Revolutionary Pastor Muhlenberg...

Rev. Peter Muhlenberg was conducting the worship service in his usual way on Sunday morning, January 21, 1776. The text for his message was from the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3:1-8,

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the
heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time
to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to
break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time
to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather
stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time
to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to
rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to
love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace . . ."

Having read this final phrase, Muhlenberg then began removing his clerical robe to reveal his continental army uniform. He then declared, "And this is the time of war!" The next day he led 300 men from his community to form the 8th Virginia Regiment.

He would later serve in both the U.S. House of Representatives and in the U.S. Senate. His statue stands in the U.S. Capitol in the House Rotunda.

You can read more about Rev. Peter Muhlenberg at Wikipedia here.