Part 8

Jim Bramlett



[This is Part 8 and last part of the series, America’s Christian Heritage. It is comprised of inspirational quotes from our Founding fathers ad other national leaders of the past. At the end is bibliographical information relevant to this series.]


Below are selected quotes from our Founding Fathers and other national leaders which may be useful when writing articles and letters to the editor. Feel free to use them as needed. Many of them are taken from the book, Red Sky in the Morning, pages 11-14, with the sources found on pages 311-312. This paper cannot provide all the sources, but most of the quotes can be found in an excellent book I highly recommend that is probably the best collection of quotes from American history available anywhere, America’s God and Country, by William J. Federer.




George Washington, "Father of Our Country," first President of the U.S.:

"To the distinguished Character of a Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the most distinguished Character of Christian."



"It is impossible to account for the creation of the universe, without the agency of a Supreme Being."



"Bless O Lord the whole race of mankind, and let the world be filled with the knowledge of Thee and Thy Son, Jesus Christ."



"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."



"Of all the habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports...Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."


Patrick Henry, American Revolutionary Leader:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."


Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States:

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever." (excerpts are inscribed on the walls of the Jefferson Memorial in the nation’s capital)



"Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that their liberties are a gift from God?"



"The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty . . . students' perusal of the sacred volume will make us better citizens."



"I hold the precepts of Jesus as delivered by Himself, to be the most pure, benevolent, and sublime which have ever been preached to man. I adhere to the principles of the first age."

Benjamin Franklin, signer of the Declaration of Independence:

"Whoever shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world."



"Here is my creed. I believe in one God, Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His providence. That He ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable service we render Him is doing good to His other children."


John Adams, second President of the United States:

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."



"Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God…. What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be."



"I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in Providence for the illumination of the ignorant, and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth."



"If it be the pleasure of Heaven that my country shall require the poor offering of my life, the victim shall be ready, at the appointed hour of sacrifice, come when that hour may. But while I do live, let me have a country, and that a free country!"



James Madison, "Chief Architect of the Constitution"and fourth President:

"[A] watchful eye must be kept on ourselves lest, while we are building ideal monuments of renown and bliss here, we neglect to have our names enrolled in the Annals of Heaven."



"To the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land."



"It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage and such only as he believes to be acceptable to Him. This duty is precedent, both in order of time and degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society. Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe."



"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

Alexander Hamilton, Founding Father and first Secretary of the Treasury:

"I have carefully examined the evidences of the Christian religion, and if I was sitting as a juror upon its authenticity I would unhesitatingly give my verdict in its favor. I can prove its truth as clearly as any proposition ever submitted to the mind of man."




Samuel Adams, the "Father of the American Revolution":

"That God would be pleased to guide and direct the administration of the Federal government, and those of the several states, in union, so that the whole people may continue to be safe and happy in the constitutional enjoyment of their rights, liberties and privileges, and our governments be greatly respected at home and abroad."



"He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man…. The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy this gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people."



"Principally, and first of all, I resign my souls to the Almighty Being who gave it, and my body I commit to the dust, relying on the merits of Jesus Christ for the pardon of my sins."


John Jay, First Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court:

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."



"Unto Him who is the author and giver of all good, I render sincere and humble thanks for His manifold and unmerited blessings, and especially for our redemption and salvation by his beloved Son…. Blessed be his holy name."


Joseph Story, one of the first Justices of the Supreme Court:

"Probably at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, and of the First Amendment to it, the general, if not universal sentiment in America was that Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the state...Any attempt to level all religions and to make it a matter of policy to hold all in utter indifference would have created universal disapprobation, if not universal indignation."

Well!!! I Never!!!

How dare you !!

EVERYBODY knows our country wasn't founded by Christians, these quotes, are obviously forged...[:D]

(Happy Independence day ar10er[^])

Back at ya liberty!

Thank You, Jesus, for this wonderful country and for allowing me to be born free.

I like these statements by the atheist, The U.S. Supreme Court even fell victim to the "Christian nation" mentality from time to time. Religious Right activists frequently cite 1892's Holy Trinity Church v. United Slates decision as proof that the high court considered the United States a "Christian nation." But as usual, they don't tell the whole story.

In the ruling, Justice David Brewer flatly declared, [b]"This is a Christian nation." To this day, historians debate what Brewer meant by the term.[/b] It is unclear whether he meant to say the country's laws should reflect Christianity or was simply acknowledging the fact that most Americans are Christians.

They like to say "it is unclear", so I would guess the Bill of Rights is "unclear" to them, but they sure do like to enjoy the freedoms enumerated in them.

Amen!

BTT