"Joseph Warren"

On the morning of the battle of Bunker Hill, Elbridge Gerry earnestly requested Warren not to expose himself. Warren would reply: "I am aware of the danger, but I should die with shame if I were to remain at home in safety while my friends and fellow citizens are shedding their blood and hazarding their lives in the cause." Gerry answered with: "Your ardent temper will carry you forward into the midst of peril, and you will probably fall." to which Warren returned: "I know that I may fall, but where is the man who does not think it glorious and beautiful to die for his country?"

Those are noble and courageous responses, it is the voice of those who love their country and their freedom. This nation has been richly blessed with patriots who have been willing to give their all for the experience of freedom that has found root in this land. Joseph Warren rightly should be honored for his service and sacrifice to this nation, and greatly appreciated for his oratory skills that helped fan the fire of Liberty. In doing so it should be remembered there are still Joseph Warrens among us, and for that, we should continue to remain thankful. What perhaps has changed, however, is the definition and understanding of the freedom these men grasp for. In other words, the purpose of and reason for freedom. I am not sure we understand today why these men sought freedom and saw it as a right to be possessed by all.  

"If you with united zeal and fortitude oppose the torrent of oppression; if you feel the true fire of patriotism burning in your breasts; if you from your souls despise the most gaudy dress that slavery can wear; if you really prefer the lonely cottage (whilst blest with liberty) to gilded places surrounded with the ensigns of slavery you may have the fullest assurances that tyranny, with her whole accursed train, will hide their hideous heads in confusion, shame, and despair. If you perform your part, you must have the strongest confidence that the same Almighty Being who protected your venerable and pious forefathers, who enabled them to turn a barren wilderness into a fruitful field, who so often made bare his arm for their salvation, will be still mindful of you, their offspring.

May this Almighty Being graciously preside in all councils. May he direct us to such measures as He Himself will approve and be pleased to bless. May we ever be a people favored of God. May our land be a land of liberty, the seat of virtue, the asylum of the oppressed, a name and a praise in the whole earth until the last shock of time shall bury the empires of the world in one common undistinguished ruin." - Joseph Warren, Boston, March 5, 1772.

It is generally taught today concerning the faith of our founders that they were diest and seeking to establish a secular state free from the influence of religion. We can be certain judging from his words he was no deist. His reference to  "the same Almighty Being who protected your venerable and pious forefathers," identifies him as a Christian, and being laid to rest at St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church in 1825 suggests Methodist faith. 

As the British breached the walls of the redoubt during their final assault on June 17, 1775, he fought with the cover force until the last bullet to buy time for the retreating militia.

Later, forensic analysis of his remains revealed that he was killed by a musket ball that was shot from the front and went through his skull, causing instant death. He was likely killed by a British officer, possibly Lieutenant Lord Rawdon, or an officer's servant, who recognized him, and his body was disfigured with bayonets before being dumped into a shallow ditch.

Two days later, British Lieutenant James Drew again dug up his body to commit every act of violence imaginable, including, spitting on his face, jumping on his stomach, and cutting off his head. On March 21, 1776, after the British left Boston, Paul Revere helped Joseph's brothers identify his body on the battlefield after recognizing the silver bridgework he did to fasten a false tooth in Warren's mouth.

Warren was not so naive as to think this an impossibility, yet even expected as much to be awaiting him. From his statement "I am aware of the danger, but I should die with shame if I were to remain at home in safety while my friends and fellow citizens are shedding their blood and hazarding their lives in the cause." coupled with his statement "May this Almighty Being graciously preside in all councils. May he direct us to such measures as He Himself will approve and be pleased to bless." we can identify his understanding of the doctrine of Providence. It is the same understanding we find a hundred years later residing in the famous Southern General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. 

Upon being questioned as to how he could appear so fearless on the battlefield, a trait which earned him the title "Stonewall" as he stood fearless like a stonewall against the enemy in battle. He answered, “My religious beliefs teach me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time of my death. I do not concern myself with that, but to be always ready whenever it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and all men would be equally brave.” - Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

This was the same faith Warren possessed. It was prominent in the faith of the founders of this nation and carried the nation for over two centuries. It is articulated in all the great protestant confessions of faith. One of which would be the 1689 London Baptist.

Chapter 5. Of Divine Providence

1. God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, 1 from the greatest even to the least. 2 by His most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according unto His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will; to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy. 3

1. Hebrews 1:3; Job 38:11; Isaiah 46:10, 11; Psalms 135:6

2. Matthew 10:29-31

3. Ephesians 1:11

2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly; 4 so that there is not anything befalls any by chance, or without His providence; 5 yet by the same providence He ordered them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently. 6

4. Acts 2:23

5. Proverbs 16:33

6. Genesis 8:22

3. God, in his ordinary providence makes use of means, 7 yet is free to work without, 8 above, 9 and against them 10 at His pleasure.

7. Acts 27:31, 44; Isaiah 55:10-11

8. Hosea 1:7

9. Romans 4:19-21

1Daniel 3:27

4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in His providence, that His determinate counsel extends itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men; 11 and that not by a bare permission, which also He most wisely and powerfully binds, and otherwise orders and governs, 12 in a manifold dispensation to His most holy ends; 13 yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceeds only from the creatures, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin. 14

Romans 11:32-34; 2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1

2 Kings 19:28; Psalms 76:10

Genesis 1:20; Isaiah 10:6-7, 12

Psalms 1:21; 1 John 2:16

5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God does often times leave for a season His own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself; and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for other just and holy ends. 15 So that whatsoever befalls any of His elect is by His appointment, for His glory, and their good. 16

2 Chronicles 32:25-26, 31; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Romans 8:28

6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as the righteous judge, for former sin does blind and harden; 17 from them He not only withholds His grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding, and wrought upon their hearts; 18 but sometimes also withdraws the gifts which they had, 19 and exposes them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin; 20 and withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, 21 whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, under those means which God uses for the softening of others. 22

Romans 1:24-26, 28, 11:7-8

Deuteronomy 29:4

Matthew 13:12

Deuteronomy 2:30; 2 Kings 8:12-13

Psalms 81:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

Exodus 8:15, 32; Isaiah 6:9-10; 1 Peter 2:7-8

7. As the providence of God does in general reach to all creatures, so after a more special manner it takes care of His church, and disposes of all things to the good thereof.

1 Timothy 4:10; Amos 9:8-9; Isaiah 43:3-5

"The Formation of American Society" (Who Were these Men?)

In the beginning, who were these men that took to the wheel to guide, direct, and instruct this new nation? What was the great motivating factor that moved so many for so great an effort? What principles could unite so many to such a profound commitment to such a noble task? Numerous history books could be examined along with extensive commentaries on this great subject. As my common practice has always been, our focus in this post will not so much be what men have said about these men, but what these men themselves said. 

 James Otis: LEADER OF THE SONS OF LIBERTY; ATTORNEY & JURIST; MENTOR OF JOHN HANCOCK AND SAMUEL ADAMS.

"There can be no prescriptions old enough to supersede the law of nature, and the grant of Almighty God, who had given all men a right to be free. Government springs from the necessities of our nature, and has an everlasting foundation in the unchangeable will of God. The first principle and great end of government being to provide for the best good of all the people, this can be done only by a supreme legislature and executive, ultimately in the people, or the whole community, where God has placed it." - James Otis. "The Rights of British Colonies” (1764).

 James Otis in writing these words was expecting his readers to understand good government could only be achieved through the revealed will of God, both natural and written. What is revealed in his statements is a profound theological understanding of the Christian faith and its necessity for good government aimed toward freedom. The phrase he used "the law of nature" was not an obscure understanding during his time. For us to understand his intended communication, we must understand it from his own time and from the context of how his hearers would have heard it. We find the concept embodied in the Declaration of Independence, "WHEN in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation."

One aspect of this law of nature is that it was understood by early Americans to be revealed by God in two ways in nature and in the Bible. It was understood that the very nature of man's conscience reached for this law, however, because that nature was now fallen, it was necessary for God's written law to be revealed. The  Law of nature as defined by one law dictionary states: "The law of nature is that which God, the sovereign of the universe, has prescribed to all men, not by any formal promulgation, but by the internal dictate of reason alone. It is discovered by a just consideration of the agreeableness or disagreeableness of human actions to the nature of man; and it comprehends all the duties which we owe either to the Supreme Being, to ourselves, or to our neighbors; as reverence to God, self-defense, temperance, honor to our parents, benevolence to all, a strict adherence to our engagements, gratitude, and the like." Because this natural reason possessed by man was corrupted and no longer trustworthy, it was necessary to rely on God's revealed Word for guidance and assurance. The Law of Nature as written in the Bible and spoken by Christ consists of two great commandments—to love God and love one's neighbor. This is the foundation of all good Government. You see Otis reference both in his statement above,  "Government springs from the necessities of our nature, and has an everlasting foundation in the unchangeable will of God." It is in the nature of man to desire these things [Romans 2:14 ERV(14) Those who are not Jews don't have the law. But when they naturally do what the law commands without even knowing the law, then they are their own law. This is true even though they don't have the written law.] and he depends upon the unchangeable will of God or the revealed Word of God for his direction and guidance to it. 

This understanding was articulated with great clarity by John Adams when stating: "All men are equally bound by the laws of nature, or to speak more properly, the laws of the Creator.  They are imprinted by the finger of God on the heart of man.  Thou shall do no injury to thy neighbor, is the voice of nature and reason, and it is confirmed by written revelation." - John Adams, 1792. 

James Wilson, United States Supreme Court Justice would also reflect Otis's understanding of the term when he stated: "The law of nature and the law of revelation are both divine.  They flow, though in different channels, from the same adorable source.  It is, indeed, preposterous, to separate them from each other.  The object of both is to discover the will of God and both are necessary for the accomplishment of that end." - James Wilson,  Lectures on Law, 120.

This aspect of the formation of the American experience is greatly fought against, and much has been written to deny its existence. Great effort has been put forth if not to rewrite its history, at the very least to ignore its influence and simply disregard it. James Otis viewed his world through the Christian worldview of his time. This can be somewhat misleading to us today as Christian doctrine has become so diluted it could mean almost anything. However, the Christianity James Otis embraced was fresh out of the Reformation and the light that had emerged out of the darkness of that time. It was a time of return to Historic Christianity and it was changing everything. As we continue to look at these men from America's founding we will discover their enduring faith and commitment to the truth of God's revealed Word. We will do so by listening to their own words and observing their own actions. We will find, like us, they were flawed in many ways, but enabled by God's grace to walk and fulfill their purpose in giving us this great experience of freedom. They were men chosen for their time, may we be the same in ours. They were men changed by the Gospel, may we be as well.

The principles of their ideas of government reflected their understanding of the nature of man and his frailty. They understood men must be governed by the Gospel from within or from the law without. They formed a government with protections in different branches to restrain him from his own political ambitions, then placed in its constitutions a framework for the promulgation of the Gospel to the support and strength of its society. They gave this to society and then for their own salvation put their trust in Christ alone, expecting no merit or reward for any work of their own hand. 

"On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for salvation and on His merits; not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts." - Charles Carroll, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Charles Carroll to Charles W. Wharton, Esq., on September 27, 1825, from Doughoragen, Maryland.

May the grace of God be with each of you,

David

"New Jersey, Georgia and the New (New World)"

Jeremiah Basse was appointed Governor of New Jersey on July 15, 1697, and made the following proclamation stating: "It being very necessary for the good and prosperity of this province that out principal care be, in obedience to the laws of God, to endeavor as much as in us lyeth the extirpation of all sorts of looseness and profanity, and to unite in the fear and love of God and one another, that, by the religious and virtuous carriage and behavior of every one in his respective station and calling, the blessing of Almighty God may accompany our honest and lawful endeavors, I do, therefore, by and with the advice of the Council of this province, strictly prohibit cursing, swearing, immoderate drinking, Sabbath breaking, and all sorts of lewdness and profane behavior in word and action; and do strictly charge and command all justices of the peace, sheriffs, constables, and all other officers within the province, that they take due care that all laws made and provided for the suppression of vice and encouraging of religion and virtue, particularly the observance of the Lord's day, be duly put into execution."

Can you imagine an America where cursing and swearing were illegal? You could be fined or incarcerated for behaving so vial in public. Surely the people would have been duly miserable under such an oppressive government! However, if there were any misery in the colonies, it was not due to oppressive laws. The people of this land and these settlements were very pious with a deep desire to honor and serve the Lord. This was simply an expression of their desire for the civil and social climate they hoped to produce. The freedom they sought was the freedom to live such a life. If you do a google search on life in colonial America you will find something like this: "The colonists relocated to the New World with a notion that the New Land would be rich in gold, silver, and precious stones. As the colonists settled in the colonies and became familiar with the surroundings, they understood the fallacies of their notions. They did not get any help from the precarious conditions in their motherland. Even for farming, they had the basic problem of adjusting to the changed climatic conditions. Initially, life in the New World was not as easy and prosperous as it was thought earlier." That statement is supposed to reflect a true historical account of the people who settled this land. It may be an accurate account of the people who are here now, but it is a completely false assessment of the true history and purpose.

Truth is a precious commodity, and the older it is the more valuable it becomes and the more difficult to obtain. Multitudes of books have been written to form American History in a fashion to support our current agendas and personal crusades. Truth in our current American climate is very difficult to acquire. The older the account the better, and the surest way to know who and what Americans were in the beginning, is to read their own words and examine their society.    

James Oglethorpe obtained a charter in 1732 to establish a colony in North America. He had previously devoted himself to the kind work of relieving persons who were imprisoned for debt and suffering in loathsome jails. He actuates one of the true elements of the American experiment with a desire to see such be placed in an independent colony in America. 

The great historian George Bancroft states concerning Oglethorpe, "For them, and for persecuted Protestants, he planned an asylum and a destiny in America, where former poverty would be no reproach, and where the simplicity of piety could indulge the spirit of devotion without fear of persecution from men who hated the rebuke of its example." - George Bancroft (1800-1891) [However, that rebuke now resides in America alive and well.]

In January 1732, Oglethorpe, with one hundred and twenty emigrants, landed in America, and on the basis of the Christian religion laid the future commonwealth of Georgia. 

President Stiles, of Yale College, 1783 stated, "It is certain that civil dominion was but the second motive, religion the primary one, with our ancestors in coming hither and settling this land. It was not so much their design to establish a religion for the benefit of the state, as a civil government for the benefit of religion, and as subservient and even necessary towards the peaceable and unmolested exercise of that religion for which they fled to these ends of the earth. They designed, in thus laying the foundations of a new state, to make it a model for the glorious kingdom of Christ." - Ezra Stiles.

Before the Declaration of Independence, the Bishop of St. Asaph published the following in light of the American colonies, "It is difficult for a man to look into the destiny of future ages, the designs of Providence are vast and complicated, and our own powers are too narrow to admit of much satisfaction to our curiosity. But when we see so many great and powerful causes constantly at work, we cannot doubt of their producing proportional effects. 

Alexis de Tocqueville the French statesman and historian visited the United States beginning in 1831. His purpose was to observe the American people and their institutions, upon completion of his work titled "Democracy in America" he stated: "Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things." One thing is certain, that is not the America or the people Tocqueville would meet today. 

"In France, I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions. But in America, I found they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country." - Alexis de Tocqueville. Democracy in America (New York: Vintage Books, 1945), Vol. I, p. 319. This is not that America, it would be more like France today, Tocqueville again would not be impressed in his visit today.

"Religion in America . . . must be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country; for if it does not impart a taste for freedom, it facilitates the use of it. Indeed, it is in this same point of view that the inhabitants of the United States themselves look upon religious belief." Today Mr. Tocqueville would find quite the opposite. 

I do not know whether all Americans have a sincere faith in their religion for who can search the human heart? But I am certain that they hold it to be indispensable to the maintenance of the republican institutions. This opinion is not peculiar to a class of citizens or a party, but it belongs to the whole nation and to every rank of society. - Alexis de Tocqueville. Democracy in America (New York: Vintage Books, 1945), Vol. I, p 316. Today Mr. Tocqaueville would find most institutions in America disregarding religion altogether.

Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other.- Alexis de Tocqueville. The Republic of the United States of America and Its Political Institutions, Vol. 1, p. 335. Today liberty in the minds of most Americas has nothing to do with religion.

In reading about all the pious men and women and their noble efforts toward righteousness, lest we should begin to think more highly than we ought, we must again remember at their very best they were but men, and men are so very weak and fallible. In spite of their efforts for a godly society, many times their passions failed them, and justice and righteousness were lost and abandoned. 

If so godly a people struggle so with injustices and sin breaking forth in their society, how should we expect the passions of our society to behave, who have been set free from the law and religious restraint? 

Our 2nd President John Adams understood this very well, it is articulated in his statement, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams. If you remove the religious influence and the moral base that rests upon that religion, the government as they gave it to us is wholly inadequate. We must therefore expect a change in the form and structure of the government in this land. As the base is gradually removed it is gradually replaced with another. As that removal is accelerated so is its replacement. There are still elements of the original government still giving some stability to our nation, but it is in an accelerated state of change even at this moment. We must remember there is no way back except the way we came, through the kind providence of God if he be so pleased to give grace to a nation yet once more. 

The religion and law gave restraint because the Christian Gospel produces the fruit of the heart that gladly obeys and rejoices in righteousness. Religion and law outside the Gospel is a tyrant bent on oppression and conformity, society without either is lawlessness.

In the most significant way, our society has already changed, what Tocqueville observed in American society no longer exists. There is a new religion that has replaced Christianity, in its profession of love it is only tolerant of the tolerant. It will allow you to believe whatever you want to believe as long as you don't claim to know the truth. Once you do that, it is declared you must be stopped! There is a portion of this new religion that has even taken the name of Christianity but holds a philosophy of beliefs no different than the Atheist with the exception of the belief in a deity to promote them. 

The following was posted on Facebook and agreed to and liked by average American folks who grew up in rule America in the 1950s and '60s, attended church and are kind to their neighbors, grew up with prayer and the pledge of allegiance in their school schedule, and are generally good and honest people:

 "When I was a Christian extremist, I was obsessed with pointing others to Jesus to save them because I GENUINELY LOVED PEOPLE. I mean, if hell is real, and you really cared about people, you'd spend every waking minute trying to pull people out of the fire. 

I was born into Christianity, and didn't know anything else. It wasn't until I took a step back to think about it logically that I realized how GRUESOME and UNLOVING the belief in hell is. It is OPPOSITE of LOVE. Because I genuinely loved people, once I saw it that way, I was HORRIFIED over my zeal and how I came across to people. I don't hate people who are really caught up in the belief of hell and are genuine in their love for others. I get it. I was the same way. 

The belief in hell is just not showing love to people the way you want it to. It's dangerous. It's harmful. It's toxic. It's unfortunate that Christianity has so much power, it sucks good people in. I don't believe that everyone needs to think like me. I am not responsible for anyone else except me and how I guide my children. 

I was very vocal about deconstruction while I was actively deconstructing. I still spoke about it over the years, but not as much as I do now. I don't care what adults do with their own time and energy. Adults are capable of making their own choices. No one needs me to tell them otherwise. When Religion has actively taken a hold of the SCOTUS, and I know Christian extremists' unrelentless agenda is to strip Americans of basic human rights and freedom in the name of God- that's where I stop respecting. 

As much as they boldly proclaim the gospel, as much as they boldly try to take over America, I will boldly speak out against them, and will actively try to dissuade people from Christianity without remorse. People's eternal lives aren't at stake, but people's REAL LIVES ARE. This life on earth matters. It matters to a lot of us. When I come across good people who spread the gospel, I am grieved because I love them, and they are hurting others unaware. I won't stop even if it hurts people's feelings. 

Just as you have the freedom to practice your religion, I have the freedom to share my personal story and to warn people about spiritual traps. They have a clear agenda to take over our government, and they won't stop unless we stop them." - Recent Facebook posting

It is amazing this philosophy has gained so much traction in this country and is growing at an accelerated rate. It sounds almost reasonable until you take it apart and examine it. First, the very essence that our founders named indispensable to the support of our society, they mark as dangerous, harmful, and toxic. They remove all restraints under the pretense they are capable of making their own decisions and no one dares tell them otherwise. One has to ask what decisions are they arguing for? They answer with the next statement when referencing the Supreme Court, which is obviously pointing to at least the recent abortion ruling. It is not the freedoms we have always cherished in America that they have such concern about, but the moral restraints that have always been with us. It is those they now want to cast off, any who would attempt to hold on to those time-tested restraints are labeled as extremists who are presented as trying to strip us of our basic rights. 

It is when one embraces the moral fabric upon which this country was founded they turn from their boast of love and toleration to the warning they will never stop at their efforts until they achieve their purpose. They confess with their loving demeanor that anyone has the right to practice their own religion, except when it comes to traditional historic Christianity, which they claim has a clear agenda to take over our government and must be stopped. 

This is the course of nations, it always has been. We have been a people who have been blessed beyond measure, more so than any in human history. Amid all our mistakes and blunders the principles that guided us gave us great opportunities for peace and prosperity. The hope set forth in the Gospel strengthened our hearts and established our culture. As we reject that hope we lose that culture and exchange it for another. Know for sure the Gospel will remain and the Christian faith will persevere, but we may lose our nation as we know it and return to the way the world was before this great experience of freedom. If that is our course, let us as Christian embrace it with all faith and assurance, knowing we reside in the hands of a faithful and loving Father and Saviour. It may be we are called to be a light in a truly dark and godless America. 

May the grace of God be upon each of you,

David   

 

"Pennsylvania" (The Beginning)

 

The colonization of Pennsylvania was another block to be laid in the foundation of this soon-to-be new American experiment. Along with the other blocks which lay at the foundation, its purpose rested firmly upon the foundation of God's Word for its society and civil government. William Penn's view of government and civil liberty were grounded in the word of God. He purposed to establish a Christian empire on the precepts of the Christian faith. 

In the Preface of Pennsylvania's 1862 Charter of Liberties which is the most direct precursor to the U.S. Senate in its institutional characteristics, we find the understanding that the source of all good government is ordained by God there quoting Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God: whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." Penn follows this in the Charter explaining, "So that government seems to me a part of religion itself, a thing sacred in its institution and end." Our history as well as our documents lay the firm foundation that in the minds of our founders, the laws of government were to be derived from the principles found in the Holy Scriptures. It is from these principles and the fruit they bore throughout our history that produced the American culture and way of life we have enjoyed for so many years. However, this experiment of freedom we have known has not been a perfect experiment. Much freedom has been achieved, but the system itself though very solid has not been perfect; for though the precepts and principles were pure, they were implemented and watched over by sinful men. That is always the weakness in any society, it matters not how wise and pious the men are who rule, at their very best they are but men. The Charter would continue with this understanding: "Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them; and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore governments rather depend upon men, than men upon governments. Let men be good, and the government cannot be bad; if it be ill, they will cure it. But, if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavor to warp and spoil it to their turn."

This grand system of government has become commonplace to us while our maintenance of it and understanding of its value is lacking. There is a delicate balance between personal freedom and obedience to government and law. Without diligence consideration concerning the men set in the authority of government and the consent of those to be governed, the system will break down and there will be varying levels of tyranny from the abuse of power or anarchy from a lawless people. The tools of this maintenance are only to be found in the Bible, it is there alone the true pillows of government can rest securely. This is demonstrated as the Charter continues:   "But, next to the power of necessity, (which is a solicitor, that will take no denial) this induced me to a compliance, that we have (with reverence to God, and good conscience to men) to the best of our skill, contrived and composed the frame and laws of this government, to the great end of all government, viz: To support power in reverence with the people, and to secure the people from the abuse of power; that they may be free by their just obedience, and the magistrates honorable, for their just administration: for liberty, without obedience is confusion, and obedience without liberty is slavery. To carry this evenness is partly owing to the constitution, and partly to the magistracy: where either of these fails, the government will be subject to convulsions; but where both are wanting, it must be totally subverted; then where both meet, the government is like to endure."

Many among us today who oppose the idea of Christianity and or dissenters from religion, in general, go to great efforts to remove us from those religious principles that have held our society together for so many years. They author books and scholarly works to prove as effective as they can our system is not a religious or Christian system, but purely the work of men's minds and research. They deny a Biblical foundation for our laws and insist our constitutions of government are purely secular in their essence. They point to the documents themselves and their structure to demonstrate their secular nature and none religious form as if this in some fashion removes the religious base upon which they are set.

This they take notice of is the result of the nature of the document, our constitutions of government are indeed civil documents set in place to govern our secular lives. Webster's 1828 edition defines secular as SEC'ULAR, a. [L. secularis, from seculum, the world or an age.]

1. Pertaining to the present world, or to things not spiritual or holy; relating to things not immediately or primarily respecting the soul, but the body; worldly. The secular concerns of life respect making making provision for the support of life, the preservation of health, the temporal prosperity of men, of states, &c. Secular power is that which superintends and governs the temporal affairs of men, the civil or political power; and is contradistinguished from spiritual or ecclsiastical power.

That is indeed what they are, civil documents, it is not necessary to demonstrate chapter and verse for every constitution or civil law instituted in our society for that constitution to have a religious and Biblical base. In a Christian society, it is not even necessary to reference the name of God in a constitution of government for that constitution to have and rest upon a Christian foundation. Many do, but the absence of the reference does not negate the base upon which it rests. It would be the natural and logical assumption the document would reflect the mind, understanding, and views of those who formed it. It is the record of history concerning this aspect of our founding society, their worldview and general morality, and understanding of life and purpose were overwhelmingly Christian. Their understanding of government as demonstrated in this Charter of liberty of Pennsylvania as well as many others in the nation, along with their own personal testimony is that of a Biblical understanding of law and government. 

Sadly, due to our lack of maintenance, there has been much success in distorting this understanding among our people. As this persuasion continues to find roots and growth among us, our system continues to break down and degrade.  

"xxxv. That all persons living in this province, who confess and acknowledge the one Almighty and eternal God, to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the world; and that hold themselves obliged in conscience to live peaceable and justly in civil society, shall, in no ways, be molested or prejudiced for their religious persuasion, or practice, in matters of faith and worship, nor shall they be compelled, at any time, to frequent or maintain any religious worship, place or ministry whatever." As one can see in section XXXV of the charter, they were very adamant about protecting their religious rights and ability to worship, yet they were just as adamant about the protection from coercion as well. They never intended their government to be the promoter of religion, simply a tool of protection. They understood if their government was successful in promoting and maintaining good and righteous laws, and the Church was faithful in the proclamation of the Gospel, society would prosper and be at peace while to Church grew. 

"xxxvi. That, according to the good example of the primitive Christians, and the case of the creation, every first day of the week, called the Lord’s day, people shall abstain from their common daily labour, that they may better dispose themselves to worship God according to their understandings." In an environment such as this culture produced, laws that reflected respect for that religious worship could be enacted by legislation as well as desired and obeyed by the people freely. During the time our society experienced the so-called blue laws, laws restricting certain social activities on Sundays, they were not seen as oppressive or restrictive. It was the generally accepted view that it was simply the right thing to do. Even non-church goers respected it as a day set aside to honor God.

"xxxvii. That as a careless and corrupt administration of justice draws the wrath of God upon magistrates, so the wildness and looseness of the people provoke the indignation of God against a country: therefore, that all such offences against God, as swearing, cursing, lying, profane talking, drunkenness, drinking of healths, obscene words, incest, sodomy, rapes, whoredom, fornication, and other uncleanness (not to be repeated) all treasons, misprisions, murders, duels, felony, seditions, maims, forcible entries, and other violences, to the persons and estates of the inhabitants within this province; all prizes, stage-plays, cards, dice, May-games, gamesters, masques, revels, bull-baitings, cock-fightings, bear-baitings, and the like, which excite the people to rudeness, cruelty, looseness, and irreligion, shall be respectively discouraged, and severely punished, according to the appointment of the Governor and freemen in provincial Council and General Assembly; as also all proceedings contrary to these laws, that are not here made expressly penal." It has been said, "you can't legislate morality" but the laws do reflect the state of morality of a people in a free state. These laws were not a religious regime ruling as a religious tyrant over the people, they were a reflection of the morality of the people and their understanding and acceptance of right and just behavior in a society.  

xix. That all marriages (not forbidden by the law of God, as to nearness of blood and affinity by marriage) shall be encouraged; but the parents, or guardians, shall be first consulted, and the marriage shall be published before it be solemnized; and it shall be solemnized by taking one another as husband and wife, before credible witnesses; and a certificate of the whole, under the hands of parties and witnesses, shall be brought to the proper register of that county, and shall be registered in his office. Section XIX in the charter sets the premise for the institution of any law enacted. In it we find the principles that was laid upon any legislation, (that it not be forbidden by the law of God). That was the litmus test that was always applied, though it was not always implied. Though the name of God may not have been mentioned in the legislation or constitution of government, its essence always fell under that perimeter. It is strange for us today to imagine such a society where the minds of a people were so permeated with the knowledge of God. The cultural influence and society, in general, brought to bear such a mind of morality and piety even upon non-churchgoers. It was the way the then social populous simply choose to be governed. 

These things are not so today, the general population would cast off such restraints and reject such a religious influence intruding into their lives. This America in the early years is not something that can be duplicated by governmental form. It is something that must arise in the heart of a people in such a way it is unifying and binding upon society. It is not the government that produced it, the society itself that developed out of this Christian faith produced and maintained the government. Without the support of the Christian faith, the government and the system must of necessity be altered to some other form of government or fail to function properly in securing its freedoms. The value of the Christian faith in the American system of government simply cannot be overestimated.

May the grace of God be upon each of you,

David

"Beginning American Education"

 

"The state must rest upon the basis of religion, and it must preserve this basis, or itself must fall. But the support which religion gives to the state will obviously cease the moment religion loses its hold upon the popular mind. The very fact that the state must have religion as a support for its own authority demands that some means for teaching religion be employed. Better for it to give up all other instruction that that religion should be disregarded in its schools. The state itself has a more vital interest in this continued influence of religion over its citizens than in their culture in any other respect." - Benjamin F. Morris. (1810-1867)

It is interesting to note that the constitution of Massachusetts of 1780 mentions Harvard College stating, "Whereas our wise and pious ancestors, so early as the year 1636, laid the foundation of Harvard College, in which university many persons of great eminence have, by the blessings of God, been initiated into those arts and sciences which qualified them for public employment, both in church and State; and whereas the encouragement of arts and sciences, and all good literature, tends to the honor of God, and the advantage of the Christian religion, and the great benefit of this and the other United States of America," 

The Charter being granted on November 11, 1701, Yale college stated, "Whereas, it was the glorious public design of our now blessed fathers in their removal from Europe into these parts of America, both to plant, and (under the Divine blessing)to propagate in this wilderness, the blessed Reformed Protestant religion, in the purity of its order and worship, not only to their posterity, but also to the barbarous natives; in which great enterprise they wanted not the royal commands and favor of his Majesty King Charles the Second authorize and invigorate them.

We, their unworthy posterity, lamenting our past neglect of this grand errand, and sensible of the equal obligations better to prosecute the same end, are desirous in our generation to be serviceable thereunto. Whereunto the religious and liberal education of suitable youth is under the blessing of God, a chief and most probable expedient . . . to dedicate their children and substance unto God in such a good service, and being ourselves with sundry other reverend elders, not only desired by our godly people to undertake, as Trustees, for erecting, forming, ordering, and regulating a Collegiate School, for the advancement of such an education; but having also obtained of our present religious government both full liberty and assistance by their donation to such use . . . do, in duty to God and the weal of our country, undertake in the aforesaid design."

On June 25, 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court declared school-sponsored prayers unconstitutional in the landmark case Engel v. Vitale. It can be argued and in some sense, I think successfully, that the ruling did not remove prayer or religious expression from our schools. It only removed a particular government-fashioned prayer being required by school administrations to be resited by students. Supposedly, students were still free to pray and engage in religious conversation voluntarily on their own. However, though that may have been true, its ruling has been used to restrict religious expression on school campuses to much greater degrees. 

Our view of education, its purpose and its support has changed much over the course of our history as a nation. ". . .whereas the encouragement of arts and sciences, and all good literature, tends to the honor of God, and the advantage of the Christian religion, and the great benefit of this and the other United States of America," 

We have come a long way from believing that “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, April 25, 1799. 

It is interesting to observe how all this has changed over the course of time. In 1830 during his visit to America Alexis de Tocqueville observed that every child was "taught . . . the doctrines and the evidences of his religion, the history of his country, and the leading features of its Constitution."

However, time passed and attitudes about religion and education changed. People continued to affirm the Bill of Rights, but slowly forgot the history responsible for its creation. We moved from 1830 to Roberts v. Madigan (1989), the court ruled: "It is unconstitutional for a classroom library to contain books which deal with Christianity, or for a teacher to be seen with a personal copy of the Bible at school."

So where are we going in this post? Is this another play to suggest we need to install prayer back in our schools? I think we have gone far past that, Elvis has already left the building. When Madalyn Murray O'Hair entered school that infamous day with her son and saw children resiting a school prayer, according to her son William Murray in his book, "Let Us Pray" it was a spontaneous response. She had not considered school prayer an issue or given it any thought until that moment, it was an opportunity afforded that was simply ripe for the picking. Everything was in place politicly and judicially, all that was needed was a catalyst, O'Hair became that catalyst. She is credited for the removal of prayer from our schools, however, it is unfair the rest that upon her shoulders. It was already ready to fall, she just gave it the nudge it needed. 

Recent surveys have shown a majority of those who profess Christianity know very little about their faith and the majority of the clergy who lead them do not have an orthodox view of the faith they proclaim. How would such a society even know how to pray if instructed to do so? The destination to which I am aiming is simply to open our eyes to the great chasm between where we began and where we have arrived; the chasm between who we were and what we have become. 

For true repentance to take place we must first become aware of our sin. In the eyes of who we were, our national sins would be great, in the eyes of who we are, we would be offended by their judgment. We are not Americans as defined by the ideas of those that gave birth to this nation. The American dream has taken on an entirely different meaning, we live and exist for an entirely different purpose. Times change and ours certainly has. The very principles our founders declared as indispensable to the support of this Republic, we have disdained and cast aside. We have become the very expression of which they warned us. What is it that I advocate we do? Simply examine who we are, if we decide to continue on the current path, it is our privilege to do so. But we should not travel it ignorantly and unaware of the changes that have taken place. We owe our nation a second glance at our founding principles, perhaps in that glance God would quicken conviction upon our hearts. If not, so be it, we are Americans, just maybe different Americans. 

May the grace of God be upon each of  you,

David

"LOGIC"

 

I started this blog over two decades ago, most of those articles are still in the archives though several have been lost over time for various technical reasons. I hope I have improved at least a little in my knowledge and ability to write since then. However, the catalyst that gave birth to it still drives it. Though I didn't understand it at the time, the root of that catalyst was set in logic.

What I had learned in history from my high school education and media forms left me with the worldview that this nation was founded by brilliant but secular men who drew from many sources of history to devise our governmental system. I understood little of their religious faith other than most were diest. Many years ago I came across a list of quotes from the founding era that contradicted that understanding. Logic told me that if those quotes were true, then my understanding was wrong. Logic is the art of using our intellectual powers and ability to think. That ability is the gift of God to all men above all other creatures. Naturally, we are gifted in varying degrees with my light burning somewhat dimly, yet we can all learn to focus that light more sharply. 

I don't like puzzles, they are too hard with too little reward, but they offer a good illustration. If the piece doesn't fit, it's the wrong piece. I understood our founders were deists, yet when I began to study their writings, what they stated as their beliefs were not the beliefs of a deist. If it doesn't walk like a deist, or talk like a deist, it probably is not a deist. Logic has brought me from falsehood to truth, so every improvement we can make in its use brings us an increase in every area of life where it is applied. That is Logic in its simplest form.

"Our wisdom, prudence, and piety, our present conduct, and our future hope are all influenced by the use of our rational powers in the search after truth." ~ Isaac Watts

Question: There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck, and a duck in the middle. How many ducks are there?

Answer: Three. Two ducks are in front of the last duck; the first duck has two ducks behind; one duck is between the other two. 

The depth and difficulty of many truths weighing upon the weakness of our minds to penetrate to the full understanding at first glance give the art of Logic its value. The ancients had a saying, "Veritas in puteo" (Truth lies in a well) and it is Logic that enables us to reach the water. 

Before we continue on in a discussion of Logic, I must address a present issue that has been set before me. I will present it as a question, "Why do I believe the Bible is true?" Books could be written answering this question, and many have. However, in brief statements hopefully short enough to fit in a blog post I want to answer how logic formed my thinking and undergirds my faith.

The definition of faith as presented by a friend of mine is something close to, "a belief based without evidence" that definition itself defies the law of logic and defines delusional thinking. He believes the Bible to be a collection of myths and lies formed by the minds of deceitful men for the purpose of control and deception. To quote my friend, "The Bible is just a book filled with mythical stories by mostly unverified authors writing poetic verses and fantastic stories of ancient mankind's struggles and victories." - https://godlessamericanpatriot.org/

He will reference historical evidence showing how the books of the bible were chosen by men hundreds of years after the so-called accounts. He will suggest we don't even know who these men were and that afterward, it continued to undergo change and rewriting time and time again. He will suggest there is no verifiable historical evidence that Jesus even existed. What does logic tell me to do when faced with such statements of fact? It tells me to go after the water that is deep in the well.

After investigating the history of these things my faith was strengthened, that is the great benefit of confrontation and the application of logic.

For a blog post, I will not try to give a comprehensive explanation of all that is available, but I will speak briefly concerning the question of the Bible text.

1. (Books of the Bible were chosen by men hundreds of years after the so-called accounts.) 

This is used by many as an attempt to bring into question the books of the Bible, that they can't be trusted because men picked out the books they wanted and then called them the Word of God to make them authoritative. 

There is an element of truth in that statement, there were a collection of books gathered by 170 AD. It was called the Muratorian Canon and included all of the New Testament books except Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, and 3 John. We have copies of the Pauline letters still in existence that date to 180-200 AD which is referred to as P46. We also have in existence New Testament texts that date to the first century. By 397 AD we have a complete collection of books as we have them now in our Bibles. I assume this is the basis for the accusation that men chose which books were in the Bible. 

This collection of books as a canon became necessary after a few hundred years. Copies of the originals were still in circulation and being read among the churches. It is helpful to understand how difficult it was to get these writings in those days, everything had to be hand-copied and they were expensive. Every Christian didn't have a copy of Apostolic writing, but the letters began to be circulated within the churches. However, writings without Apostolic authority began to surface by various authors, to get those writings in circulation many times the name of one of the Apostolic fathers or someone in relation to them was falsely assigned to them. Several pseudo Gospels surfaced among other pseudo writings. Information traveled slowly then, but as these writings began to find their way into churches and mixed in with original copies they began to introduce false teachings into the church. Thus, it became necessary for the Church to gather together the original copies and separate them as authoritative writings. This took some time as you can imagine, for some of the Apostolic writings were not as well known as others and it took time for certain groups to recognize and accept them as Apostolic.     

What does logic tell me about these things, here are just a few facts:

(1) We have existing copies that date within 100 years of the original and in some cases fragments within 2 or 3 decades. 

(2) We have existing copies of the complete New Testament that date to the middle of the 4th Century.

(3) We have the writing of the Church fathers from the 2nd Century, their many quotes from the Apostolic writings are invaluable as it shows us the books the early church received and recognized as authoritative. These books were already accepted as scripture by the following generation long before they were collected into a single book. 

(4) We have over 5000 copies in the original language in existence to compare text as well as other languages.

 

The amount of sustaining evidence to support and determine the accurate transmission of the first-century texts is truly overwhelming. To allow the critics to convince me the text I am reading is not the same text that was being read by the church in the second century in light of all that is available would be illogical and unreasonable. Reason and logic demand the acceptance of this reality.  

Now that we understand the scriptures are true to the original, the next question is, are they what they claim to be, God's revelation to man. It is there we move into a different sphere of reason and logic concerning spiritual things. The spiritual mind sees its claim of divine revelation as the only logical and reasonable answer, the natural mind stumbles at that question.  1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV (14)  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. That's another post for another day.

May the grace of God be upon each of you,

David

"The First Constitution"

The Puritans based everything in their lives on the Bible. Thomas Hooker believed that in the Bible God granted the people the right to select those who would govern them and the power to establish limitations on those individuals. Exodus 18:21-22, “Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and tens. 22 Let them judge the people at all times and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.”

Deut. 1:13, “Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’”

In January of 1639, the settlements at Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield united under a framework of government known as the Fundamental Orders. Under the Orders, citizens elected representatives to a legislature that would enact the laws of the land. The governor was elected as well.

It is a very extraordinary document because nowhere did it mention a king or a sovereign. And nowhere did it refer to any power outside of Connecticut. Its structure established individual rights and provided that all free men elect their own representatives. It also stated the powers of the government and the limits of that power. In it resides the precedence for constitutional government and thereby earns the state of Connecticut the title "The Constitution State," this was truly a never before in history moment.

It is established in the writing of the first American State Constitution, that the people then understood the order of social actions was to be directed and sanctioned by the word of God. For them to maintain peace and union among their people they must form a means of government, and that government must be established according to God and his law. That civil law was to protect and preserve the liberty and purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was their rule of morality and means of justice, it was simply the way they chose to live and be governed. 

FORASMUCH as it has pleased the Almighty God by the wise disposition of his divine providence so to order and dispose of things that we the inhabitants and residents of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield are now cohabiting and dwelling in and upon the river of Connecticut and the lands thereunto adjoining; and well knowing where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such a people there should be an orderly and decent government established according to God, to order and dispose of the affairs of the people at all seasons as occasion shall require; do therefore associate and conjoin ourselves to be as one public state or commonwealth; and do, for ourselves and our successors and such as shall be adjoined to us at any time hereafter, enter into combination and confederation together, to maintain and preserve the liberty and purity of the gospel of our Lord Jesus which we now profess, as also the discipline of the churches, which according to the truth of the said gospel is now practiced among us; as also in our civil affairs to be guided and governed according to such laws, rules, orders and decrees as shall be made, ordered and decreed, as follows:

1.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that there shall be yearly two general assemblies or courts, the one the second Thursday in April, the other the second Thursday in September, following; the first shall be called the Court of Election, wherein shall be yearly chosen from time to time so many magistrates and other public officers as shall be found requisite: whereof one to be chosen Governor for the year ensuing and until another be chosen, and no other magistrate to be chosen for more than one year; provided always there be six chosen besides the Governor; which being chosen and sworn according to an oath recorded for that purpose shall have power to administer justice according to the laws here established, and for want thereof according to the rule of the word of God; which choice shall be made by all that are admitted freemen and have taken the oath of fidelity, and do cohabit within this jurisdiction, (having been admitted inhabitants by the major part of the town wherein they live,) or the major parts of such as shall be then present.

2.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that the election of the aforesaid magistrates shall be on this manner: every person present and qualified for choice shall bring in (to the persons deputed to receive them) one single paper with the name of him written in it whom he desires to have Governor, and he that has the greatest number of papers shall be Governor for that year. And the rest of the magistrates or public officers to be chosen in this manner: the Secretary for the time being shall first read the names of all that are to be put to choice and then shall severally nominate them distinctly, and every one that would have the person nominated to be chosen shall bring in one single paper written upon, and he that would not have him chosen shall bring in a blank: and every one that has more written papers than blanks shall be a magistrate for that year; which papers shall be received and told by one or more that shall be chosen by the court and sworn to be faithful therein; but in case there should not be six chosen as aforesaid, besides the Governor, out of those which are nominated, then he or they which have the most written papers shall be a magistrate or magistrates for the ensuing year, to make up the aforesaid number.

3.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that the Secretary shall not nominate any person, nor shall any person be chosen newly into the magistracy which was not propounded in some General Court before, to be nominated the next election; and to that end it shall be lawful for each of the towns aforesaid by their deputies to nominate any two who they conceive fit to be put to election; and the court may add so many more as they judge requisite.

4.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed that no person be chosen Governor above once in two years, and that the Governor be always a member of some approved congregation, and formerly of the magistracy within this jurisdiction; and all the magistrates freemen of this commonwealth: and that no magistrate or other public officer shall execute any part of his or their office before they are severally sworn, which shall be done in the face of the court if they be present, and in case of absence by some deputed for that purpose.

5.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that to the aforesaid Court of Election the several towns shall send their deputies, and when the elections are ended they may proceed in any public service as at other courts. Also the other General Court in September shall be for making of laws, and any other public occasion, which concerns the good of the commonwealth.

6.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that the Governor shall, either by himself or by the Secretary, send out summons to the constables of our town for the calling of these two standing courts, one month at least before their several times: and also if the Governor and the greatest part of the magistrates see cause upon any special occasion to call a General Court, they may give order to the Secretary so to do within fourteen days warning; and if urgent necessity so require, upon a shorter notice, giving sufficient grounds for it to the deputies when they meet, or else be questioned for the same; and if the Governor and major part of magistrates shall either neglect or refuse to call the two general standing courts or either of them, as also at other times when the occasions of the commonwealth require, the freemen thereof, or the major part of them, shall petition to them so to do: if then it be either denied or neglected the said freemen or the major part of them shall have power to give order to the constables of the several towns to do the same, and so may meet together, and choose to themselves a moderator, and may proceed to do any act of power, which any other General Court may.

7.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed that after there are warrants given out for any of the said General Courts, the constable or constables of each town shall forthwith give notice distinctly to the inhabitants of the same, in some public assembly or by going or sending from house to house, that at a place and time by him or them limited and set, they meet and assemble themselves together to elect and choose certain deputies to be at the General Court then following to agitate the affairs of the commonwealth; which said deputies shall be chosen by all that are admitted inhabitants in the several towns and have taken the oath of fidelity; provided that none be chosen a deputy for any General Court which is not a freeman of this commonwealth.

The aforesaid deputies shall be chosen in manner following: every person that is present and qualified as before expressed, shall bring the names of such, written in several papers, as they desire to have chosen for that employment, and these 3 or 4, more or less, being the number agreed on to be chosen for that time, that have greatest number of papers written for them shall be deputies for that court; whose names shall be endorsed on the back side of the warrant and returned into the court, with the constable or constables hand unto the same.

8.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield shall have power, each town, to send four of their freemen as deputies to every General Court; and whatsoever other towns shall be hereafter added to this jurisdiction, they shall send so many deputies as the court shall judge meet, as reasonable proportion to the number of freemen that are in the said towns being to be attended therein; which deputies shall have the power of the whole town to give their votes and allowance to all such laws and orders as may be for the public good, and unto which the said towns are to be bound.

9.   It is ordered and decreed, that the deputies thus chosen shall have power and liberty to appoint a time and a place of meeting together before any General Court to advise and consult of all such things as may concern the good of the public, as also to examine their own elections, whether according to the order, and if they or the greatest part of them find any election to be illegal they may seclude such for present from their meeting, and return the same and their reasons to the court; and if yet prove true, the court may fine the party or parties so intruding and the town, if they see cause, and give out a warrant to go to a new election in a legal way, either in whole or in part. Also the said deputies shall have power to fine any that shall be disorderly at their meetings, or for not coming in due time or place according to appointment; and they may return the said fines into the court if it be refused to be paid, and the treasurer to take notice of it, and to estreat or levy the same as he does other fines.

10.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that every General Court, except such as through neglect of the Governor and the greatest part of magistrates the freemen themselves do call, shall consist of the Governor, or someone chosen to moderate the court, and 4 other magistrates at least, with the major part of the deputies of the several towns legally chosen; and in case the freemen or major part of them through neglect or refusal of the Governor and major part of the magistrates, shall call a court, that yet shall consist of the major part of freemen that are present or their deputies, with a moderator chosen by them: In which said General Courts shall consist the supreme power of the commonwealth, and they only shall have power to make laws or repeal them, to grant levies, to admit of freemen, dispose of lands undisposed of, to several towns or persons, and also shall have power to call either court or magistrate or any other person whatsoever into question for any misdemeanor, and may for just causes displace or deal otherwise according to the nature of the offense; and also may deal in any other matter that concerns the good of this commonwealth, except election of magistrates, which shall be done by the whole body of freemen: in which court the Governor or moderator shall have power to order the court to give liberty of speech, and silence unseasonable and disorderly speaking, to put all things to vote, and in case the vote be equal to have the casting voice. But none of these courts shall be adjourned or dissolved without the consent of the major part of the court.

11.   It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that when any General Court upon the occasions of the commonwealth have agreed upon any sum or sums of money to be levied upon the several towns within this jurisdiction, that a committee be chosen to set out and appoint what shall be the proportion of every town to pay of the said levy, provided the committees be made up of an equal number out of each town.

14th January, 1638, the 11 orders abovesaid are voted.

The oath of the Governor, for the present:

I, N. W. [name withheld] being chosen to be Governor within this jurisdiction, for the year ensuing, and until a new be chosen, do swear by the great and dreadful name of the everliving God, to promote the public good and peace of the same, according to the best of my skill; as also will maintain all lawful privileges of this commonwealth; as also that all wholesome laws that are or shall be made by lawful authority here established, be duly executed; and will further the execution of justice according to the rule of God’s word; so help me God, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The oath of a magistrate, for the present:

I, N. W. [name withheld] being chosen a magistrate within this jurisdiction for the year ensuing, do swear by the great and dreadful name of the everliving God, to promote the public good and peace of the same, according to the best of my skill, and that I will maintain all the lawful privileges thereof according to my understanding, as also assist in the execution of all such wholesome laws as are made or shall be made by lawful authority here established, and will further the execution of justice for the time aforesaid according to the righteous rule of God’s word; so help me God, etc.

"Our Path to Freedom"

 It is true that even the most patriotic among us cannot really grasp the full appreciation and gratitude that is due to God for the blessing of this nation. On March 11, 1792, in a letter to John Armstrong, George Washington stated: "I am sure that never was a people, who had more reason to acknowledge a Divine interposition in their affairs, than those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe that they have forgotten that agency, which was so often manifested during our Revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of the God who is alone able to protect them." - George Washington.

The path to America as are all nations traced back into the depths of human history through God's unfathomable Providence. It shines brightly before us even in the 15th century with Columbus in his discovery in 1492. Upon arriving in the New World, the first act was the voice of prayer and the melody of praise coming from his ship. Upon landing it was to prostrate himself upon the earth to give thanksgiving. 

However, there was another ship to be seen in God's Providence, it would be called the Mayflower. In 1492 the seed of the Gospel would be planted, in 1620 it would continue to germinate and grow. Speaking of the Mayflower, Benjamin F. Morris quotes Webster saying, "Her deck was the altar of the Living God. Fervent prayers on bended knees mingled morning and evening with the voices of the ocean and the sighing of the winds in her shrouds." - Benjamin F. Morris, The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States, p.65.

This little ship landed at Plymouth Rock carrying a small group of people whose Christian faith through prayer, planted the seed of a Christian empire in this New World. It was the start of an organic Christian nation on the path to the greatest experiment of civil and religious freedom the world had ever known. They would speak concerning themselves, "We give ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the word of his grace, for the teaching, ruling, and sanctifying of us, in matters of worship and conversation; resolving to cleave unto him alone for life and glory, and to reject all contrary ways, canons, and constitutions of men in his worship." - Benjamin F. Morris, The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States, p.69.

They would do this in faithfulness by the commission given to them upon leaving Holland by their Pastor John Robinson, "I charge you to take heed what you receive as truth; examine it, consider it, and compare it with the scriptures of truth before you receive it." - Benjamin F. Morris, The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States, p.65.

One of their first acts was to institute a form of civil government in conformity with the revealed will of God, and under whose legislation they were to enjoy their civil and religious freedoms. This legislation would state their purpose being, " . . . for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith . . . [to] covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid . . . [to] frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony;" (Mayflower Compact).

This would set the precedent for creating constitutions of government as the nation developed. We recognize this through men such as John Quincy Adams who stated, "The compact of the Puritans is a full demonstration that the nature of civil governments, abstracted from the political institutions of their native country, had been an object of their serious meditation." - John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States.

Daniel Webster would state, "This Constitution invokes a religious sanction and the authority of God on their civil obligations;" - Daniel Webster

He would go on to say, "Our ancestors established their system of government on morality and religious sentiment." - Daniel Webster

The early commitment to the advancement of the Christian faith as stated in the Mayflower Compact continued to bear fruit, in 1658, John Eliot, a pastor of Roxbury Massachusetts, completed the translation of the entire Bible in the native American language. 

I am afraid George Washington would be pained, for none of these precepts would be the majority sentiment in American society today. Is that to judge us? Perhaps we should simply judge ourselves, we still lay claim to our freedoms, and boast of the American spirit and its exceptionalism. Yet, in doing so it seems we are neglecting and in many respects outright rejecting the very principles that gave us these things. We are a troubled society today, confused in our morality, angered in our politics, violent in our streets, and endangered in our schools. 

The questions we ask and the answers we give do everything but take us back to those principles. It is not that these things are obscure to us, as we have seen in our last post they are etched in stone all over our nation. It is that now we are educated in a wiser way, we must find a way to improve ourselves by ourselves and the exertion of our own energies. The resolve and the trust of God and the principles of his word are not only not sufficient for us anymore but are becoming a weight and a drudgery for us to bare. 

So we judge ourselves unworthy of those lofty principles and set our course riding upon our own wisdom. Though we deplore the idea of a nation being governed by God and resting upon his principles to guide us, it is the course we were given by those before us. They gave us the system by their wisdom, but they knew it could never be coerced. A Constitution they gave us, then with it a means to alter and change it at our pleasure. In their wisdom, they placed safeguards that would require a majority to do so, but with freedom of conscience in mind, they made way for us to cast it off if so desired.  It was great wisdom to provide us with such measures, for we could change our nation peacefully through legislation without the force of war among us. At least that should be the result. 

In the sermon today our Pastor exposited from Malachi 1:6 through 2:9 and demonstrated Israel was keeping up their religious worship but their heart was not in it. They had corrupted their worship. Similarly, we as Americans hold to a way of life, yet the principles by which we attained that way of life no longer rest upon the heart. We love the life we have been privileged to experience, but we are burdened by the responsibility of its maintenance. 

This very weekend is a memorial weekend for us as we remember the great price that has been paid to honor that responsibility. Yet, we laughingly jest with such statements concerning the weather for our festivities saying, "the forecast this weekend calls for a 100% chance of beer."

These things need not be for condemnation but for correction. We need not think those before us, even our heroes were without fault. Our nation is but a mere earthly kingdom with all the weakness of men at its helm. The principles we have talked about are noble, but we have not always been faithful to them or fully expressed them in many ways. Our American history owns its failures, but the principles have always steered us back to course or strengthened our stride. 

We must also remember these Christian principles only aid society to the extent they are embraced within the heart. They do not offer eternal Salvation except to the soul who has received grace to believe the Gospel, but to the extent that grace is received the society, in general, is strengthened. Can a non-Christian love and enjoy the freedoms provided by this great nation? Certainly, they can even be affected and moved by the culture born of these principles. We honor many this weekend who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom who were not Christian. Nevertheless, it was the Christian principles that gave them the freedom they loved and died for. Nations throughout history have come and gone, and this one may as well, yet we are not relieved of the responsibility to know our history, both who we were and who we are. May God guide us, may He give mercy and repentance, may we continue to live free, and most of all may our laws and justice be right and our morality rest upon His sure foundation. 

"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

"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 Patriot and “Father of American Geography”

May the grace of God be with each of you,

David