Fundamental Biblical Worldviews and Principles in Early America

[wmc1982]

Lets take a look at some of the foundations and Biblical principles in the beginnings of America. Most of this is all quotes from important influences in early America. To know where we are in America, where we are going, and what we need to do, we need to have a good understanding of its beginnings and foundations. I encourage you to read through everything, there is a lot of great information.

I was truely amazed by many of these quotes and I believe many of you will too. I see now how corrupt my learning has been in public schools.

I will also take a quick look at the evolution of Law, and then take a look at some interesting paintings that reside in the Capital.

1. These quotes are from George Washington, the 1st President of the United States, from his Farewell Address.

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports...In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness (religion and morality), these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens..."
(George Washington's Farewell Address - Sept 17, 1796)

"...And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion...reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
(George Washington's Farewell Address - Sept 17, 1796)

2. Quotes from John Adams, the 2nd President of the United States.

"Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand."
(John Adams - Letter of June 21, 1776, quoted in The Wall Builder Report, 1993)

"We have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion...Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
(John Adams - Address to the Officers of the Massachusetts Militia, 1798)

3. The following are quotes from Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independance.

"The only foundation for...a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments."
(Benjamin Rush - Essays, Literary, Moral and Philosophical, 1798)

"...Christianity is the only true and perfect religion; and that in proportion as mankind adopt its principles and obey its precepts they will be wise and happy."
(Benjamin Rush. "A Defense of the Use of the Bible as a School Book - 1798)

"In contemplating the political institutions of the United States, I lament that we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes, and take so little pains to prevent them. We profess to be republicans and yet we neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government. That is, the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by the means of the Bible."
(Benjamin Rush, "A defense of the US of the Bible as a School Book. 1798)

4. Here is quote from Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independance.

"Without morals, a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion...are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments."
(Charles Carroll - Letter to James McHenry, November 4, 1800)

5. Quotes from Samuel Adams who was the governor of Massachusetts. He is considered one of the greatest founders of America.

"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, of inclucating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Deity...in short of leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system."
(Samuel Adams - Letter to John Adams, October 4, 1790)

"Religion and good morals are the only solid foundations of public liberty and happiness."
(Samuel Adams - Letter to John Trumbell, October 16, 1778)

6. A quote from Patrick Henry...

"The great pillars of all government and of social life [are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor...and this alone, that renders us invincible."
(Patrick Henry - Letter to Archibald Blair, January 8, 1799)

7. The following is considered one of the classic pictures of early American life, written by Alexis De Tocqueville, a young French man who came to America.

"The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and liberty so intimately in their minds that it is impossible to make them conceive one without the other."

"The religious atmosphere of the country was the first thing that struck me upon my arrival in the U.S. In France, I had seen the spirits of religion and freedom almost always marching in opposite directions, in America, I found them intimately linked together and joined and reigned over the same land...Religion should therefore be considered as the first of their political institutions. From the start, politics and religion have agreed and have not since ceased to do so."
(Alexis de Tocqueville, "Democracy in America")

8. The following is a quote by Gouverneur Morris, one of the most prominent speakers during the Constitutional Convention.

"Religion is the only solid basis of good morals; therefore education should teach the precepts of religion, and the duties of man towards God."
(Life of Gouverneur Morris, Vol III)

9. Quotes from Noah Webster...(called by God to write a dictionary ) Unfortunatly the new editions of his dictionary have the Christian Principles removed.

"...the moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws...All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crme, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible."
(Noah Webster - History of the United States, 1833)

"It is alleged by men of loose principles, or defective views of the subject, that religion and morality are not necessary or important qualifications for political stations. But the Scriptures teach a different doctrine. They direct that rulers should be men who rule in the fear of God, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness..."
(Noah Webster - "Value of the Bible", 1834)

"In my view, the Christian Religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government, ought to be instructed...no truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian Religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people."
(Noah Webster - Reply to David McClure, Oct 25, 1836)

10. Quote from Daniel Webster (was a leading American statesman)

"To preserve the government we must also preserve morals. Morality rests on religion; if you destroy the foundation, the superstructure must fall. When the public mind becomes vitiated and corrupt, laws are a nullity and constututions are waste paper."
(Daniel Webster - Oration at Hanover, NH. 4th of July, 1800.)

11. Quote from James Wilson, US Supreme Court Justice who signed the US Constitution.

"Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is Divine...Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants."
(James Wilson -- "Of the General Principles of Law and Obligation", 1790-1791)

12. Quote from the Declaration of Independance.

"...We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights..."
(US Declaration of Independance, 1776)

13. Original Deleware Constitution

Article 22.

"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."

14. Constitution of the New England Confederation - May 19, 1643

"Whereas we all came to these parts of America with the same end and aim, namely, to advance the kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to injoy the liberties of the Gospell thereof with purities and peace, and for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the gospell..."

13. Mayflower Compact - November 11, 1620

"In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten...having undertaken, for the glorie of God, and advancemente of the Christian faith...a voyage to plant the first colony..."

14. Quote from William Bradford (leader of the Plymouth Colony)

"As one candle may light a thousand, so the light kindled here has shown unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation..We have noted these things so that you might see their worth and not negligently lose what your fathers have obtained with so much hardship."
(William Bradford)

I think it is so important for us to always remember, and never take for granted, what all these great people did and all the hardships they went through for us, building a foundation for the future generations, to live in a free, Christian nation.

 

[wmc1982]

Evolution of Law

1. Some quotes from William Blackstone from his widely studied Law books. (Charles Finney was a law student and became a Christian reading Blackstone)

"...as man depends absolutely upon his Maker for everything, it is necessary that he should, in all points, conform to his Maker's will. This will of his Maker is called the law of nature...This law of nature...dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at al times: no human laws are of any validity if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid derive all their force, and all their authority...from this original."
(William Blackstone - Commentaries on the Law, 1723-1780)

"Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation, depend all human laws; that is to say, no human laws should be suffered to contradict these."
(William Blackstone - "Commentaries", 1723-1780)

-Some important things to note regarding the Evolution of Law.

1859 - Darwin publishes "The Origins of the Species.
1869 - Eliot arrives as President of Harvard
1870 - Eliot appointed Christopher Langdell as the head of Harvard Law School (not qualified for the position but Eliot considered him qualified because he agreed with Eliot that Evolution was true. Blackstone was thrown out, and Langdell's Case Method was put in.

2. Rise of Legal Positivism (The claim that the state is the ultimate authority for creating, interpreting, and enforcing law. All legal truth is based on the decision of the state.)

"Langdell did not merely introduce a new method of teaching law, he introduced a new faith concerning law. He believe that man, led by the ablest scholars and judges, could discover and determine the laws governing human affairs. Because he believed that man did not need the aid of God and the Holy Scripture...Langdell sought to eliminate both from legal education-not by default, but by design. He, along with president Eliot, had embraced the new faith that swept the academic world in the latter 1800's--that Darwin's theory of evolution was the key to all of life, including the law."
(H.W. Titus - "God, Man, and Law")


3. Now lets take a look at the foundations of some important Universities started in America.

A. Harvard (First University founded in America, by the Puritians)

"Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore lay Christ at the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning." (Harvard's Rules and Precepts - 1636)

Harvard's Original Motto - "Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae", which means "Truth for Christ and the Church". This motto has been changed to simply "Veritas" which means simply "Truth".

B. Princeton

"Cursed is all learning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ" (Princeton's Founding Statement - 1746)

C. Columbia University (one of the most liberal Universities in our Country today)

Lets take a look at their seal that is still there today...

http://www.americanvision.org/images/ColumbiaUniversitySeal.jpg

-Above the womans head: Yahweh is written (Hebrew)
-On the left side of the woman: Psalm 36:9 in Latin - "In thy light we see light"
-On the ribbon is written: Psalm 27:1 - "God is my Light" (Hebrew)
-Under her feet: 1 Peter 2:1-2 (desiring the pure milk of God's Word)

 

[wmc1982]

Here are some murals that are found in the Capital.

A. First is a mural depicting Christopher Columbus

The accounts of Christopher Columbus have suffered greatly from Historical Revisionism.

He believed that he had providencially been given the name Christ-opher which means "one who bears Christ"

His purpose for coming to America has sadly been re-written.

http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/rotunda/landing_columbus.cfm

B. Next to this is the Baptism of Pocahontas. The story of Pocahontas also has a great deal of Historical Revisionism removing the Christian aspects of it.
http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/rotunda/baptism_pocahontas.cfm

C. Next to that, is a painting of the Pilgrims before their initional departure, with the Bible open, and their eyes and hands uplifted to God.

http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/rotunda/embarkation_pilgrims.cfm


"Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." - Revelation 2:5

 

[wmc1982]

One final quote I just found from Benjamin Franklin (called a pagan by many)

"...how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly appealing to the Father of lights to illuinate our understanings? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britian, when we were sensible to danger, we had aily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered... And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance?...

I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I love, 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 possible that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this poitical building no better, than the Builders of Babel...

We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shal become a reproach and bye word down to future ages...I therefore beg leave to move--that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business..."

(Benjamin Franklin - Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787)

Wow

"When I fed them, they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me." - Hosea 13:6

 

[wmc1982]

And another fascinating quote by Abraham Lincoln.

"...We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us...and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some puperior wisdom and virtue of our own...

...intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."

(Abraham Lincoln - Proclamation for a National Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer. April 30, 1863)


"When I shut up the heavens so that theres is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:13-14

 

[Voegelin]

Nice work. Revisionists have so twisted our history many do not know the religious roots of our country.

Separation of church and state was first introduced into American political debate not as a proposal but as an accusation by Federalists against Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson's supporters fiercely denied the charge but were somewhat hypocritical on the subject. While claiming, despite some comments Jefferson made about religion not being needed to educate children, they did not want to push religion out of the public square, Jefferson's supporters fought hard in New England to break the power of the Federalist clergy. It is not hyperbole to state that Jefferson, during his reelection campaign in 1803 and 1804, sought a second American revolution--one which would result in the end of the dominance of the Congregational church in New England (especially in Connecticut).

In a way, Jefferson's Republicans (or Republican-Democrats as they were also called) got their wish. The Federalist party was dead by the 1820s and with it went the power of the Congregationalist clergy. Taxpayer support of their churches ended in Connecticut in the mid-1820s. State levies in Massachusetts to fund Congregational churches halted a decade later.

The Republic Washington and Adams had created was no more.

Many often say FDR or Lincoln ended the American Republic.

To my family, it ended with the election of Thomas Jefferson.

(a few, T.S. Eliot among then, say Andrew Jackson was the end of the free Republic and I suppose there is a case for that too).

 

[wmc1982]

Nice work. Revisionists have so twisted our history many do not know the religious roots of our country.

Separation of church and state was first introduced into American political debate not as a proposal but as an accusation by Federalists against Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson's supporters fiercely denied the charge but were somewhat hypocritical on the subject. While claiming, despite some comments Jefferson made about religion not being needed to educate children, they did not want to push religion out of the public square, Jefferson's supporters fought hard in New England to break the power of the Federalist clergy. It is not hyperbole to state that Jefferson, during his reelection campaign in 1803 and 1804, sought a second American revolution--one which would result in the end of the dominance of the Congregational church in New England (especially in Connecticut).

In a way, Jefferson's Republicans (or Republican-Democrats as they were also called) got their wish. The Federalist party was dead by the 1820s and with it went the power of the Congregationalist clergy. Taxpayer support of their churches ended in Connecticut in the mid-1820s. State levies in Massachusetts to fund Congregational churches halted a decade later.

The Republic Washington and Adams had created was no more.

Many often say FDR or Lincoln ended the American Republic.

To my family, it ended with the election of Thomas Jefferson.

(a few, T.S. Eliot among then, say Andrew Jackson was the end of the free Republic and I suppose there is a case for that too).

thanks for adding that Voegelin. I'm not even close to an expert on American History, I just took a college class in the subject and have recently been studying it on my own.

So any other comments like that are great. I think it is essential that all Americans, Christian or not, need to understand the Christian principles that founded our great Country.

(Although I will say that many of our founding fathers weren't considered Christians even though most did believe in God)

 

[Suomipoika]

One final quote I just found from Benjamin Franklin (called a pagan by many)

"...how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly appealing to the Father of lights to illuinate our understanings? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britian, when we were sensible to danger, we had aily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered... And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance?...

I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I love, 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 possible that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this poitical building no better, than the Builders of Babel...

We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shal become a reproach and bye word down to future ages...I therefore beg leave to move--that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business..."

(Benjamin Franklin - Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787)

Wow

"When I fed them, they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me." - Hosea 13:6

When Franklin speaks about the "Father of lights" or uses some other expressions about a deity, it's noteworthy to keep in mind that speaking about the deity is a man who objected to traditional Christian beliefs, who believed in God but concerning "Jesus of Nazareth", he had, "with most of the present Dissenters in England... some Doubts as to his Divinity".

[Source: Franklin to Stiles, March 9, 1790, Benjamin Franklin: Representative Selections, rev. edn, eds Chester E. Jorgenson and Frank Luther Mott (New York: Hill & Wang, 1962), p. 508]

You could say the God Franklin believed in wasn't exactly the same God that evangelical Christians today believe in, but resembled at least as much the divine providence commonly held in the spirit of the Enlightment.

 

[Suomipoika]

I wonder why my post didn't show as the latest one in "subscribed threads".. maybe because the database seemed to be acting up a little yesterday.

 

[imind]

building a foundation for the future generations, to live in a free, Christian nation.

funny, this being a christian nation, that it is not mentioned anywhere in any of our 'founding documents'; not even mentioned in passing. despite having ample opportunity for our founding fathers to mention it, and its existence in precursors to our constitution. instead we find this...

Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

treaty with tripoli,1797

Authored by American diplomat Joel Barlow in 1796, the following treaty was sent to the floor of the Senate, June 7, 1797, where it was read aloud in its entirety and unanimously approved. John Adams, having seen the treaty, signed it and proudly proclaimed it to the Nation.

funny, too, that the only document from the era that even mentions christianity is clear evidence of this not beingh a christian nation.

Nice work. Revisionists have so twisted our history many do not know the religious roots of our country.

the only revising of history is being done by those who want to write christianity into our history. praytell, what principle or ideas for our government are derived from christianity? this should be easy to answer if this were a christian nation.

frankly, i'd be embarassed to call this a christian country simply because of the lack of any similarities/connections between the religion and its government.

 

[Rafael]

Thanks for sharing that info. Very interesting...