Contrary to popular belief, and what is now being put forward in history books and textbooks, America was founded as a Christian nation. But rather than belabor the point, I’m submitting some quotes from our founding fathers, as well as a few facts I retrieved from research on the subject that prove what they had in mind when they penned the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. To read the text of the two documents please click on the images at the end of this post.
HOW THE 13 STATES VOTED ON RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE ORDER OF THEIR RATIFICATION, WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT JUNE 21, 1788:
Delaware: “I profess faith in God the Father and in Jesus Christ…and in the Holy Ghost…and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration.”
Pennsylvania: “I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the Universe…And I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration.”
New Jersey: “All persons, professing a belief in the faith of any Protestant sect, who shall demean themselves peaceably under the government…shall be capable of being elected.”
Georgia: “Representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county…and they shall be of the Protestant religion.”
Connecticut: “By the Providence of God…whereby the legislature depends on…the free fruition of such liberties and privileges as humanity, civility, and Christianity …”
Massachusetts: “Any person…before he… executes the duties of his…office…[shall] subscribe…‘I…declare, that I believe the Christian religion’…”
Maryland: “No other test…ought to be required, on admission to any office…than a declaration of a belief in the Christian religion.”
South Carolina: “No person shall be eligible to a seat…unless he be of the Protestant religion…”
New Hampshire: “No person shall be capable of being elected…who is not of the Protestant religion.”
Virginia: “It is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.” From Virginia’s Bill of Rights.
New York: “The United American States declare…a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence…the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination…”
North Carolina: “No person, who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the Divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the State, shall be capable of holding…office.”
Rhode Island: “By the blessing of God…a full liberty in religious concernments…rightly grounded upon Gospel principles, will give the best and greatest security…in the true Christian faith and worship of God…They may defend themselves, in their just rights and liberties against all the enemies of the Christian faith.”
QUOTE FROM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JUNE 28, 1787:
“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? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it’…
“I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel…I therefore beg leave to move—that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business.”
REPORT BY REP. JAMES MEACHAM, MARCH 27, 1854:
“…Down to the Revolution, every colony did sustain religion in some form…Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle.”
RESPONSE BY CONNECTICUT GOVERNOR JONATHAN TRUMBULL, AUGUST 1776, TO A LETTER FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON PLEADING FOR REINFORCEMENTS:
“…March On!…Play the man for God, and for the cities of our God. May the Lord of Hosts, the God of the Armies of Israel, be your Captain, your Leader, your Conductor, and Savior.”
QUOTE BY FRANCIS SCOTT KEY, WRITER OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, MARCH 22, 1814:
“The patriot who feels himself in the service of God, who acknowledges Him in all his ways, has the promise of Almighty direction, and will find His Word in the greatest darkness, ‘a lantern to his feet and a lamp unto his paths’…He will therefore seek to establish for his country in the eyes of the world, such a character as shall make her not unworthy of the name of a Christian nation.”
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Dear readers, can anyone have any doubt what foundation this country was built upon? And what is happening today? God and Christianity are being written out of history. Fortunately, God doesn’t need the textbooks or political correctness, and He doesn’t even need Christians to stand up for what we believe—He is able to carry out His purposes without us. But I do believe He wants us to have the courage and boldness to do so. Not just individuals, but churches. If we’re the Bride of Christ, let’s not be caught hiding timidly in the shadows from our Bridegroom!
There’s a saying attributed to statesman/philosopher Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
When I was in the fourth grade we were required to memorize every stanza of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’. There’s a link to the lyrics below—please note the little-known 4th verse.
FINAL QUOTE: PRESIDENT JOHN ADAMS IN A LETTER TO HIS WIFE, JULY 3, 1776, REGARDING INDEPENDENCE DAY:
I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. — Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means. And that posterity will triumph in that days transaction, even although we should rue it, which I trust in God we shall not.
I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great Anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forever.”
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(I switched the order of the two paragraphs above for obvious reasons. Credit for factual information and quotes is due to the book, Miracles in American History by Susie Federer, and other validated quotes were obtained on the internet. For more information, and the lyrics to the National Anthem, see the links below.)
LINKS:
https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/606686/independence-day-message/
https://www.military.com/july-4th
https://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/pdf/ssb_lyrics.pdf