The Intersection of Church and State…
What was the mindset of our Founders less than four months before they signed the Declaration of Independence?
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
What activity did our Founders do in unison, less than two months before they signed the Declaration of Independence?
Most people are familiar with the largest and most recognizable signature on the Declaration of Independence… that of John Hancock.
But most people are not familiar with a document he (and several others) consented to less than four months earlier…
Take a serious look at this and compare it to today.
(Black and red emphasis is mine, capitalization emphasis is from the original text. Based on looking at the original document image, I believe that the Library of Congress transcript has some mistakes…that the word they have as “bandage” is actually “bondage” in the original document. I have taken the liberty of using “bondage” in my transcript below. Simliarly, the Library of Congress transcript has “unversally” where it should be “universally”, and the document image shows the “i” is present.) Also, some of the missing words which appear as {Omitted text, 1w} in the Library of Congress transcript, can be found in other places (such as here and here), and I have filled those in accordingly.
In CONGRESS,
SATURDAY, March 16, 1776.IN times of impending calamity and distress; when the Liberties of America are imminently endangered by the secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and vindictive Administration, it becomes the indispensible duty of these hitherto free and happy Colonies, with true penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publickly to acknowledge the over ruling providence of God; to confess and deplore our offences against him; and to supplicate his interposition for averting the threatened danger, and prospering our strenuous efforts in the cause of Freedom, Virtue and Posterity.
The Congress therefore, considering the warlike preparations of the British Ministry to subvert our invaluable rights and privileges, and to reduce us by fire and sword, by the savages of the wilderness and our own domestics, to the most abject and ignominious bondage: Desirous, at the same time, to have people of all ranks and degrees, duly impressed with a solemn sense of God’s superintending providence, and of their duty devoutly to rely in all their lawful enterprizes of his aid and direction–do earnestly recommend, that FRIDAY, the seventeenth day of May next, be observed by the said Colonies as a day of HUMILIATION, FASTING, and PRAYER; that we may with united hearts confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere, repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood. But if continuing deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly bent on desolation and war, they constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our Officers and Soldiers with invincible fortitude to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the Continental arms by sea and land with victory and success: Earnestly beseeching him to bless our civil Rulers and the Representatives of the People in their several Assemblies and Conventions; to preserve and strengthen their Union, to inspire them with an ardent disinterested love of their Country; to give wisdom and stability to their Councils; and direct them to the most efficacious measures for establishing the Rights of America on the most honorable and permanent basis–that he would be graciously pleased to bless all his People in these Colonies with Health and Plenty, and grant that a spirit of incorruptible Patriotism and of pure undefiled Religion may universally prevail; and this Continent be speedily restored to the blessings of Peace and Liberty, and enabled to transmit them inviolate to the latest Posterity. And it is recommended to Christians of all denominations to assemble for Public Worship, and abstain from servile Labour on the said Day.
By Order of Congress,
JOHN HANCOCK, PresidentAttest………..CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.
Colony of the
Massachusetts-Bay.In COUNCIL, April 3, 1776.
READ and accepted, and Ordered, That a suitable Number be printed, in order that each of the religious Assemblies, in this Colony, may be furnished with a Copy of the same.
Sent down for Concurrence………..PEREZ MORTON, Dep. Sec’ry.
In the House of REPRESENTATIVES, April 4, 1776.
Read and concurr’d………..SAMUEL FREEMAN, Speaker, pro Tem.
Consented to,
JAMES OTIS,
BENJAMIN GREENLEAF,
CALEB CUSHING,
JOHN WINTHROP,
JOHN WHETCOMB,
ELDAD TAYLOR,
MICHAEL FARLEY,
JOSEPH PALMER,
SAMUEL HOLTEN,
MOSES GILL,
JOSEPH GERRISH,
BENJAMIN LINCOLN,
CHARLES CHAUNCY,
JOHN TAYLOR,
BENJAMIN WHITE.GOD SAVE THE PEOPLE.
The Library of Congress Document Image
The Library of Congress Transcript
Again I ask:
What was the mindset of our Founders less than four months before they signed the Declaration of Independence?
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
What activity did our Founders do in unison less than two months before they signed the Declaration of Independence?
They humbled themselves, fasted, and prayed, so “that we may with united hearts confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere, repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance…”
That day of unified “HUMILIATION, FASTING, and PRAYER” on May 17, 1776 likely had a significant impact on our independence being declared 48 days later.
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A Few Declarations of Founding Fathers and Early Statesmen on Jesus, Christianity, and the Bible.
Some, like Dan Riehl, like to make hay about “What Washington didn’t say about God and the Bible“. Let them go back and read the multitude of primary source documents that clearly show how the overwhelming majority of our founders based both their lives and founding of this country upon the Bible.
MYTH: The Founders were mostly Deists.
TRUTH: The Founders were mostly “Christians of all denominations”.
MYTH: The Founders wanted a complete separation of religious expression from our government.
TRUTH: The Founders, in Congresss, wholeheartedly endorsed Christianity and said that it is our “indispensible duty”, “with true penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publickly to acknowledge the over ruling providence of God; to confess and deplore our offences against him; and to supplicate his interposition for averting the threatened danger, and prospering our strenuous efforts in the cause of Freedom, Virtue and Posterity.”
The Founders did not want a government-established church (a church founded, owned, and operated by the state) and that is why the 1st Amendment prohibits Congress from the establishment of religion. But the 1st Amendment does not prohibit the endorsement of religion. See “Establishment” Vs. “Endorsement”. Our Founders most emphatically endorsed Christianity and “recommended to Christians of all denominations to assemble for Public Worship”.
Our nation was birthed on July 4, 1776 with the Declaration of Independence, which emphasized God, Creator, Divine Providence, and sacred Honor.
On November 1, 1777, in the midst of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress recommended to the several states to set apart a day of public thanksgiving on December 18th, 1777, with the following words, as printed in the Journals of Congress:
Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received, and to implore such farther blessings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased him in his abundant mercy not only to continue to us the innumerable bounties of his common providence, but also smile upon us in the prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the defense and establishment of our unalienable rights and liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased in so great a measure to prosper the means used for the support of our troops and to crown our arms with most signal success:
It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive powers of these United States, to set apart Thursday, the 18th day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise; that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor; and that together with their sincere acknowledgments and offerings, they may join the penitent confession of their manifold sins, whereby they had forfeited every favor, and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance; that it may please him graciously to afford his blessings on the governments of these states respectively, and prosper the public council of the whole; to inspire our commanders both by land and sea, and all under them, with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States the greatest of all blessings, independence and peace; that it may please him to prosper the trade and manufactures of the people and the labor of the husbandman, that our land may yield its increase; to take schools and seminaries of education, so necessary for cultivating the principles of true liberty, virtue and piety, under his nurturing hand, and to prosper the means of religion for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
And it is further recommended, that servile labor, and such recreation as, though at other times innocent, may be unbecoming the purpose of this appointment, be omitted on so solemn an occasion.
If you dismiss these historical documents because they were written before the Constitution, (thinking that somehow the Founders had changed their minds by the time they wrote the Constitution and Bill of Rights), then take a look at this…
The Constitution was ratified June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the 9th of the 13 states to ratify it.
The first Amendment was ratified December 15, 1791.
Just over three years later, on January 1, 1795, President Washington issued another Thanksgiving Proclamation.
And just over two years after that, on March 20, 1797, Samuel Adams, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, issued a proclamation that some would challenge as “unconstitutional” today, yet those who actually wrote and ratified the 1st Amendment did not challenge or question the constitutionality of this proclamation:
PROCLAMATION.
[Independent Chronicle, March 30, 1797; the text is in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. iii., pp. 365, 366.]
By Authority. Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
BY THE GOVERNOR,
A PROCLAMATION FOR A DAY OF SOLEMN FASTING AND PRAYER.
IT having been the invariable practice derived from the days of our renowned ancestors, at this season of the year to set apart a Day of Public Fasting and Prayer: And the practice appearing to be in itself productive, if well improved, of happy effects on the public mind–
I have therefore thought fit, by & with the advice and consent of the Council, to appoint Thursday, the FOURTH day of May next ensuing, to be observed and improved throughout this Commonwealth for the purpose of PUBLIC FASTING AND PRAYER: Earnestly recommending to the Ministers of
the Gospel with their respective Congregations then to assemble together and seriously to consider, and with one united voice confess our past sins and transgressions, with holy resolutions, by the Grace of God, to turn our feet into the path of His Law– Humbly beseeching him to endue us with all the Christian Spirit of Piety, Benevolence and the Love of our Country; and that in all our public deliberations we may be possessed of a sacred regard to the fundamental principles of our free elective civil Constitutions–That we may be preserved from consuming Fires and all other desolating Judgments.And as at this season the general business of the year commences, it seems highly proper humbly to implore the divine blessing on our Husbandry, Trade, and Fishery, and all the labour of our hands–On our University and Schools of Education–On the Administration of the Government of the United States and of this and the other States of the Union –On the foreign relations of the United States; and in a particular manner that all misunderstanding between them and a Sister Republic may be happily, so adjusted as to prevent an open Rupture, and establish Peace.
And as it is our duty to extend our wishes to the happiness of the great Family of Man, I concede we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the World–That the rod of tyrants may be broken into pieces, and the oppressed made Free–That wars may cease in all the Earth, and that the confusions that are and have been among the Nations may be overruled for the promoting and speedily bringing on that holy and happy period, when the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and all the people willingly bow to the Sceptre of Him who is the Prince of Peace.
And I do hereby recommend that all unnecessary labour and recreation may be suspended on the said day.
Given at the Council Chamber in Boston, this 20th day of March, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Ninety seven, and in the twenty first Year of the Independence of the United States of America.
SAMUEL ADAMS.
Attest, JOHN AVERY, Secretary.
GOD SAVE THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS!
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Update: Virginia AG tests politics from the pulpit
More on the Intersection of Church and State…
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli spoke to the approximately 250 church leaders on Thursday, outlining for them what they are allowed to do when it comes to political engagement.
A personal endorsement of a candidate is permissible under the law, he said at the Virginia Christian Alliance’s “Christian Citizenship and Godly Government Breakfast.” But they cannot use their church to endorse anyone.
“The biggest no-no of them all, do not put your church’s name behind any candidate,” he made clear as he pointed out that churches that endorse candidates could lose their 501(c)3 tax exempt status.
Commenter “pat” is spot-on:
The AG is clearly wrong from a Constitutional point of view. The First Amendment protects religious and political speech. The fact they are intertwined does not negate one. The AG is actually enunciating IRS guidelines that are blatantly unconstitutional and only used to threaten white conservative Christian congregations.
I covered this almost three years ago in the post:
LBJ’s Unconstitutional Amendment
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Tags: Christian Nation
June 20, 2011 at 2:52 pm
One can’t fully appreciate this:
… without understanding and appreciating this:
September 25, 2011 at 9:50 pm
The phrase “by any means necessary” entered the popular culture through a speech given by Malcolm X.
Here’s what Malcolm X intended to bring about, by any means necessary:
And here’s a quote from the current resident of the White House, who found what he was looking for “only” in Malcolm X…
… and who shares his journey with Malcolm X:
September 25, 2011 at 9:51 pm
From “1ConcernedMom” in the Comments at Michelle Malkin’s blog:
I’d never thought about it quite like that… Obama said his journey is part of a larger journey – one shared by all who’ve ever sought to “bring an Empire to its knees”. Well, he has done that. He has done his best to bring our economy and our form of Government to its knees, but at the same time he has brought praying Christians to their knees…
… just like King George III did in 1776…
September 30, 2011 at 8:32 am
Declaration 2.0
October 1, 2011 at 11:10 am
The referrence to the “Almighty”, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob can be found in the books of Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Ruth, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Ezeikial, Joel, 2nd Corinthians, and Revelation of the Holy Bible. But Obama used the title “Almighty” in another fashion at a recent fundraiser in his rant against his opposition when quoting Joe Biden, saying,
“Don’t compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative.”
We all know that in his campaigns in 2008 Obama was Oft times pictured with a halo above his head as some referred to him as the Messiah. Makes anyone wonder now just what “The Alternative” to the “Almighty” might be. I didn’t know there was an alternative to God, the Almighty. But then of course I am not Muslim either as I recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Son of God as the Almighty who came in the flesh and dwelt among men.John 1:1-14. I have never heard Obama praise the religion of Buddha either as I have heard him praise Islam. ‘Obviously the only alternative Obama could be referring to is Allah. I believe Obama is a representative of Allah.
I believe Barrack Hussein Obama was addressing his “alternative” religion, the religion of Islam, and not American Christians. Obviously his message has been loud and clear to that alternative as his poll numbers have plummeted in all the various groups of American Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, and Others. However, the Muslims are holding fast.
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/586459/201109291833/A-Muslim-President-After-All.htm
“Election 2012: Hispanics, blacks and others among President Obama’s base may be abandoning him, but Muslims are holding fast. Apparently, theirs is a special bond born of shared interests.
Last month, Pew Research Center released a survey of U.S. Muslims that was almost universally overlooked. It found that Muslims overwhelmingly approve of the way Obama is handling his job as president. Fully three-quarters (76%) favor him, compared with just 46% of the general public. “Muslim-Americans clearly see a friend in Obama,” Pew said in its report.
Obama came into office pledging to improve relations with the Muslim world, and he’s more than delivered on that promise. Almost two-thirds of U.S. Muslims say Obama is generally friendly toward them, Pew found. Just 4% see him as unfriendly.
And many see him as one of their own. One in 10 say they think the president is a Muslim, while a third say they don’t know or refused to answer.
Nonstop pandering has also made Obama popular in the Muslim community.
He’s appointed a record number of Muslims to his administration — including at least three radical Muslim Brotherhood agents to White House jobs, according to Muslim reformer Tarek Fatah. And he’s killed Justice Department probes of Muslim Brotherhood front groups at home, while paving the way for Brotherhood-run theocracies abroad.
Muslims also are in Obama’s corner because he’s vowed to provide more “social services” for them — including “jobs, education, health care and civil rights” — as part of his new PC counterterror program.
This is music to their ears. According to the new Pew poll, Muslims love big government as much as Obama. The vast majority say they’d rather have a bigger government with more services than a smaller one with fewer services.
In fact, 68% say they’d prefer an even larger and more activist government than what Obama has engineered.
Obama’s core constituency, in the end, may be Muslims. They seem to be singing from the same hymnal.
October 1, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Amendment I (Religion)
Debate in North Carolina Ratifying Convention
30 July 1788
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/amendI_religions52.html
October 1, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Note in the debate above, paragraph 7, lines three and four, whereas Mr. James Iredell states:
“I met, by accident, with a pamphlet, this morning, in which the author states, as a very serious danger, that the pope of Rome might be elected President. I confess this never struck me before; and if the author had read all the qualifications of a President, perhaps his fears might have been quieted. No man but a native, or who has resided fourteen years in America, can be chosen President.”
Who could meet those qualifications to be president at that point in American history? Read the rest of Paragraph 7. and “Why is it not objected, that there is no provision in the Constitution against electing one of the kings of Europe President? It would be a clause equally rational and judicious”.
The First Court
The Supreme Court was first called to assemble on Feb. 1, 1790, in the Merchants Exchange Building in New York City, then the Nation’s Capital. The first Supreme Court was made up of:
Chief Justice:
John Jay, from New York
Associate Justices:
John Rutledge, from South Carolina
William Cushing, from Massachusetts
James Wilson, from Pennsylvania
John Blair, from Virginia
James Iredell, from North Carolina
October 10, 2011 at 11:06 pm
Just wanted to let you know how much fun it was watching you get your butt kicked up and down Doc Conspiracy’s blog. Keep up the mediocre work.
Oh, and will Bailin’ Palin be refunding your donations, do you think? Ah, well. I’m sure you paid for a really nice outfit, anyway.
November 22, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Wonderful post my friend and an excellent rebuttal to those who try to tell us that the founders were not men of God! I am going to post an excerpt of this with a link back to your post for them to read the rest, I also posted it to FB. Simply powerful and timely!
November 22, 2011 at 12:43 pm
[...] of Freedom, Virtue and Posterity. Read the rest at I Took The Red Pill (And Escaped The Matrix) http://itooktheredpill.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/in-congress-march-16-1776/ Rate this: Share this:ShareRedditFacebookPrintStumbleUponDiggTwitterEmailLike this:LikeBe the [...]
November 23, 2011 at 9:44 am
Post above updated to include the following….
Our nation was birthed on July 4, 1776 with the Declaration of Independence, which emphasized God, Creator, Divine Providence, and sacred Honor.
On November 1, 1777, in the midst of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress recommended to the several states to set apart a day of public thanksgiving on December 18th, 1777, with the following words, as printed in the Journals of Congress:
November 23, 2011 at 9:45 am
loopyloo305,
Thank you for your kind words.
January 23, 2012 at 2:14 pm
[...] http://itooktheredpill.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/in-congress-march-16-1776/ [...]
February 16, 2012 at 1:42 pm
http://www.shadesofgrace.org/2010/05/04/americas-founders-proclamations-for-fasting-and-prayer/
February 16, 2012 at 1:46 pm
http://polination.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/if-we-will-humble-ourselves/
February 19, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Hi Red Pill…I hope you don’t mind if I post a link here. But, I thought you might be interested: http://obamasgarden.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/answers/
=)
February 19, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Hi, Miss Tickly! It’s good to “see” you! I don’t mind your comment at all.
February 19, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Miss Tickly,
I’ve passed on your link on two other blogs:
http://wtpotus.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/media-matters-pure-unadulterated-propaganda-from-the-left/comment-page-1/#comment-74960
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2012/02/19/sunday-open-thread-february-19th/#comment-85039
February 19, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Thank you…RP!
February 19, 2012 at 8:53 pm
The entire I time I was researching…all I could think of was that little red pill.=)
February 19, 2012 at 11:10 pm
Do explain… :-)
May 22, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Thank you for posting this! I needed the actual transcript.
I was so excited to find about about this (heard it in Glen Beck’s radio program) declaration and the May 17, 1776 day of fasting and repentence! Amazing, but 236 years later, a group of intercessors began doing exactly what this document declared…and we are joining other huge groups doing the same…and we will then all join in spirit and in multiple locations around the globe to pray the same scriptures and prayers in the same spirit as this document. May 27, 2012, also known as Pentacost Sunday, 40 days after the ascension of Jesus, we are uniting in the Global Day of Prayer!
Learn more at http://www.globaldayofprayer.com/
May 22, 2012 at 10:13 pm
dalees107,
Thank you for your comment. I am very happy to hear that this helped you, and I’m going to look into the link you provided.