All quotes in today’s update are taken from Americas’ God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, compiled by William J. Federer, Fame Publishing Co., Coppell, TX, 1994.   The evidence in this article, though long, is just a sampling of the evidence that exists in our nation's history proving that we have the Bible and Christianity as our foundation.

Pastor Dallas Henry

On July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, reflecting on what he had shared in Congress and, with prophetic insight, declaring the importance of that day: “The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, form one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever.”

God has blessed America, and John Adams was right about the importance of celebrating what God did for America in granting her independence.  It is certainly fitting to celebrate His goodness to us.  We should be thankful for the bounty we share in this good land.

John Quincy Adams, 6th president of the U.S., said on July 4, 1881, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it as connected in an indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”  Political freedom is actually dependent upon the same things that personal freedom is based.

So what makes us free?  Near the end of the last century, Dr. John Caldwell at Kingsway Christian Church in Indianapolis preached a sermon series which he called: “Five Top Lies of the 20th Century.”  One of those five lies was: “America Never Was a Christian Nation.”   And for the most part, this generation has bought that lie!

Our public education system, in its dumbing-down of America, is effectively rewriting our history to justify their current politically correct principle of diversity.  Our education system is teaching our children nothing about the rich Christian tradition upon which our nation was founded.  Our Supreme Court has certainly tried to tell us that we have no Christian foundation.  They took prayer out of the schools.  They took the Ten Commandments out of schools.  And they have sought to demote Christianity from public discourse -- all the while telling us that the Founding Fathers intended there to be a separation of Church and State.  They’ve tried to tell us that the Founding Fathers were not Christians.  They’ve tried to tell us that the Constitution calls for a diversification of all religions in this country. 

Have you heard of Joseph Story?  Mr. Story and most of the other Founding Fathers of America apparently weren’t informed when they put a Separation of Church and State clause in the Constitution,  rather unashamedly spouting off their religious view…in public, no less!  So if you believe that the Founding Fathers intended to keep Christianity out of government and public life, you may be a little surprised by their graphic use of Christianity in the language.

More about Joseph Story…

- He was a U.S. Congressman from 1808-1809.
- Joseph Story was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1811 by President  James Madison.
- Mr. Story was on the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court for 34 years.
- He wrote the very first commentaries on the Constitution.

One would assume he understood the Constitution and that he understood what the writers of the Constitution meant when they wrote it.  No one quotes Joseph Story today.

Read some of the quotes from one of the first Supreme Court Justices…

Quote # 1: “There never has been a period of history, in which the Common Law did not recognize Christianity as lying at its foundation.”

Quote # 2: “It yet remains a problem to be solved in human affairs, whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of religion constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state in any assignable shape.”

Quote # 3: “The real object of the First Amendment was not to countenance, much less advance Mohammedanism, or Judaism, or infidelity, by prostrating Christianity, but to exclude all rivalry among Christian sects [denominations] and to prevent any national ecclesiastical patronage of the national government.”

Quote #4: “There is not a truth to be gathered from history more certain, or more momentous, than this: that civil liberty cannot long be separated from religious liberty without danger, and ultimately without destruction to both.  Wherever religious liberty exists, it will, first or last, bring in and establish political liberty.”

I believe that the original U.S. Supreme Court was correct in its interpretation of the Constitution.  This sure does fly in the face of our current Supreme Court.  Could it be that Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story was correct in stating that political freedom cannot long be separated from personal, spiritual freedom?  Jesus said that freedom comes from obeying His teachings.  His teachings are recorded for us in the Holy Scriptures.  Real freedom comes from obeying the teachings of Jesus as recorded in the Scriptures.

Here are some quotes from some of the Founding Fathers about the Scriptures:
John Quincy Adams, the 6th President of the U.S., said, “I speak as a man of the world to men of the world; and I say to you, Search the Scriptures!  The Bible is the book of all others, to be read at all ages, and in all conditions of human life; not to be read once or twice or thrice through, and then laid aside, but to be read in small portions of one or two chapters every day, and never to be intermitted, unless by some overruling necessity.”

On September 10, 1782, Congress commissioned the printing of Bibles because of a shortage due to the Revolutionary War: “Resolved, that the U.S. in Congress assembled…recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the U.S., and hereby authorize [Robert Aitken] to publish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper.” (Congress authorized the printing of the Scriptures!)

Christopher Columbus wrote of his trip, “There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures, a strong and clear testimony from the 44 books of the Old Testament, from the four Gospels, and from the 23 Epistles of the blessed Apostles, encouraging me continually to press forward, and without ceasing for a moment they now encourage me to make haste.”

Listen to Public Law 97-280, written as recently as October 4, 198 2: “Whereas the Bible, the Word of God, has made a unique contribution in shaping the U.S. as a distinctive and blessed nation and people; Whereas deeply held religious convictions springing from the Holy Scriptures led to the early settlement of our Nation; Whereas many of our great national leaders—among them Presidents Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, and Wilson—paid tribute to the surpassing influence of the Bible in our country’s development, as in the words of President Jackson that the Bible is “the rock on which our republic rests”; Whereas the history of our Nation clearly illustrates the value of voluntarily applying the teachings of Scriptures in the lives of individuals, families, and societies; Whereas the Nation now faces great challenges that will test this Nation as it has never been tested before; and Whereas that renewing our knowledge of and faith in God through Holy Scripture can strengthen us as a nation and a people: Now Therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the U.S. of A in Congress assembled, That the President is authorized and requested to designate 1983 as a national Year of the Bible in recognition of both the formative influence the Bible has been for our Nation, and our national need to study and apply the teachings of the Holy Scriptures." (Thomas P. O’Neill, Strom Thurmond Speaker of the House President of the Senate-Pro Tempore.  Approved October 4, 1982, Ronald Reagan)

The Constitution of the State of Delaware 1776 stated: “Article XXII Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of trust…shall…make and subscribe to the following declaration, to wit: ‘I , do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore, I do acknowledge the holy scripture of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.’”

Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the U.S. stated: “I believe the Holy Scriptures, and whoso lives by them will be benefited thereby. Men may differ as to the interpretation, which is human, but the Scriptures are man’s best guide…”

Warren Gamaliel Harding, 29th President of the U.S., said, “I have always believed in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, whereby they have become the expression to man of the Word and Will of God.”

Rutherford Birchard Hayes, the 19th President of the U.S., declared, “I am a firm believer in the Divine teachings, perfect example, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I believe also in the Holy Scriptures as the revealed Word of God to the world for its enlightenment and salvation.”

June 8, 1845, the 7th President of the U.S., Andrew Jackson said, “The book, Sir, is the Rock upon which our republic rests.”  A few days before his death, Andrew Jackson, said, “Sir, I am in the hands of a merciful God. I have full confidence in His goodness and mercy…The Bible is true. I have tried to conform to its spirit as near as possible. Upon that sacred volume I rest my hope for eternal salvation, through the merits and blood of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and was concurrently president of the American Bible Society.

Numerous quotations from Scripture can be found on the walls of the Library of Congress, including: Micah 6:8; Psalm 19:1; and John 1:5.

Daniel Webster, a U.S. Congressman, a US Senator, and Secretary of State stated, “If there is anything in my thoughts or style commend, the credit is due to my parents for instilling in me an early love of the Scriptures. If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity.”

Three quotes from Noah Webster, the author of the first edition of his American Dictionary of the English Language in November, 1828: “Education is useless without the Bible.”  “The Bible was America’s basic text book in all fields.”  “God’s word, contained in the bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct.”

Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the U.S., said, “There are a good many problems before the American people today, and before me as a President, but I expect to find the solution to those problems just in the proportion that I am faithful in the study of the Word of God.”

Here are more examples of what our Founding Fathers said about Jesus, and how they knew that freedom comes from Jesus Christ:

Samuel Adams, known as the “Father of the American Revolution” and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, declared, “I conceive we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler…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.”

Sir William Blackstone, who played a leading role in forming the basis of law in America expressed the presuppositional base for law: “The belief of a future state of rewards and punishments, the entertaining just ideas of the main attributes of the Supreme Being, and a firm persuasion that He superintends and will finally compensate every action in human life (all which are revealed in the doctrines of our Savior, Christ), these are the grand foundations of all judicial oaths, which call God to witness the truth of those facts which perhaps may be only known to Him and the party attesting.”

Alexander Hamilton, was a signer of the Constitution, and his dying words were:
“I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a sinner. I look to him for mercy; pray for me.”

Patrick Henry boldly declared, “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.”

Richard Henry Lee was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and was both a Congressman and a Senator and on November 1, 1777 recommended a resolution setting apart: “Thursday, the 18th 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.”

Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the U.S., admonished, “The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State.”

On March 16, 1776, as recorded in the Journal of Congress, General William Livingston, as a signer of the Constitution, and as a Congressman presented this resolution in Congress , which passed without dissent: “We earnestly recommend that Friday, the 17th day of May next, be observed by the 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 God’s righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ to obtain His pardon and forgiveness.”

Charles Cotesworth Pinckney was a signer of the Constitution and said,
“Blasphemy against the Almighty is denying His being or providence, or uttering contemptuous reproaches on our Savior Christ. It is punished, at common law by fine and imprisonment, for Christianity is part of the laws of the land.”

Benjamin Rush was a physician, signer of the Declaration of Independence, “father of public schools” and a principle promoter of the American Sunday School Union. This Benjamin Rush humorously described himself: “I have alternately been called an Aristocrat and a Democrat. I am neither. I am a Chistocrat.”

Roger Sherman, who was the only one of the Founding Fathers to sign all four of the major founding documents (The Articles of Association, The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution) wrote the following: “I believe that God having elected some of mankind to eternal life, did send his own Son to become man, die in the room and stead of sinners and thus to lay a foundation for the offer of pardon and salvation to all mankind, so as all may be saved who are willing to accept the gospel offer…”

U.S. Congressman and Senator Daniel Webster declared: “The Gospel is either true history, or it is a consummate fraud; it is either a reality or an imposition. Christ was what He professed to be, or He was an impostor. There is no other alternative. His spotless life in His earnest enforcement of the truth—His suffering in its defense, forbid us to suppose that he was suffering an illusion of a heated brain. Every act of His pure and holy life shows that He was the author of truth, the advocate of truth, the earnest defender of truth, and the uncompromising sufferer for truth.” 

Here are some quotes from the Founding Fathers regarding the Holy Spirit:

On March 6, 1799, President John Adams called for a National Fast Day in which he appealled to U.S. citizens “that they call to mind our numerous offenses against the most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgressions, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience to his righteous requisitions in time to come…”

Referring again to Christopher Columbus, he once said of his voyage that, “There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit…”

The Continental Congress issued the First national Proclamation of Thanksgiving on November 1, 1777 that included the following paragraph: “That it may please Him, to prosper the trade and manufactures of the people, and the labor of the husbandman, that our land may yet yield its increase; to take school 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 righteous, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.’”

General Robert E. Lee said, “There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible Word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”

Benjamin Rush who described himself as a Christocrat, wrote to his wife during his final illness, “My excellent wife, I must leave you, but God will take care of you. By the mystery of Thy holy incarnation; by Thy holy nativity; by Thy baptism, fasting, and temptation; by Thine agony and bloody sweat; by Thy cross and passion; by Thy precious death and burial; by Thy glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost, blessed Jesus, wash away all my impurities, and receive me into Thy everlasting kingdom.”

Abraham Lincoln said, on March 30, 1863: “Whereas, the Senate of the U.S. devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God in all affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for national prayer and humiliation:  And whereas, it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history: that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord:  And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisement in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people?”

The evidence is overwhelming.  Anyone claiming otherwise is a liar and should be trusted with nothing.

We are a nation founded on Christian and Biblical principles.  This awesome heritage has been deliberately hidden from all public schools of learning and most people today have been duped into believing that we are a purely secular nation.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  We have the evidence and we need to proudly proclaim it!

The citizens of the United States have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven.  We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.  But we have forgotten God.  We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

Psalm 33:12  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

Proverbs 14:34  “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

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The Christian Civic League of Maine has been fully engaged in protecting children and families for over a century now and has some experience at the battle.  The League is committed to proclaim the truths of Jesus Christ.  It is bringing its influence to the State House. Churches, ministries and individuals who partner with the League are also engaging in this battle and helping to win it.  Please consider supporting the League with regular contributions if you haven’t already. 

Our sincere thanks goes to those churches and ministries that are joining the 500-50-5 project.  Support of the League has never been more important with daily attacks on marriage and family being introduced in our legislature.  We could do so much more if the resources were there.  If you haven't become a partner, I urge you to do so today.  Maine's future depends on it.

Another very important blessing to the ministry of the League is prayer.  Pray for Executive Director Michael Heath, the staff and Board of Directors.  The League has a prayer partnership network that receives regular prayer updates.  You can contact the League office, (207) 622-7634, to become part of the network. 

May we be found faithful and fully committed to the cause of Christ here in Maine. May we be willing to endure persecution as we stand unashamed for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus.

If you haven’t checked out our Citizen Action Center on the internet, go here. 
This is a very easy and quick way to communicate with your legislators and others who you select.  It can be done from the comfort of your home or office.  To further help you, a message has been prepared for you to use or, even better, you can write your own.  An initial registration is required and then you can use it on a regular basis.  You will see a list of issues the League is interested in bringing a Christian/Biblical influence to.  Please pass this information on to others you regularly communicate with.  Check the CAC often for current issues of importance. 

And finally, if you are not aware of it, Mike Heath regularly speaks on current issues of today, from a biblical perspective.  He speaks at regional conferences and radio programs, and also speaks in churches across Maine bringing an update of the work of the League.
 
Please consider having Mike Heath speak at your church for a "League Sunday". He teaches adult/teen Sunday School classes, using multimedia and leading a discussion.  Mike also preaches on the subject of Christian Citizenship, bringing a biblical sermon in morning and evening worship services.  He is glad to provide pulpit supply for pastors.
 
You may contact Paulie Heath to schedule an event with Mike. Email:
paulie@paulieheath.com