"American Christian History" Part VI (The Form)

 

In our last posts, we looked at various statements and confessions of Christianity from influential individuals from the founding era of our country. However, much has changed in Christianity in America since those days. It will be necessary therefore to understand what they were confessing as Christians. If we were to assume they were holding to the form of Christianity we are familiar with today, we would be very confused indeed.

Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence 30 were Episcopalian/Anglican, 10 were Congregationalist, 11 were Presbyterian, 2 were Quaker, 2 were Unitarian, and 1 was Catholic. Of that list, 51 would be in agreement on Core doctrines of the Christian faith and only differing in some areas of Church structure and government. In other words, their only line of disagreement would be on non-essential areas of the faith. There would be five that would hold some doctrines that the 51 would consider major issues. In essence, there were 51 that would all hold to the great Protestant confessions of the Reformation while 5 would be considered outside those boundaries. 

Today, we are still familiar to some extent with the Episcopalian, somewhat with the Congregationalist, and more so with the Presbyterian. These and a few others like them were what use to be called "Main Line Denominations". However, they are no longer mainline, today America and much of the world are being swept away by the Pentecostal and Charismatic beliefs. This sect of Christianity is the fastest-growing religion in the world today. The founders of this nation would have no understanding of the beliefs of these sects as they did not exist in their lifetime. For 1,800 years of Church history, these beliefs had never been considered as part of the Christian faith. Pentecostalism bust on the scene around the turn of the 20th Century. It was so shocking the Church at first still resisted their doctrine and unusual behavior, yet its popularity among the poor continued to grow. After its birth, many divisions emerged and splinter groups that eventually produced over 700 Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations and hundreds of other like groups who are considered independent non-denominational. It is a mass of confusion and a mixture of doctrines that cannot be aligned with the original mainline churches in America's history. 

When the Pentecostal beliefs first emerged they were led by men with powerful personalities who had cast off the confines of orthodox interpretation of the Scriptures and replaced them with their own. To be fair, many began with good intentions, but when the doors were once opened and the boundaries of orthodoxy broken down the movement could not be contained. Of those hundreds of splits and divisions, they range from holding some of the Core Christian beliefs to being completely heretical. The newest emerging movements in our day hold beliefs completely foreign to historical Christianity.  Their success today is largely produced through media and their appeal to Health, Wealth, and Prosperity. They promote emotionalism and the members are mostly feeling-oriented and experience-seeking. They tell the people what they want to hear and promise them everything they want is waiting for them if they will plant the seed of faith, which of course includes sowing the money in good ground. That good ground seems to always be the ministers or ministries at hand. 

These groups promise miracles, promote speaking in tongues (see Speaking in Tongues ). They also practice being slain in the spirit (see Slain in the Spirit ) and many other non-biblical practices. The founders of our nation knew nothing of such things associated with their understanding of Christianity. However, today if you turn on Christian Television, this is what you see along with Prophesies and Prophets more than willing to give you a word from Lord. The sacred scriptures are no longer enough for most Americans, they want something fresh from Heaven. Something to promise them good and not evil. Thus Christianity has become but merchandise to be sold and promoted for profit and personal gain. 

This is not the faith of our founding fathers nor the faith that built a nation. The Christians that were signing our founding documents and fighting for our freedoms were men of a completely different Christianity. Their faith promised them nothing from this world but suffering and persecution, anything else was simply by the wonderful hand of God's mercy and grace. They trusted in a Sovereign God whose Providence governed the affairs of men and the destiny of nations. They put their lives in His hands and left them there with the confession of  Job 13:15 KJV (15)  Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. They heard him speak daily, but the voice that spoke was the voice of the Holy Scriptures. It was the Scriptures that governed their daily lives, formed their worldview, established their family life at home and their public life outside. They were simply Christians in the purest sense. Though they recognized their weakness as human beings, they trusted in the perfections of His grace. 

On September 16th, 1775, Abigail Adams would write to her husband John Adams saying, "I set myself down to write with a Heart depressed with the Melancholy Scenes around me. My Letter will be only a Bill of Mortality, tho thanks be to that Being who restraineth the pestilence, that it has not yet proved mortal to any of our family, tho we live in daily Expectation that Patty will not continue many hours. A general putrefaction seems to have taken place, and we can not bear the House only as we are constantly cleansing it with hot vinegar. I had no idea of the Distemper in producing such a state as hers till now. Yet we take all possible care by shifting her bed every day. Two of the children John and Charles I have sent out of the house, finding it difficult to keep them out of the chamber. Nabby continues well. Tommy is better but entirely stripped of the hardy robust countenance as well as of all the flesh he had, save what remains for to keep his bones together. Jonathan is the only one who remains in the family but what has had a turn of the disorder. Mrs. Randle has lost her daughter, Mrs. Bracket hers, Mr. Thomas Thayer his wife. [Two] persons belonging to Boston have died this week in this parish. I know of eight this week who have been buried in this Town.

In Weymouth, it is very sickly, but not Mortal. Dr. Tufts [tells] me he has between 60 and 70 patients now sick with this disorder. Mr. Thaxter has been obliged to go home as it was not possible for me to accommodate him. Mr. Mason came this week, but if he had been inclined I could not have taken him now. But the general Sickness in the Towns determined him to return home for the present. The dread upon the minds of people of catching the distemper is almost as great as if it was the smallpox. I have been distressed more than ever I was in my life to procure watchers and to get assistance.

I hear Mr. Tudor has been dangerously sick but is now upon recovery. Mr. Wibird is very low indeed, scarcely able to walk a step. We have been [four] Sabbaths without any meeting. Thus does pestilence travel in the rear of War to remind us of our entire dependence upon that Being who not only directeth the arrow by day but has also at his command the pestilence which walketh in Darkness. So uncertain and so transitory are all the enjoyments of Life that were it not for the tender [illegible]  tender connections which bind us here, would it not be folly to wish for a continuance here? I think I shall never be wedded to the World, and were I to loose about a Dozen of my dearest Connections I should have no further relish for Life.

But perhaps I deceive myself and know but little of my own Heart;

"To Bear and Suffer is our portion here."

And unto him who mounts the Whirlwind and directs the Storm, I will cheerfully leave the ordering of my Lot, and whether adverse or prosperous Days should be my future portion I will trust in his right Hand to lead me safely through, and after a short rotation of Events fix me in a state immutable and happy.

You will think me melancholy. Tis true I am much affected with the distressed Scenes around me but I have some Anxietyes upon my mind which I do not think it prudent to mention at present to anyone. Perhaps when I hear from you, I may in my next Letter tell you. In the meantime, I wish you would tell me whether the intercepted Letters have reached Philadelphia and what effect they have there. There is a most infamous versification of them I hear sent out. I have not been able to get it. . . . Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since you left home in all which time I have not heard one word from you. Patience is a Lesson I have not learned so can wait with your own time but hopefully, it will not be long ere my anxious heart is relieved. Adieu. I need not say how sincerely I am your affectionate. ~ Abigail Adams.

Today most Christians are looking for their best life now while worshiping the god of pleasure and prosperity. God in their minds is their ticket away from their problems and hardships, they have no concept of His Sovereign rule over all the affairs of our lives, both good and bad. As we continue our study of Christianity in our American institutions, we must realize what is mostly seen in America today is a different gospel embraced by a different people.  However, it will be good for us to look back and see where the roots of our nation began to grow and the nourishment that gave it strength.

May the grace of God be upon each of you,

David