Biblical Concept: Founders Christian Faith
Prologue: Ecclesiology (evkklhsi,a|; assembly, Church) is
theological vocabulary for the study of Christian Church History. This study focuses on the theology,
ecclesiology, of the founders of the United States of America.
Thesis: 2 Corinthians 6:14 14 Do not be bound together with
unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what
fellowship has light with darkness?
The Founders: (We will conquer you
to set you spiritually free. Compare Manifest Destiny.)
“Having
undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and
honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the
northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the
presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together .
. .” ~The Mayflower
Compact
“Lastly and
chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all
of one mind for the good of your country and your own, and to serve and fear
God the Giver of all Goodness, for every plantation which our Heavenly Father
hath not planted shall be rooted out” ~Instructions
for the Virginia Colony (1606)
“We, greatly
commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of
so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend
to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to
such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true
Knowledge and Worship of God . . .” ~The
First Charter of Virginia (granted
by King James I, on April 10, 1606)
“A free-born
people are not required by the religion of Christ to submit to tyranny, but may
make use of such power as God has given them to recover and support their …
liberties.” –“radicals”
from Marlborough, Massachusetts from the Boston Tea Party
"That
wise Men have in all Ages thought Government necessary for the Good of Mankind;
and, that wise Governments have always thought Religion necessary for the well
ordering and well-being of Society, and accordingly have been ever careful to
encourage and protect the Ministers of it, paying them the highest publick Honours, that their
Doctrines might thereby meet with the greater Respect among the common
People." --Benjamin Franklin, On that Odd Letter of the Drum, 1730
“No people
can be bound to acknowledge and adore in the invisible hand which conducts the
invisible affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step
by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to
have been distinguished by some token of providential agency. We ought to be no
less persuaded that the propitious smiles of heaven cannot be expected on a
nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which heaven itself
has ordained” ~George
Washington
“It is
impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.” ~George
Washington
State Constitutions: The original constitutions of all the 13
colonies when they became states contained references to God, Christ,
Christianity, and the Bible. Some states required that the governor and/or the
legislators profess themselves Christians in order to be allowed to serve. For
example, here are requirements, stated in the Delaware Constitution (1776),
necessary for holding office: Article XXII. Every person who shall be chosen
a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of
trust...shall...make and subscribe the following declaration, to wit: “I,
________, do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His
only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do
acknowledge the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given
by divine inspiration.”
“We have
staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of
government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political
institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten
Commandments of God.” ~James
Madison, 1778
to the General Assembly of the State of Virginia
“What
students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus
Christ.” ~George
Washington, speech
to the Delaware Indian Chiefs May 12, 1779
"May
the father of all mercies scatter light, and not darkness, upon our paths, and
make us in all our several vocations useful here, and in His own due time and
way everlastingly happy." --George Washington, letter to the Hebrew
Congregation in Newport, 1790
"I now
make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the state over which
you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the
citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, to
entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow
citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who
have served in the field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased
to dispose us all, to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with
that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed
religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we
can never hope to be a happy nation." --George Washington, circular letter
of farewell to the Army, 1783
"It is
the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the
SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject
shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for
worshipping GOD in the manner most agreeable to the dictates of his own
conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; provided he doth not
disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship."
--John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776
“It cannot
be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by
religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus
Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded
asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” ~Patrick Henry, May 1765 Speech to the House of
Burgesses
“The general
principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general
principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that
those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the
existence and attributes of God” ~John Adams
“Without
morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are
decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure…are
undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration
of free governments.” ~Charles
Carroll, signer
of the Declaration of Independence [Source: To James McHenry on November 4,
1800.]
“He who made
all men hath made the truths necessary to human happiness obvious to all… Our
forefathers opened the Bible to all” ~Samuel
Adams “American
Independence,” August 1, 1776. Speech delivered at the State House in
Philadelphia
“This is all the
inheritance I can give my dear family. The religion of Christ can give them one
which will make them rich indeed.” ~The
Last Will and Testament of Patrick Henry
“We
Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!” ~John Adams and John Hancock [April 18, 1775]
"The
sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for, among old parchments, or
musty records. They are written, as with a sun beam, in the whole volume of
human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased or
obscured by mortal power." --Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775
“Schools
must teach the excellency of the Christian religion
above all others, ancient or modern.” ~Benjamin Franklin, 1749 plan of education for public
schools in Pennsylvania
"It is
the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the
SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject
shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for
worshipping GOD in the manner most agreeable to the dictates of his own
conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; provided he doth not
disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship."
--John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776
"And
have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need
its assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more
convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the Affairs of Men.
And if a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable
that an Empire can rise without his Aid?" --Benjamin Franklin, Motion for
Prayers in the Constitutional Convention, 1787
"If men
are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it?" --Benjamin
Franklin
Holy Bible
approved and recommended by the US Congress, during the war for independence
from England:
Philadelphia,
September 10th, 1782.
Honble James Duane, Esq. Chairman, and the
other
Honble Gentlemen of the Committee of Congress on
Mr. Aitken's Memorial."
Whereupon,
RESOLVED,
THAT the United States in Congress assembled highly approve the pious and
laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to
the interest of religion, as well as an instance of the progress of arts in
this country, and being satisfied from the above report of his care and
accuracy in the execution of the work, they recommend this edition of the Bible
to the inhabitants of the United States, and hereby authorize him to publish
this Recommendation in the manner he shall think proper.
CHA. THOMSON, Sec'ry.
"It is
the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage, and such only, as
he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent both in order of
time and degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society. Before any man
can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a
subject of the Governor of the Universe." --James Madison, A Memorial and
Remonstrance, 1785
Hamilton
began work with the Rev. James Bayard to form the Christian Constitutional Society to help
spread over the world the two things which Hamilton said made America great:
1.
Christianity
2.
a Constitution formed under Christianity.
“Public
utility pleads most forcibly for the general distribution of the Holy
Scriptures. The doctrine they preach, the obligations they impose, the
punishment they threaten, the rewards they promise, the stamp and image of
divinity they bear, which produces a conviction of their truths, can alone
secure to society, order and peace, and to our courts of justice and
constitutions of government, purity, stability and usefulness. In vain, without
the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our
institutions. Bibles are strong entrenchments. Where they abound, men cannot
pursue wicked courses, and at the same time enjoy quiet conscience” ~James McHenry, Signer of the Constitution (Surgeon in Continental Army, 3rd US Secretary of War,
etc.)
“Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and
patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age by impressing the minds of
men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls, inculcating
in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Deity… and leading them in the
study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system.” ~Samuel Adams [October 4, 1790]
“Infidels and pagans were banished from the
halls of justice as unworthy of credit.” ~Joseph Story, Life and letters of Joseph Story, Vol. II 1851, pp. 8-9 (An American lawyer and jurist who served on the Supreme
Court of the United States from 1811 to 1845 / author / etc.)
“Be
religiously careful in our choice of all public officers . . . and judge of the
tree by its fruits.” ~Elias
Boudinot (Neighbor and friend of Ben Franklin, lawyer, colonel in Continental
Army, elected to Congress, director of the US mint, devout Presbyterian, a
founder of the American Bible Society, etc.) (Another quote: ”Good
government generally begins in the family, and if the moral character of a
people once degenerate, their political character must soon follow.”)
“To the
kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and
political and social happiness which mankind now enjoys. . . . Whenever the
pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of
government, and all blessings which flow from them, must fall with them.” ~Jedediah Morse (August 23, 1761 – June 9, 1826/ divinity degree at Yale
University / pastor / educator / etc.)
"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual - or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country." --Samuel Adams, in the Boston Gazette, 1781
“The evil
that has resulted from the error of the schools, in teaching natural philosophy
as an accomplishment only, has been that of generating in the pupils a species
of atheism. Instead of looking through the works of creation to the Creator
himself, they stop short, and employ the knowledge they acquire to create
doubts of his existence. They labour with studied
ingenuity to ascribe every thing they behold to
innate properties of matter, and jump over all the rest by saying, that matter
is eternal.” ~Thomas
Paine, “The
Existence of God–1810”
“It is
apprehended that Jews, Mahometans (Muslims), pagans,
etc., may be elected to high offices under the government of the United States.
Those who are Mahometans, or any others who are not
professors of the Christian religion, can never be elected to the office of
President or other high office, [unless] first the people of America lay aside
the Christian religion altogether, it may happen. Should this unfortunately
take place, the people will choose such men as think
as they do themselves.” ~Samuel
Johnston, Elliot’s
Debates, Vol. IV, pp 198-199, Governor Samuel Johnston, July 30, 1788 at the
North Carolina Ratifying Convention
"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual - or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country." --Samuel Adams, in the Boston Gazette, 1781
“[July 4th]
ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion
to God Almighty” ~John
Adams letter
to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress
“I verily
believe Christianity necessary to the support of civil society. One of the
beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is that Christianity is a part
of the Common Law. . . There never has been a period in which the Common Law
did not recognize Christianity as lying its foundations.” ~Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the
United States p. 593 (September 18, 1779 – September 10, 1845 / an
American lawyer and jurist who served on the Supreme Court of the United States
from 1811 to 1845 / author / etc.)
"The
citizens of the United States of America have the right to applaud themselves
for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy worthy
of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of
citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were by
the indulgence of one class of citizens that another enjoyed the exercise of
their inherent natural rights, for happily the Government of the United States,
which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only
that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good
citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support." --George
Washington, letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, 1790
"The
bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable
stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions; whom
we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges, if by
decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment."
--George Washington, Address to the Members of the Volunteer Association
of Ireland, 1783
"May
the father of all mercies scatter light, and not darkness, upon our paths, and
make us in all our several vocations useful here, and in His own due time and
way everlastingly happy." --George Washington, letter to the Hebrew
Congregation in Newport, 1790
Epilogue: As Benjamin Franklin left the
Constitutional Convention, on September 18, 1787, a certain Mrs. Powel shouted
out to him: “Well, doctor, what have we got?,” and Franklin responded: “A
Republic, if you can keep it.”