your new address. Filling our a new address card at the Post Office will not work, because, as I said the Post Office only forwards FIRST CLASS mail. So please understand: If you move - write directly to us at P.O. Box 2222, Harrison, A 73602 with your new address. And if you are a subscriber to The Torch write directly to The Torch / P. O. Box 354, Bergman, AR 72615

Don’t forget the Christmas Fellowship Conference on December 1 and 2. This is our smaller event of the year, but one that everyone really enjoys. We have speeches, games, music and wonderful fellowship. Come if you can!

God bless!