"Principles of Free Government"

In last week's post, we discussed the concept of free governments and the necessity of certain principles that support and maintain such governments. For free governments to work, certain principles must be in place. The American experience has provided the greatest expanse and broadest experience of a free society the world has ever known. So what were these majestic mystical principles that have given us so much freedom? For that, we will turn to our second President John Adams.

"The general principles, on which the Fathers achieved independence, were the only Principles in which that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite . . . . And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general principles of Christianity, in which all these sects were United. And the general Principles of English and American Liberty, in which all those young Men United, and which had United all Parties in America, in Majorities sufficient to assert and maintain her Independence." ~ John Adams (June 28, 1813, letter to Thomas Jefferson.    

The weight of this statement comes from the one who speaks it. This is not my contrivance, but the consideration of the mind of John Adams, writing to Thomas Jefferson, the mind and penmen of the Declaration of Independence. The consideration in play here is by what principles were we, the American people able to achieve independence? What principles were so sublime that all parties were not only united but able to assert their independence as a nation, and also to maintain that independence? Alas, it is the General Principles of Christianity. If these principles are so essential, so profoundly necessary, how is it we expect to support and maintain the freedom they gave birth to if we cast them away? Adams understood that they were so profoundly important, they were the only Principles that could unite and establish our independence, at least in such an enduring manner. 

It would be safe to consider that most of the American People how no idea these principles carried so much weight upon our freedom. Some might understand that some people came here for religious freedom, but they have no idea that religion gave birth to that freedom. They have been led to believe that this freedom was contrived from men and the Christians came running to it. I suppose it would not matter who gets the credit for the freedom, except without the principles the freedom cannot long exist.

Adams would also write to James Warren; "[This] Form of Government . . . is productive of everything which is great and excellent among men. But its Principles are as easily destroyed, as human nature is corrupted . . . . A [Republican] Government is only to be supported by pure Religion or Austere Morals. Private, and public Virtue is the only Foundation of Republics." ~ John Adams.  

What he is saying is that for people to be governed by a free government, those people must know and understand how to be free. Christianity formed that foundation of Moral responsibility and public and private behavior that gave strength and support to a free government. It enabled a people, the American people to govern themselves and embrace a system of government by which they could all unite. 

Don't misunderstand, we are not talking about a theocracy or a nation ruled by religion, no, we are talking about a Republican form of government which must have some moral vitreous rule of which all parties could unite. For the American experience, the principles of Christianity became that support. Christianity was considered by the Founders to be the greatest support a free government could rest upon.

"The great, vital, and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and the divine truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." ~ Journal of the House of the Representatives of the United States of America (Washington, DC: Cornelius Wendell, 1855), 34th Cong., 1st Sess., p. 354, January 23, 1856

"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… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants." ~ Reports of Committees of the House of Representatives Made During the First Session of the Thirty-Third Congress

[O]ur citizens should early understand that the genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament, or the Christian religion." ~ Noah Webster, History of the United States

[T]he 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 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, A Collection of Papers on Political, Literary, and Moral Subject, p. 291, from his “Reply to a Letter of David McClure on the Subject of the Proper Course of Study in the Girard College, Philadelphia. New Haven, October 25, 1836.

Looking quickly at a few of these statements will help us understand our dilemma. The house in 1856 said the great vital element in our system was a belief of our people in the pure doctrines and truths of the Gospel. 

Vital definition Webster 1828: VI'TAL, a. [L. vitalis, from vita, life. This must be a contraction of victa, for vivo forms vixi, victus; Gr. contracted.]

1. Pertaining to life, either animal or vegetable; as vital energies; vital powers.

2. Contributing to life; necessary to life; as vital air; vital blood.

3. Containing life.

Spirits that live throughout, vital in every part - and vital virtue infus'd, and vital warmth.

4. Being the seat of life; being that on which life depends.

The dart flew on, and pierc'd a vital part.

5. Very necessary; highly important; essential. Religion is a business of vital concern. Peace is of vital importance to our country.

6. So disposed as to live.

Pythagoras and Hippocrates affirm the birth of the seventh month to be vital. [Little used.]

Vital air, pure air or oxygen gas, which is essential to animal life.

It was vital because it gave a unifying element in our society and enabled us to view the world through a very similar moral glass. This caused us to embrace the laws of our land in a general sense a right and just. The moral code that had been instilled in our people formed the laws that governed us. Therefore to rebel against the laws of the land was to find yourself morally bankrupt, which had a restraining effect on our society. Without this unifying element, we would have a tendency to form our own idea of morality. Then having done so, our laws would begin to appear to us as unjust or antiquated.

Noah Webster was a Judge, Legislator, Educator, and considered America's Schoolmaster, he felt it necessary to educate our citizens early in these Christian principles, in other words, encourage the diffusion of the Gospel message. This was not Government mandating a religious doctrine, but understanding the value of it in support of the Republican form Government and simply encouraging its promotion throughout our society. I know that sounds strange, however, it's difficult to read his words any other way.

He viewed the Christian religion so important, he considered it one of the first things we should teach our children, for he understood it to be the basis by which a free people could be governed.

It must be noted here for those who hate religion and demand separation of church and state, there is a true separation of the church and the state. They each have their separate roles which they play, however, the support each lends to the other is invaluable in the American system. It also must be understood that teaching Christian principles does not make one a Christian. The founders were not necessarily trying to make everyone Christians, they were simply using the Christian religion and the moral values it held as a unifying factor in our society and the support that would give to the laws of our land. They could have elected any religion as their basis, but they believed the Christian religion to be the most supportive of freedom and republican governments.

As we no longer hold these ideas to be true and have mixed varying religious and moral standards, our society has broken down. The unity we once enjoyed as a people have grown into distrust and hatred of one another. We no longer look through the same glass, we are all seeing the world in a different light. We are finding ourselves restricted by our Constitution and discovering a need to change it, re-interpret it, or circumvent it. We as a society can't agree on what is morally right because our base of understanding is coming from other sources. A free society that has lost its restraints, no longer embrace the laws that govern it, and feel compelled to install what each group may be persuaded in their own mind is right will soon erupt into chaos. Our freedom will go away because we are no longer capable of being a free people. Some totalitarian rule of law will of necessity be installed to subdue the people and bring some kind of order to society. The only other option is that one group will gain enough support and power to suppress all the other groups into submission with their world view, of which there is very little difference between the two options.

Why do we read so many religious statements from those of our founding era and afterward? They knew what kind of government they had formed and what would be necessary to maintain it. We would have done well to have listened, we may not be able to save it now. We are in the hands of God's Providence, should He choose to stir our hearts and bring us to Him we can be saved. In doing so He may save our nation and our freedom as well.

In Christ,

David