"the Love of Liberty Brought Us Here": Baptist Beginnings in Liberia‪.‬

The official language is English. The flag is a combination of red, white, and blue. Christianity is the dominant religion. The capital is named after an American President. Indeed, the Republic of Liberia has been heavily influenced by the United States, and much of the early influence came from Baptists. Ingrained in the Liberian motto--"The love of liberty brought us here"--are two of the Baptist hallmarks of freedom and missions, both of which are important for understanding Baptist beginnings in Liberia in the nineteenth century. The connection, I believe, is neither fanciful nor the product of an overactive imagination of a Baptist scholar. Baptists have been a consistent and foundational presence in Liberia since its inception. One of the tragedies of Baptist history, however, is that the beginnings of Baptist missionary work in Liberia cannot be discussed apart from the reality of slavery. Neither can this discussion take place without an awareness of the social, political, and religious factors at work in American society during the early nineteenth century that resulted in an American colonization effort and the founding of Liberia. Baptist beginnings in Liberia must be seen against this backdrop.