Welcome to

Lake Land
Church of
Christ
Happy Birthday,
America!
July 4, 2008
 Faith of Our
Founding Fathers

What Did They

Think about God
and Christ?
The Declaration of
Independence
Many historical revisionists would
have you believe that our nation’s
Founding Fathers did not believe God
should have any place in
government.
But is that true?
Let us let their own words tell us the
story….
The Declaration of
Independence
This is what they had to say at the
singing of the Declaration of
Independence:
The Declaration of
Independence
“With a firm reliance on the
protection of Divine
Providence.”
The Declaration of
Independence
What the word of God says:

“Righteousness exalteth a
nation; but sin is a reproach
to any people.”
Proverbs 14:34
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
“God governs in
the affairs of
man.”

Constitutional Convention
Thursday, June 28, 1787
Ben Franklin
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
What the word of God says:

“Render to all their

dues: tribute to
whom tribute is due;
custom to whom
custom; fear to
whom fear; honor to
Ben Franklin
whom honor.”
Romans 13:7
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
“He who made all
men hath made the
truths necessary to
human happiness
obvious to all…
 Our forefathers
opened the Bible
to all.”
"American Independence,"
Samuel Adams
August 1, 1776.
Principal organizer of the Boston Tea Party Speech delivered at the State
Member of the Continental Congress House in Philadelphia.
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
 Were These Men Merely
Deists?
“For whatsoever
things were written
aforetime were
written for our
learning, that
through patience
and through
comfort of the
scriptures we might
Samuel Adams have hope.”
What does the word of God Romans 15:4
say?
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
“It is impossible
to rightly govern
the world
without God and
Bible.”

George Washington
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
What does the
word of God say?
“For Thou wilt
judge the
peoples with
equity, and
govern the
nations upon
Earth.”
George Washington Psalm 67:4
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
“The duties of men are
summarily comprised in
the Ten
Commandments,
consisting of two tables;
one comprehending the
duties which we owe
immediately to God-the
other, the duties we
owe to our fellow men.”
Noah Webster was responsible for:
Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the US Constitution: To promote the Progress of
Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors
the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
What does the word of God
What does the word of God
say?
“Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God
with all thy heart,
and with all thy
soul, and with all
thy mind. Thou
shalt love thy
Noah Webster
neighbor as
thyself.”
Matthew 22:37; 39
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
“And can the liberties
of a nation be thought
secure if we have lost
the only firm basis, a
conviction in the minds
of the people that
these liberties are the
gift of God? That they
are not to be violated
but with His wrath?”
Notes on the State of
Virginia (Philadelphia:
Matthew Carey, 1794),
Thomas Jefferson Query XVIII, p. 237.
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
“I tremble for my
country when I
realize that God
is just; and that
His justice will
not sleep
forever.”
Notes on the State of
Virginia, 1781
Thomas
Jefferson
Were These Men Merely
Deists?
What the word of
God says:
“It is a fearful
thing to fall
into the hands
of the living
God.”
Hebrews 10:31
Thomas Jefferson
Were These Men Merely
Deists?

Thomas Jefferson
How Can We Know if They Were
Christians?

Their own testimony

The testimony of others
Their works—”fruit”
Their Own Testimonies
“The doctrines of Jesus are
simple, and tend to all the
happiness of man.”
“I am a Christian in the only
sense in which He [Jesus]
wished any one to be.”
[April 21, 1803 Letter to Ben Rush]
“It [the Bible] is a document
in proof that I am a real
Christian, that is to say, a
disciple of the doctrines of
Thomas Jefferson Jesus."
[Jan 9, 1816 Letter to Charles
Thomson]
Their Own Testimonies
What does the Bible
say?
“And it came to
pass, that even for
a whole year they
were gathered
together with the
church, and taught
much people, and
that the disciples
Thomas Jefferson were called
Christians first in
Their Own Testimonies
“We recognize
no Sovereign
but God, and
no King but
Jesus!”
John Adams John Hancock April 18, 1775, on the eve
of the Revolutionary War
after a British major
ordered them to disperse
in “the name of George the
Sovereign King of
England."
Their Own Testimonies
“Jesus Christ:
...Who is the
blessed and
only
Potentate, the
King of kings,
John Adams John Hancock
and Lord of
lords….”
1 Timothy 6:14-15
Their Own Testimonies
“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.”
Alexander Hamilton
July 12, 1804 at his
Their Own Testimonies
What the word of God
says:
“...we were
reconciled to
God through the
death of His Son,
much more,
being reconciled,
shall we be
saved by His
life….”
Alexander Hamilton
Romans 5:10
Their Own Testimonies
“Unto Him who is the
author and giver of all
good, I render sincere
and humble thanks for
His merciful and
unmerited blessings,
and especially for our
redemption and
salvation by His
Beloved Son.”
Last Will and Testament of John
John Jay Jay
Their Own Testimonies
What the word of God
says:
“But He was
wounded for our
transgressions,
He was bruised
for our iniquities;
the chastisement
of our peace was
upon Him; and
with His stripes
John Jay we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5
Their Own Testimonies

“This is all the

inheritance I can
give my dear family.
The religion of Christ
can give them one
which will make
them rich indeed.”
The Last Will and Testament of
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry
Their Own Testimonies
What the word of God
says:
“And my God
shall supply
every need of
yours according
to His riches in
Patrick Henry
glory in Christ
Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
Their Own Testimonies

“Doctor, I wish
you to observe
how real and
beneficial the
religion of Christ
is to a man
about to die…”
Patrick Henry June 6, 1799 at his death
Their Own Testimonies
What the word of
God says:
“For to me to
live is Christ,
and to die is
gain.”
Philippians 1:21
Patrick Henry
 Their Own Testimonies

“Blessed Jesus,
wash away all my
impurities, and
receive me into
Thy everlasting
kingdom.”
Letter to his wife, 1813, during
his final illness
Benjamin Rush; signer of the
Declaration of Independence;
Physician, Treasurer of the US Mint
Their Own Testimonies
What the word of
God says:
“And now why
tarriest thou?
Arise, and be
baptized, and
wash away thy
sins, calling on
Benjamin Rush His name.”
Acts 22:16
The Testimonies of Others

Is it necessary that any one

should [ask], “Did General
Washington avow himself
to be a believer in
Christianity?" As well may
we question his patriotism,
his heroic devotion to his
country. His mottos were,
"Deeds, not Words"; and,
"For God and my Country."
…His life, his writings,
prove he was a Christian.”
--Written by his adopted
George Washington daughter, Nelly Custis-Lewis
The Testimonies of Others

“He was a sincere

believer in the
Christian faith and a
truly devout man.”
--John Marshall
Revolutionary War General
Secretary of State
US Supreme Court Chief
George Washington Justice
The Testimonies of Others

“To the character of

hero and patriot, this
good man added that
of Christian. Although
the greatest man upon
earth, he disdained not
to humble himself
before his God and to
trust in the mercies of
George Washington Christ.”
The Testimonies of Others
“He looked to the restraining
and elevating principles of
Christianity as the hope of his
country’s institutions.”
William Wirt Henry

“He committed himself in

earnest efforts to establish
Patrick Henry
true Christianity in our
country.”
Patrick Henry Fontaine
 The Testimonies of Others
“He ever adorned the
profession of
Christianity which he
made in youth; and
distinguished through
life for public
usefulness.”
1793 Epitaph

Roger Sherman, signer of:

he Articles of Association; Articles of Confederation
eclaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States
The Testimonies of Others
“The general principles
upon which the Fathers
achieved independence
were the general
principles of
Christianity…I will avow
that I believed and now
believe that those
general principles of
Christianity are as
eternal and immutable
as the existence and
the attributes of God.”

John Adams June 28, 1813; Letter to

Thomas Jefferson
The Testimonies of Others
“It cannot be emphasized
too clearly and too often
that this nation was
founded, not by
religionists, but by
Christians; not on
religion, but on the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
For this very reason,
peoples of other faiths
have been afforded
asylum, prosperity, and
Patrick Henry freedom of worship here.”
May 1765 Speech to the House
Their Works
George Washington
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
Noah Webster
John Quincy Adams
John Jay
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
Our Founding Fathers
What Were the Commands and
Expectations of Our Founding
Fathers?
To carry on the Christian religion as the
official religion of America, with no
denomination receiving favor from the
government.
To elect only Christians for our leaders.
To make worship a part of your public
life; make public service a part of your
worship.
To evangelize the nation, and especially
the children, in the doctrines of
Christianity as the best way to ensure
liberty and security for our nation. Laws
are not enough. You need Jesus.
Christianity, the Religion of
America
“The name of
American, belongs
to you…[and] with
slight shades of
difference, you
have the same
religion.”

Paragraph 10; Farewell

Address, September 17,
George Washington
1796
Christianity, the Religion of
America
What does the
Bible say?
“...but insomuch
as ye are
partakers of
Christ's
sufferings,
rejoice; that at
the revelation of
His glory also ye
George Washington may rejoice with
exceeding joy.”
 Christianity, the Religion of
America
1799 Runkel v.
Winemiller
“By our form of
government, the
Christian religion is the
established religion,
and all sects and
denominations of
Christians are placed on
the same equal footing.”
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Delegate to 1st and 2nd Continental Congresses
Christianity, the Religion of
America
“At the time of the
adoption of the
Constitution, and of the
amendment to it, now
under consideration
[i.e., the First
Amendment], the
general, if not the
universal sentiment in
America was, that
Christianity ought to
receive encouragement
from the state.”
Justice Joseph Story -- Commentaries on the
Constitution of the
United States p. 593
Christianity, the Religion of
America
In 1800, when Washington, D.
C., became the national
capital and the President
moved into the White House
and Congress into the Capitol,
Congress approved the use of
the Capitol building as a
church building for Christian
worship services.
[Debates and Proceedings 797 6th
Cong., 1st Session, December 4,
1800]
By 1867, the church in the
Capitol had become the
largest church in Washington,
and the largest Protestant
church in America.
 Elect Only Christians for Our
Leaders
“Be religiously
careful in our
choice of all public
officers…and judge
of the tree by its
fruits.”
An Oration, Delivered at
Elizabeth-town, New-Jersey on
Elias Boudinot
the Fourth of July
President of the Continental Congress Nov 1782
Director of the United States Mint (1795 - (Elizabethtown: Kollock,1793)
1805)
Founder of the American Bible Society
Elect Only Christians for Our
Leaders “It is apprehended that Jews,
Mahometans (Muslims), pagans,
etc., may be elected to high
offices under the government of
the United States. Those who
are Mahometans, or any others
who are not professors of the
Christian religion, can never
be elected to the office of
President or other high office,
[unless] first the people of
America lay aside the Christian
religion altogether, it may
happen. Should this
unfortunately take place, the
people will choose such men as
think as they do themselves.

Elliot’s Debates, Vol. IV, pp 198-

199, Governor Samuel Johnston,
Samuel Johnston July 30, 1788 at the North
Carolina Ratifying Convention
Elect Only Christians for Our
Leaders
Let it be impressed on your
mind that God commands
you to choose for rulers just
men who will rule in the fear
of God [Exodus 18:21]…. If
the citizens neglect their
duty and place unprincipled
men in office, the
government will soon be
corrupted…. If our
government fails to secure
public prosperity and
happiness, it must be
because the citizens neglect
the Divine commands, and
elect bad men to make and
administer the laws.
Noah Webster Noah Webster, The History of the
United States (New Haven: Durrie
and Peck, 1832), pp. 336-337, 49
Welcome to Lake Land
Church of Christ
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Welcome to
Lake Land
Church of
Christ
Happy Birthday,
America!
July 4, 2008
Elect Only Christians for Our
Leaders
"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." 
John Jay The Correspondence and Public
Papers of John Jay, 1794-1826,
Henry P. Johnston
Elect Only Christians for Our
Leaders
Article 22 of the constitution of Delaware
(1776) required all officers, besides taking
an oath of allegiance, to make and
subscribe to the following declaration:
"I, [name], do profess faith in God the
Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son,
and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed
forevermore; and I do acknowledge the
Holy Scriptures of the Old and New
Testament to be given by divine
inspiration."
Make Worship a Part of Your Public
Life

Prayer and chaplains in Congress.

The Capitol Building, Treasury and
War offices were used for Sunday
Christian services.
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
In Benjamin Franklin's
1749 plan of education
for public schools in
Pennsylvania, he
insisted that schools
teach ”...the excellency
of the Christian religion
above all others,
ancient or modern."
Benjamin Franklin
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
“What students
would learn in
American
schools above all
is the religion of
Jesus Christ.”
Speech to the
Delaware Indian
Chiefs May 12, 1779
George Washington
Evangelize the Nation
On May 2, 1778,
George Washington
charged his soldiers
at Valley Forge by
saying:
"To the
distinguished
character of patriot,
it should be our
George Washington highest glory to add
the more
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
Samuel Adams
Principal organizer of the Boston Tea Party
Member of the Continental Congress
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
“Let divines and
philosophers, statesmen
and patriots, unite their
endeavors to renovate the
age by impressing the
minds of men with the
importance of educating
their little boys and girls,
inculcating in the minds of
youth the fear and love of
the Deity…and leading
them in the study and
practice of the exalted
virtues of the Christian
system.”
Letter to John Adams,
October 4, 1790
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
In Benjamin Franklin's
1749 plan of education
for public schools in
Pennsylvania, he
insisted that schools
teach "the excellency
of the Christian religion
above all others,
ancient or modern."
Benjamin Franklin
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
“In my view, the
Christian religion is
the most important
and one of the first
things in which all
children, under a free
government ought to
be instructed.”
Preface to the 1828 American
Dictionary of the English
Language
Noah Webster
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
Benjamin Rush; signer of the
Declaration of Independence;
Physician, Treasurer of the US Mint
“The Father of Public Schools”
“I lament that we waste so
much time and money in
punishing crimes and take so
little pains to prevent them…
we neglect the only means
of establishing and
perpetuating our
republican forms of
government; that is, the
universal education of our
youth in the principles of
Christianity by means of
the Bible; for this Divine
Book, above all others,
constitutes the soul of
republicanism.”
Letter written (1790’s) in Defense
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
“By withholding the
knowledge of [the
Scriptures] from
children, we deprive
ourselves of the best
means of awakening
moral sensibility in
their minds.”
Letter written (1790’s) in Defense
Benjamin Rush; signer of the
Declaration of Independence; of the Bible in all schools in
Physician, Treasurer of the US Mint America
“The Father of Public Schools”
Evangelize the Nation,
Especially the Children
“Public utility pleads
most forcibly for the
general distribution of
the Holy Scriptures…. In
vain, without the Bible,
we increase penal laws
and draw entrenchments
around our institutions.
Bibles are strong
entrenchments. Where
they abound, men
cannot pursue wicked
courses, and at the same
time enjoy quiet
James McHenry conscience.”
Signer of the Constitution --1813. Letter for Maryland
Maryland Bible Society.
Have We Followed in Their
Footsteps?
Early American Schools
Important court cases—The Judicial
Branch
What are the consequences of not
following our forefathers’ commands?
The following will address the
question,
“How did we get where we are
today?”
 Early American Schools

“The Bible was America’s basic textbook

in all fields.” --Noah Webster. Our Christian
Heritage, p.5
 Early American Schools

“Education is useless without the Bible”

--Noah Webster. Our Christian Heritage, p.5
Early American Schools
Used in public and
private schools from
1690 to 1900 second
only to the Bible.
Some of its contents:
A song of praise to God
Prayers in Jesus’ name
The famous Bible alphabet
Shorter catechism of faith
The New England Primer
The Bulletproof George
Washington
Account of a battle
during the French and
Indian War on July 9,
1755 in which George
Washington said he was
clearly protected by
God.
This was found in
virtually all student
textbooks until
1934.
School Prayer

"Almighty God, we acknowledge our

dependence upon Thee, and we beg
Thy blessings upon us, our parents,
our teachers and our Country."
School Prayer

"Almighty God, we acknowledge our

BANNE
dependence upon Thee, and we beg
Thy blessings upon us, our parents,
our teachers and our Country."

D
On June 25, 1962, declared as
“unconstitutional”.
Supreme Court Rulings

1799 Runkel v. Winemiller

“By our form of government, the
Christian religion is the
established religion, and all sects
and denominations of Christians are
placed on the same equal footing.”
Justice Samuel Chase
Supreme Court Rulings
1811 People v. Ruggles (New York)

“The morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon

Christianity, and not upon the doctrines or worship of other
religions.”

“In people whose manners are refined, and whose morals

have been elevated and inspired with a more enlarged
benevolence, it is by means of the Christian religion.”

“This First Amendment declaration never meant to

withdraw religion. And with it the sanctions of moral and
social obligation from all consideration and notice of the
law.”

“Whatever strikes at the root of Christianity tends

manifestly to the dissolution of civil government, because it
tends to corrupt the morals of the people, and to destroy
good order.”
Supreme Court Rulings
1844 Vidal v. Girard

In 1844, a school in Philadelphia decided it would teach

morality without the Bible.

“Why may not the Bible, and especially the New Testament
be read and taught as a divine revelation in the schools --Its
general precepts expounded and its glorious principles of
morality inculcated? Where can the purest principles of
morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the
New Testament?

The Court ruled that the Bible WOULD be taught in

American Schools.
Supreme Court Rulings

1878 Reynolds v. United States

The plaintiffs used a letter written by
Thomas Jefferson to try to remove
Christianity from the government.
In his letter they found the phrase…
 “Separation of Church and
State”
A Letter Written to President
Jefferson
“Our sentiments are uniformly on the side of
religious liberty: that religion is at all times and
places a matter between God and individuals, that
no man ought to suffer in name, person, or effects
on account of his religious opinions, [and] that the
legitimate power of civil government extends no
further than to punish the man who works ill to his
neighbor. But sir, our constitution of government
is not specific…. Therefore what religious
privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the State)
we enjoy as favors granted, and not as
inalienable rights.”
Letter of October 7, 1801, from Danbury Baptist
Association to Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson’s Response
“Gentlemen,-The affectionate sentiments of esteem and
approbation which you are so good as to express towards
me on behalf of the Danbury Baptist Association give me
the highest satisfaction…. Believing with you that religion
is a matter which lies solely between man and his God; that
he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship;
that the legislative powers of government reach actions
only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign
reverence that act of the whole American people which
declared that their legislature should ‘make no law
respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation
between Church and State.
“Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the
nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with
sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which
tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he
has no natural right in opposition to his social duties. I
reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and
blessing of the common Father and Creator of man, and
tender you for yourselves and your religious association
 Jefferson’s Letter to Benjamin
Rush
Thomas Jefferson
made it clear that
the First
Amendment had
Jefferson Rush been enacted only
to prevent the
The First Amendment to the Constitution: federal
“Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the establishment of a
free exercise thereof.” national
denomination.
Jefferson’s Letter to Benjamin
Rush
This “wall” was the will of the American
people that their new government would not
meddle in their religious freedoms by
enacting a state denomination, as the King
of England had done.
Jefferson had committed himself as
President to pursuing the purpose of the
First Amendment: preventing the
“establishment of a particular form of
Christianity” by the Episcopalians,
Congregationalists, or any other
denomination.
Supreme Court Rulings
1878 Reynolds v. United States
The intent of Jefferson’s remarks was that
“The rightful purposes of civil government
are for its officers to interfere when
principles break out into overt acts against
peace and good order.
“In this…is found the true distinction
between what properly belongs to the
church and what to the State.”
Supreme Court Rulings
Church of the Holy Trinity v. US
Feb. 29, 1892
"These and many other matters which
might be noticed, add a volume of
unofficial declarations to the mass of
organic utterances that this is a
Christian nation."
Quoted 87 precedents in a 16 page
document.
Supreme Court Rulings

1947 Everson v. Board of

Education
The issue was whether public money should be
used to pay for buses to transport children to
parochial schools. In a decision of 5-4, the Court
agreed to allow this, but the majority also
expressed the need for the State [i.e. schools] to
have absolutely no involvement in religion.
“The First Amendment has erected a wall
between church and state. That wall must
be kept high and impregnable. We could
not approve the slightest breach.”
The First Amendment
“Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof.”
Thomas Jefferson was not one of those ninety
men who framed the First Amendment, and
during those debates not one of those ninety
Framers ever mentioned the phrase “separation
of church and state.”
It seems logical that if this had been the intent for
the First Amendment-as is so frequently asserted-
then at least one of those ninety who framed the
First Amendment would have mentioned that
phrase, but none did.
Congressional Records from June 7 to September 25, 1789
One Man’s Private Letter, Taken out of
Context

The earlier courts had always viewed

Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptist
Association for just what it was: a
personal, private letter to a specific group.

There is probably no other instance in

America’s history where words spoken by
a single individual in a private letter-words
clearly taken out of context-have become
the sole authorization for a national policy.
Did Jefferson Not Want Religion in the
Schools?

“An Ordinance for the

government of
the Territory of the
United States northwest
of the River Ohio.”
Drafted by Thomas
Jefferson

The Northwest Ordinance

Did Jefferson Not Want Religion in the
Schools?
The Northwest Ordinance
The draft was prepared by Thomas Jefferson. It was
originally approved by Congress July 13, 1787 and re-
passed by the Founding Fathers following the U.S.
Constitution’s ratification. On August 7, 1789, President
George Washington signed it into law-during the same time
Congress was laying down the First Amendment.

“Art. 3. Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary

to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools
and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”

On April 30, 1802, [just 6 months after he wrote “separation

of church and state”] President Jefferson signed the
enabling act for Ohio to join the union which said this
newest state must agree with the Northwest Ordinance.
Supreme Court Rulings

1958 Baer v. Kolmorgen

A dissenting judge said, “If this court
doesn’t stop talking about
‘Separation of Church and State,’
then the people will think it is a part
of the Constitution!”
Supreme Court Rulings:
Remove Student Prayer
June 25, 1962 Engel v. Vitale
“Prayer in its public school system
breaches the constitutional wall of
separation between Church and State.”
This was the very first US Supreme
Court case in which no precedents
were quoted.
The Court said a year later in Abington v.
Schempp, that no previous cases were
cited because “these principles were so
No Prayer?
“In the beginning of the
contest with Britain,
when we were sensible
of danger, we had daily
prayers in this room for
Divine protection. Our
prayers, Sir, were
heard, and they were
graciously answered…
do we imagine we no
longer need His
assistance?”
Constitutional Convention
Benjamin Franklin
Thursday, June 28, 1787
Supreme Court Rulings:
Remove the Bible from Schools
Abington v. Schempp 1963
“No state law or school board may
require that passages from the Bible
be read, or that the Lord’s Prayer be
recited in the public schools of a
State at the beginning of each school
day.”
No Bible in Schools?

1844 Vidal v. Girard

“Why may not the Bible, and
especially the New Testament be
read and taught as a divine
revelation in the schools -- Its
general precepts expounded and its
glorious principles of morality
inculcated? Where can the purest
principles of morality be learned so
clearly or so perfectly as from the
No Bible in Schools?
"Let the children who are
sent to those schools be
taught to read and write
and above all, let both
sexes be carefully
instructed in the
principles and obligations
of the Christian religion.
This is the most essential
part of education.”

Benjamin Rush; signer of the Letters of Benjamin Rush, "To

Declaration of Independence; the citizens of Philadelphia: A
Physician, Treasurer of the US Mint. Plan for Free Schools", March
“The Father of Public Schools” 28, 1787
Supreme Court Rulings:
Remove the Ten
Commandments
Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 39 (1980)
“If the posted copies of the Ten
Commandments are to have any effect at
all, it will be to induce the schoolchildren
to read, meditate upon, perhaps to
venerate and obey, the Commandments.
However desirable this might be as a
matter of private devotion, it is not a
permissible state objective under the
Establishment Clause.”
The Ten Commandments: A
Matter of Private Devotion, or
State Objective?
James Madison
“The Father of the Constitution”
“We have staked the
whole future of
American civilization,
not upon the power of
government, far from
it. We’ve staked the
future of all our
political institutions
upon our capacity…to
sustain ourselves
according to the Ten
Commandments of
God.”
1778 to the General
Assembly of the State of
The Ten Commandments: A
Matter of Private Devotion, or
State Objective?
“The Law given from
Sinai [The Ten
Commandments]
was a civil and
municipal as well as
a moral and religious
code.”

John Quincy Adams. Letters

to his son. p. 61
John Quincy Adams
The Ten Commandments: A
Matter of Private Devotion, or
State Objective?
“All the miseries and
evils which men suffer
from vice, crime,
ambition, injustice,
oppression, slavery
and war, proceed from
their despising or
neglecting the
precepts contained in
the Bible.”

Noah Webster
Noah Webster. History. p.
339
Supreme Court Rulings:
Creationism Is Not a Science
1982 McLean v. Arkansas Board of
Education
The court decided that balanced
treatment of Creationism and
Evolution [as was the practice in
Arkansas] was unconstitutional.
Creationism was not to be taught in
the schools as equal to Evolution
since, “Creationism is not a science.”
Creationism Is Not a
Science?
“It has been the error of the
schools to teach astronomy, and
all the other sciences, and
subjects of natural philosophy,
as accomplishments only;
whereas they should be taught
theologically, or with reference
to the Being who is the author of
them: for all the principles of
science are of divine origin.
Man cannot make, or invent, or
contrive principles: he can only
discover them; and he ought to
look through the discovery to
the Author.”
Thomas Paine The Existence of God 1810
Creationism Is Not a
Science?
“The evil that has resulted
“The evil that has resulted
from the error of the schools,
in teaching natural
philosophy as an
accomplishment only, has
been that of generating in
the pupils a species of
atheism. Instead of looking
through the works of
creation to the Creator
himself, they stop short, and
employ the knowledge they
acquire to create doubts of
his existence. They labour
with studied ingenuity to
ascribe every thing they
behold to innate properties
of matter, and jump over all
the rest by saying, that
Thomas Paine matter is eternal.”
The Existence of God, 1810
Supreme Court Rulings:
The Bible Is Not an Independent Source
of Law.
Commonwealth v. Chambers November 20,
1996
Karl S. Chambers, sought relief from his second sentence of
death for robbery and first degree murder.
“In appellant's original penalty hearing, the
prosecutor stated in closing argument: ‘Karl
Chambers has taken a life…. As the Bible says,
'and the murderer shall be put to death.’ ’ We
held that the argument exceeded the bounds of
permissible oratorical flair as it advocated to the
jury that an independent source of law existed for
imposing the death penalty on appellant.”
The Bible Isn’t an Independent Source of
Law?
“We are next to consider the crime of deliberate and
willful murder; a crime at which human nature starts, and
which is I believe punished almost universally throughout
the world with death. The words of the Mosaical law
(over and above the general precept to Noah, that
‘whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be
shed’ Genesis 9:6) are very emphatical in prohibiting the
pardon of murderers.”
“Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life
of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall
surely be put to death; for the land cannot be
cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by
the blood of him that shed it.”
Numbers 35:31
Blackstone’s Commentary on the Law. Book IV,
What Are the Consequences of Not
Following in Our Forefathers’
Footsteps?

Physical—Romans 1:28
“And even as they refused to
have God in their knowledge,
God gave them up unto a
reprobate mind, to do those
things which are not fitting….”
Spiritual
Governmental
Jedediah Morse
Jedediah Morse —The Father
of American Geography, whose
writings were official textbooks
in our public schools.
“To the kindly influence
of Christianity we owe
that degree of civil
freedom, and political
and social happiness
which mankind now
enjoys…. Whenever the
pillars of Christianity
shall be overthrown,
our present republican
forms of government,
and all blessings which
flow from them, must
fall with them.”
Election Sermon given at
Charleston, MA, on April 25,