An Unofficial Patriot

"An Unofficial Patriot" by Helen H. Gardener is a story that begins with Griffith Davenport, a preacher who once owned slaves in Virginia, grappling with right and wrong in a world that's starting to question old ways. The story looks into the battles between what he was taught growing up and his growing sense that slavery is wrong, exploring what’s fair, what's legal, and what people truly believe. Griffith’s journey starts with showing him as someone shaped by the world around him, struggling with the fact that he was raised to own people, but is now realizing how wrong it is. As he fights with his own conscience, the story hints at his path to understanding what freedom really means, discovering his own morals, and standing up for what he believes in. The early parts of the book focus on important moments from when he was young, how his religious beliefs changed him, and the doubts about slavery that began to challenge everything he thought he knew, preparing him for bigger conflicts as he tries to find his place as a Southern man and a religious leader during a time of great change.