Religious Liberty and America’s Founders
Since the 1960s we in the culture of the United States have listened to the false drumbeat of “all the Founders were deists and atheists,” “there is no place for God in the public square,” and the big daddy of the whoppers “separation of church and state= the First Amendment.” Apparently according to the post 1962 narrative, the Founding Fathers being the great secularists that they were, wanted a secular society where God only had a private place in people’s lives. John Jay, George Washington, Roger Sherman, Samuel and John Adams, William Williams, Benjamin Rush, Rev. John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, William Livingston, William Samuel Johnson, John Dickinson and other Founders that signed the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution would disagree strongly against those notions. God and having religious liberty was what they were all about. This article will show their Christian worldview and their desire for religious liberty being their highest priority (freedom of religion was the First Amendment).
Most people think that all the Founders were from English background. Not so with John Jay, whose Huguenot family came here fleeing persecution from France. There is also the Scottish aspect as seen in Rev. John Witherspoon who came here to the United States from Scotland. Scotland has made a covenant to follow God in 1650. The Scots were not allowed to meet publicly as Presbyterians (because the Church of England was the established church). Scots met outdoors (it gets cold in Scotland outdoors). Basically in 1685 the Scots were utterly defeated by the British and ceased to be a nation. Many Scots came to the United States in “slave ships” as indentured servants. Check out the historical lists of ships that came from Scotland after 1685 as slave ships. Religious liberty meant something strongly held by the Founders.
On this matter, it is good to check out one of the main sources, Rev. John Witherspoon. People in this country knew of Witherspoon’s teaching on religious liberty in Scotland. Richard Stockton and Benjamin Rush pleaded time and time again with Witherspoon’s wife in Scotland to talk her into coming to the wilderness of America. She eventually said yes to coming to America. Rev. Witherspoon taught a generation of leaders from Princeton like James Madison. Madison’s uncle taught at William and Mary but James Madison (the architect of the Constitution) travelled all the way to Princeton, New Jersey to attend college because it was known to have revival. The Christian worldview and lifestyle were strongly supported and encouraged.
In John Jay’s situation (and many other Huguenots) 1685 was a difficult year also. The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre witnessed the killing of many Huguenots in France. Many Huguenots fled the persecution and came to America. Let us start by looking at John Jay’s view of the religious liberty of the United States. Back in 1809 he stated that we must never lose sight of the great plan of Providence for the nation. I am afraid that after 50 years of the secular drumbeat, we no longer hear the music of religious liberty.
“A proper history of the United States would have much to recommend it: in some aspects it would be singular, or unlike all others; it would develop the great plan of Providence, for causing this extensive part of our world to be discovered, and these ‘uttermost parts of the earth’ to be gradually filled with civilized and Christian people and nations. The means or second causes by which this great plan has long been and still is accomplishing, are materials for history, of which the writer ought well to know the use and bearings and proper places. In my opinion, the historian, in the course of the work, is never to lose sight of that great plan.”
John Jay (1st Chief Justice) to Rev. Dr. Jedidiah Morse; August 16, 1809
The nation’s first Chief Justice under the Constitution stated that a proper history of the United States would develop the great plan of Providence and charged historians to never lose sight of that great plan.
Declaration of Independence
-54 of 56 signers had a Christian worldview; the two that did not (Franklin and Jefferson) are the ones typically studied in high schools and universities. What is the big picture? Do people study about the Christian worldview of these men?: Samuel and John Adams, Roger Sherman, Rev. John Witherspoon, Richard Stockton, Dr. Benjamin Rush, William Williams, Matthew Thornton, John Hancock, Lyman Hall, Abraham Clark, John Hart, Oliver Wolcott, Francis Hopkinson, Josiah Bartlett
www.1776faith.blogspot.com
NH, RI, CT, MA, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA, NC, SC, NC, GA listed in 2009 entries
-laws of Nature and of Nature’s God
-We hold these things to be self evident, that all men are created equal
-appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World
-With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence
-How about the strong Christian worldview of these Founders? George Washington, John Jay, Patrick Henry, John Dickinson, Elias Boudinot, Alexander Hamilton
-John Jay’s Christmas Address Dec. 23, 1776- John Jay mentions God 33 times
Providential Care of the United States During the American Revolution
-Battle of Brooklyn
-Washington Crossing the Delaware
-Saratoga
-Valley Forge
-Benedict Arnold’s Betrayal
-Retreat from Cowpens/ Race to the Dan River
-Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown
Days of Prayer During the American Revolution
April 15, 1775 July 20, 1775 May 17, 1776
December 18, 1777 May 3, 1779 April 29, 1780
December 7, 1780 May 3, 1781 April 25, 1782
November 28, 1782
Chaplains for Continental Congress
Chaplains for Continental Army
Treaty of Paris 1783
-‘In the name of the most Holy and undivided Trinity”
-State Constitutions of all 13 Original States Mention God
-Constitution 1787
In the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty seven
During impeachment procedure, Sunday the Christian Sabbath, was to be taken off
Franklin reminded Constitutional Convention about the need for prayer
Slavery was to be abolished after 18 years
Continental Congress voted against slavery
Who voted for slavery from 1800 to 1860? Which political party consistently voted for slavery ?
-Northwest Ordinance 1787
Banned slavery from Northwest Territories
“Religion and morality… shall forever be encouraged” (until 1962)
Federal Government under the Constitution paid for Christian missionaries to native Americans
-Under the Constitution
Washington Took Oath of Office: Sworn on a Bible April 30, 1789
“So help me God”
Government leaders prayed at St. Paul’s Chapel on Broadway
Days of Prayer Recommended by First Four Presidents Under the Constitution
George Washington Oct. 3, 1789 Thursday Nov. 26, 1789
George Washington Jan. 1, 1795 Thursday Feb.19, 1795
John Adams Mar 23, 1798 Wed. May 9, 1798
John Adams Wed. April 25, 1798
Thomas Jefferson Nov. 11, 1779 Thurs. Dec. 7, 1779
James Madison July 9, 1812 3rd Thurs. August 1812
James Madison July 23, 1813 2nd Thurs. Sept. 1813
James Madison Nov. 16, 1814 Thurs. Jan. 12, 1815
James Madison March 4, 1815 2nd Thurs. April 1815
Supreme Court started with 4 hour communion service
Julia Duin,Washington Times Nov. 30, 2001 A2
Supreme Court started with prayer for guidance under John Jay
Signers of the Constitution: 36 of 39 had a Christian worldview
www.1787constitutionfaith.blogspot.com
GA, SC, NC, VA, MD, DE, PA, NJ, NY, MA, CT, RI, NH entries on 2013
1st Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
IT DOES NOT SAY ‘SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE”
