"The American republic, like the Hebrew commonwealth, has its chief glory from the good and great men who have adorned its civic and Christian history and were the active agents in building up the organic forms of the social and political life of the republic. The Puritans, and the men of colonial history, were stalwart, noble Christian men. The men antecedent to and actors in the eventful drama Civil Institutions of the United States of the Revolution were, most of them, men whose minds were illuminated by divine influences, and whose characters and lives bore the superscription and the image of Christ. All were not public professors of the Christian religion, but almost all acknowledged its divinity and necessity to the existence, welfare, and stability of the state. Their Christian faith and characters not only constitute the enduring glory of our republic, but are also the sources of the Christian features of our civil institutions." - B. F. Morris, "Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States of America" 1864, page 51.
The popular idea and modern conception that the founders of this nation were deists and striving for a secular state simply cannot be sustained by our historical records. First, when examining the personal writings of the founders, their worldview is not consistent with the deists' mindset. Second, we find adorning our nations' public institutions, Christian references etched in our stone, wood, and paper. Such would not be found had the founding source been deists striving for a secular state. To sustain the deists and secular view one would have to remove the monuments and delete every religious statement by the founders and then attempt to rewrite our history. If you ever see this happening, you might need to raise an eyebrow.
The true and lasting fame of the American nation—its political and moral glory—consists in the eminent and illustrious characters which have, in each successive age of the republic, adorned the state and directed its political destinies. Trained in a Christian school and formed under Christian influences, and deriving their ideas of civil and religious liberty from the Bible, their practical faith led them to adopt it as the rule of life and to consult it as the source of their civil and political views and principles, as well as of their religious belief and hopes. The monument of these men of Puritan and Revolutionary times is in the great Christian ideas and truths they elaborated and incorporated into the civil institutions of the nation, and in the Christian virtues, public and private, which they bore as the fruits of their Christian faith. - B. F. Morris, "Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States of America" 1864, page 51.
The majority opinion today would most likely disagree with the above statements, however, the majority opinion is of little value if the founders themselves were to refute that opinion.
"The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity." - John Adams.
"The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the Divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth." - John Quincy Adams.
"I conceive we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world . . . that the confusions that are and have been among the nations may be overruled by the promoting and speedily bringing in the holy and happy period when the kingdoms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and the people willingly bow to the scepter of Him who is the Prince of Peace." - Samuel Adams.
"As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and His religion as He left them to us, the best the world ever saw or is likely to see." - Benjamin Franklin.
“I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.” - Alexander Hamilton.
"Sensible of the importance of Christian piety and virtue to the order and happiness of a state, I cannot but earnestly commend to you every measure for their support and encouragement." - John Hancock.
"Being a Christian… is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast." - Patrick Henry.
"The practice of morality being necessary for the well being of society, He [God] has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the moral principles of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in His discourses." - Thomas Jefferson.
"I have sometimes thought there could not be a stronger testimony in favor of religion or against temporal enjoyments, even the most rational and manly, than for men who occupy the most honorable and gainful departments and [who] are rising in reputation and wealth, publicly to declare their unsatisfactoriness by becoming fervent advocates in the cause of Christ; and I wish you may give in your evidence in this way." - James Madison.
"I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as satisfied that it is as much the work of a Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament." - Benjamin Rush.
"You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are." - George Washington.
"[T]he Christian religion its general principles must ever be regarded among us as the foundation of civil society." - Daniel Webster.
"The moral principles and precepts found in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws." - Noah Webster.
We could go on in endless effort in calling for support among the founders of this nation to the influence and sustaining support of the Christian religion in our society. We will let these few stand and continue in the next post deepening our understanding of where we came from.
May the grace of God be with each of you,
David
