Constitution Week: God and the Founders

constitutionIt’s Constitution Week and I have been working on displays for the library for the last couple of days.I have also been reading Alexander Hamilton and I thought today would be a good day to talk about a few of the Founding Fathers and their faith. In honor of the Constitution Week, I had to pull out one of my favorite Bibles, the American Patriot’s Bible. It’s a beautiful book with tons of illustrations and additional information on our history. There is actually a page which tells you when each state was admitted to the union; in numerical order of course.

Our first president, George Washington said these words, “Morality is a necessary spring of popular government…and let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.” John Adams, the second President of the United States said this, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” James Madison introduced amendments to the Constitution in order to protect the rights of citizens. These include Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and the right to bear arms. The Bill of Rights also reserves all powers not granted to the Feds to the states. We must thank God for James Madison.

Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States, spoke these words, “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and His justice cannot sleep forever.” Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father, who wrote 51 or the 85 Federalist Papers, said this after the Constitutional Convention of 1787, “For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests.”

Let us not forget about the Founding Mothers. Abigal Adams wrote to her husband, “And unto Him who mounts the whirlwind and directs the storm, I will cheerfully leave the ordering of my lot and whether adverse or prosperous days should be my future portion, I will trust in His right hand to lead me safely through….” After her husband’s death, Martha Washington wrote, “When the mind is deeply afflicted by those irreparable losses which are incident to humanity, the good Christian will submit without repining to the dispensations of divine Providence, and look for consolation to that Being who alone can pour balm into the bleeding heart, and who has promised to be the widow’s God.” Elizabeth (Eliza) Schuyler Hamilton made sure her children were raised in the Christian faith, having them read and memorize scripture each evening.

Never let anyone tell you that this nation was not founded as a nation who honored God and with God’s blessing.   You can find out more about the Founding Fathers and their faith here.

Tomorrow is the first day of Fall. Can you believe it? I am going to start working outside a bit more as the weather cools and possibly make some more stepping stones for my garden. It’s a fairly inexpensive and fun project that even the kids can get involved with. I have been teaching stepping stone classes at work for the past year and it’s really been a big hit.

 

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