Killed in 1715 in Chester County's first recorded murder, Jonathan Hayes of Marple became the focus of a colonial ‘culture war’ pitting liberals against conservatives over government God-talk.

See ‘God’s Footstool’ at www.markedixon.com/retrospect.htm.

‘God’s Footstool’ is the latest edition of Retrospect, a regular look at the history of Philadelphia's western suburbs. Retrospect appears monthly in Main Line Today.

Coming next month: "Listen to the Tadpoles Sing." In 1847, Bethel-area Methodists split over how best to offer the Lord His ‘joyful noise.’ Today, U.S. Methodists continue to squabble over the music in their hymnals.