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Leaders of Our Nation's Godly Heritage

Last Updated Wednesday December 03, 2008 04:26 PM -0500

Also see Founder's Quotes & more & Warnings from the wise

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PATRIOT'S DECLARATION

And with any battle worth fighting, there comes suffering and sacrifice - a price to pay for our cherished freedom. The Founding Fathers of this Nation, in another fight for freedom from tyranny, signed their names to the Declaration of Independence just below these words of commitment: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

"The Sun never shined on a cause of greater worth." Thomas Paine

"Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the House when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress [John Hancock] to subscribe what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants?" Benjamin Rush

"There! His Majesty can now read my name without glasses. And he can double the reward on my head!" John Hancock

"We must hang together or assuredly we shall hang separately." Benjamin Franklin

"Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!" George Washington

"Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood."  John Adams

"It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. ... I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not." John Adams

"It has ever been my hobby-horse to see rising in America an empire of liberty, and a prospect of two or three hundred millions of freemen, without one noble or one king among them. You say it is impossible. If I should agree with you in this, I would still say, let us try the experiment, and preserve our equality as long as we can. A better system of education for the common people might preserve them long from such artificial inequalities as are prejudicial to society, by confounding the natural distinctions of right and wrong, virtue and vice." John Adams (letter to Count Sarsfield, 3 February 1786)  Reference: Our Sacred Honor, Bennett, 264.

"On the distinctive principles of the Government ...of the U. States, the best guides are to be found in...The Declaration of Independence, as the fundamental Act of Union of these States." James Madison

"[T]he flames kindled on the 4 of July 1776, have spread over too much of the globe to be extinguished by the feeble engines of despotism; on the contrary, they will consume these engines and all who work them. ... The Declaration of Independence ... [is the] declaratory charter of our rights, and the rights of man." Thomas Jefferson

"Independence Forever." John Adams toast July 4, 1826, the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence -- the day both he and Thomas Jefferson died.

Of the fifty-six signers: 17 lost their fortunes, 12 had their homes destroyed, 9 fought and died, 5 were arrested as traitors, and 2 lost sons in the War.

Rev. John Witherspoon - American Minute with Bill Federer - November 15 -

He lost two sons in the Revolution, was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration and served on 120 Congressional Committees. His name was John Witherspoon, and he died November 15, 1794.

Born in Scotland, a descendant of John Knox, he was President of Princeton, leader of a New Jersey committee to abolish slavery, and taught 9 of the writers of the U.S. Constitution, including James Madison. Other students became Vice-President, Supreme Court Justices, Cabinet Members, Governors, Senators and Congressmen.

John Adams said he was "A true son of liberty...but first, he was a son of the Cross."

On May 17, 1776, the day Congress declared a Day of Fasting, Rev. Witherspoon told his Princeton students: "He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most...active in promoting true and undefiled religion...to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy of his country. It is in the man of piety and inward principle that we may...find the uncorrupted patriot, the useful citizen, and the invincible soldier. God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable."

For endnotes, books, or to contact Bill about speaking, visit www.AmericanMinute.com P.O. Box 20163, St. Louis, MO 63123 1-888-USA-WORD, 314-487-4395, wjfederer@aol.com

What was it that influenced our Founding Fathers to declare a Declaration of Independence and produce our great Constitution of freedom? From where did they derive their motivation? What is it that now influences American leaders? From where do they derive their motivation? Does character make a difference? Some insight is offered below Highly recommend America's God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations by William J. Federer. See also: The Importance of Morality and Religion in Government - Founding Fathers: Quotes -Founding Fathers: Short Biographies - From Revolution To Reconstruction and what happened afterwards. Research professors Donald Lutz and Charles Hyneman reviewed almost 15,000 historic writings of the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention, and they found that more than a third of the quotes in their writings came directly from the Bible.

Over 15,000 writings of America's founders were examined to determine the primary sources for establishing our government. The number one source was the Bible.  From these writings it has been determined that Jeremiah 17:9 and Isaiah 33:22 were the basis for separation of powers and America's three branches of Government. Ezra 7:24 was the premise for tax exemptions. Article 4 Section 4 of the Constitution was derived from Exodus 18:21 which formed the basis of a Republic form of Government. The judicial branch of government in Article III Section 3, was derived from Deuteronomy 17:6 and Ezekiel 18:20.

Religious liberty is often called the first freedom because our Founding Fathers valued it so highly. The Fathers recognized that religious freedom in America must be protected with great vigilance. That is the guarantee of the Constitution, and that is the promise of our government throughout the generations from the 1780's until the 2003 Supreme Court decisions. Of those who wrote and signed the Constitution, twenty-nine were Episcopalians, nine Presbyterians, seven Congregationalists, two Lutherans, two Dutch Reformed, two Methodists, two Roman Catholics, one Quaker and one Deist. See America's God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations (p.180) by William J. Federer and the following references: 1. A Worthy Company: Brief Lives of the Framers of the United States Constitution (p. viii-ix) by M. E. Bradford 2. Christianity and the Constitution - The Faith of Our Fathers (p. 43) by John Eidsmoe 3. Faith of Our Founding Fathers (p. 30) by Tim Lahaye  4. The Myth of Separation (pp. 24-24) by David Barton

Another resource provides a list: Denominational Affiliations of the Framers of the Constitution, contrary to the myth, this chart shows that only 3 out of 55 of the framers classified themselves as Deists (with doubts that they were actually deists.)

He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." 2 Samuel 23:3

Benjamin Franklin's Virtue Chart: Did you know that in 1726, at the age of 20, while on an 80-day ocean voyage from London back to Philadelphia, he developed a "Plan" for regulating his future conduct? He was partially motivated by Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." He followed the plan he created "pretty faithfully" even to the age of 79 (when he wrote about it), and he was even more determined to stick with it for his remaining days because of the happiness he had enjoyed so far by following it.  See also: Ben Franklin and the Apostle Paul.

Thoughts from leaders to contemplate

Benjamin Franklin  - In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine protection - Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need His Assistance? AND: I pronounce it as certain that there was never yet a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous."  (The Busy-body, No. 3, 18 February 1728)  Reference: The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Bigelow, ed., vol. 1 (350)

Article I of the Constitution begins: "All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States." Section 8 of Article I then goes on to enumerate those powers, of which James Madison wrote: "If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions."

Samuel Adams - Crying "No taxation without representation," he instigated the Stamp Act riots and the Boston Tea Party. After the "Boston Massacre," he spread Revolutionary sentiment with his Committees of Correspondence. Known as "The Father of the American Revolution," Samuel Adams, who was born SEPTEMBER 27, 1722, called for the first Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. A cousin of 2nd President John Adams, Samuel Adams wrote in The Rights of Colonists, 1772: "Among the natural rights of Colonists are: First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to defend them...The supreme power cannot justly take from any man any part of his property without his consent." As Massachusetts' Governor, Samuel Adams wrote to James Warren, February 12, 1779: "A general dissolution of the principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader." Samuel Adams ended: "If we would enjoy this gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people." American Minute for September 27th

George Washington - “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” And: "[A] good moral character is the first essential in a man... and your conduct here may stamp your character through life. It is therefore highly important that you should endeavor not only to be learned but virtuous."  

President John Adams' From his March 23, 1798 national Fasting and Prayer proclamation: "As the safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and blessing of Almighty God; and the national acknowledgment of this truth is not only an indispensable duty which the people owe to Him, but a duty whose natural influence is favorable to the promotion of that morality and piety, without which social happiness cannot exist, nor the blessings of a free government be enjoyed; and as this duty, at all times incumbent, is so especially in seasons of difficulty and of danger, when existing or threatening calamities, the just judgments of God against prevalent iniquity are a loud call to repentance and reformation;" (www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=44)

Theodore Roosevelt, in his book The Strenuous Life, published 1900 The true Christian is the true citizen, lofty of purpose, resolute in endeavor, ready for a hero's deeds, but never looking down on his task because it is cast in the day of small things; scornful of baseness, awake to his own duties as well as to his rights, following the higher law with reverence, and in this world doing all that in him lies, so that when death comes he may feel that mankind is in some degree better because he has lived.

Calvin Coolidge - "We do not need more intellectual power, we need more moral power. We do not need more knowledge, we need more character. We do not need more government, we need more culture. We do not need more law, we need more religion. We do not need more of the things that are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen. If the foundation be firm, the foundation will stand."

President Herbert Hoover - "While I can make no claim for having introduced the term, 'rugged individualism,' I should be proud to have invented it. It has been used by American leaders for over a half-century in eulogy of those God-fearing men and women of honesty whose stamina and character and fearless assertion of rights led them to make their own way of life." The Challenge to Liberty, 1934
 

President Harry S. Truman - "Let us all stand together as Americans. Let us stand together with all men every where who believe in human liberty.  Peace is precious to us.  It is the way of life we strive for with all the strength and wisdom we possess.  But more precious than peace are freedom and justice.  We will fight, if fight we must, to keep our freedom and to prevent justice from being destroyed.  These are the things that give meaning to our lives, and which we acknowledge to be greater than ourselves. This is our cause:  peace, freedom, justice. We will pursue this cause with determination and humility, asking divine guidance that in all we do we may follow the will of God." January 1951

Dwight D. Eisenhower - "This is what I found out about religion: It gives you courage to make the decision you must make in a crisis and then the confidence to leave the result to a higher Power. Only by trust in God can a man carrying responsibility find repose." September 1952, in reference to his decision to postpone by one day the D-Day assault on Normandy, France

World War II ended in Europe on MAY 7, 1945, when German emissaries met at General Dwight Eisenhower's Headquarters, a schoolhouse in Reims, France, and signed an unconditional surrender. The War in Europe lasted five and half years, costing millions of lives. After the war, Eisenhower was elected the 34th President by the largest number of votes in history. In remarks broadcast from the White House as part of the American Legion "Back-to-God" Program, February 7, 1954, President Eisenhower stated: "As a former soldier, I am delighted that our veterans are sponsoring a movement to increase our awareness of God in our daily lives. In battle, they learned a great truth-that there are no atheists in the foxholes. They know that in time of test and trial, we instinctively turn to God for new courage...Whatever our individual church, whatever our personal creed, our common faith in God is a common bond among us." At the next year's "Back-to-God" Program, February 20, 1955, Eisenhower stated: "Without God, there could be no American form of Government, nor an American way of life. Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first - the most basic - expression of Americanism." American Minute for May 7th

President John F. Kennedy - In his inaugural address, he said: "The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans—ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country...Let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own. There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction." Also: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." In a speech to have been given November 22, 1963 These words were written by President John F. Kennedy that was to be delivered in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy never delivered the speech, but his written thoughts remain. "We in this country, in this generation, are by destiny rather than choice the watchman on the walls of world freedom. We ask therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of peace on earth, goodwill toward men. That must always be our goal. For as was written long ago, 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.'"  And: "A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers." From a speech, Oct. 27, 1963 -- “A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” John F. Kennedy

At the end of the year, 1962, President John F. Kennedy stated: "We mark the festival of Christmas which is the most sacred and hopeful day in our civilization. For nearly 2,000 years the message of Christmas, the message of peace and good will towards all men, has been the guiding star of our endeavors...the birthday of the Prince of Peace."

Ronald Reagan - “Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid. That’s why the Marxist vision of man without God must eventually be seen as an empty and a false faith—the second oldest in the world—first proclaimed in the Garden of Eden with whispered words of temptation: ‘Ye shall be as gods.’ The crisis of the Western world, Whittaker Chambers reminded us, exists to the degree in which it is indifferent to God... This is the real task before us: to reassert our commitment as a nation to a law higher than our own, to renew our spiritual strength. Only by building a wall of such spiritual resolve can we, as a free people, hope to protect our own heritage and make it someday the birthright of all men.”

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