The
Continental Congress served as the chief legislative body for the original
American colonies throughout the Revolutionary War until the adoption of the
Constitution. This spanned essentially from 1774 into 1789. If any group of men
could be considered the "founding fathers" of our country, it would
be this group. Many of them participated in writing the Constitution. If any
men could ever have possessed a clear understanding of how the founding fathers
viewed the Bible and respect for God, it would have been these men.
Consider
the facts we here document about this Congress. When a person knows the truth
about the views of the founding fathers of this country, who can seriously
defend the view that they intended to write the Constitution in such a way as
to remove the teachings of the Bible and the praise of God from all
governmental and educational institutions?
On the
contrary, they repeatedly included the Bible, God, prayer, worship, and
religion in the schools and throughout the affairs of government. They clearly
viewed it as one purpose of government to encourage and defend religious
freedom, and one purpose of religion to promote morality and decency throughout
the land, including the government.
"When
the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man
rules, the people groan" - Prov. 29:2.
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any
people" - Prov. 14:34
"I
exhort ... that supplications, prayers, and giving of thanks be made for all
men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may live a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." - 1 Timothy 2:2
Congress' First Act: A Resolution to Pray
=========================
On
September 6, 1774, the first act of the first session of the Continental
Congress was to pass a resolution to open its next meeting with prayer. This
prayer included reading Psalm 35 and the following words:
“O Lord
our heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings and Lord of lords, who dost
from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth, and reignest with power
supreme and uncontrolled over all the kingdoms, empires, and governments; look
down in mercy, we beseech thee, on these American States ... desiring to be
henceforth dependent only on thee; to thee they have appealed for the
righteousness of their cause; to thee do they now look up for that countenance
and support which thou alone canst give; take them, therefore, heavenly Father,
under thy nurturing care ... Be thou present, God of wisdom, and direct the
councils of this honorable assembly ... that order, harmony, and peace may be
effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and
flourish amongst thy people ... and crown them with everlasting glory in the
world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus
Christ, thy Son, our Saviour. Amen!” (Journals of Congress, via Morris, pp
246,249f; Federer, pp 136,137; Barton, p92)
Congress Ordered Purchase and Printing of Bibles
===============================
On September 11, 1777, the following recommendation was approved
by the Continental Congress
“...the
use of the Bible is so universal, and its importance so great, ... the
committee recommend that Congress will order the Committee of Commerce to
import 20,000 Bibles from Holland, Scotland, or elsewhere, into the different
ports of the States of the Union.” (via Morris, p252, and Federer, p146)
Again,
on September 10, 1782, Congress approved the printing of Bibles in America by a
man named Robert Aitkin. Congress passed the following resolution, which was
printed on the front page of the Bible:
“Whereupon,
Resolved, That the United States, in Congress assembled, highly approve of the
pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interests
of religion, ... they recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of
the United States, and hereby authorize him to publish this recommendation in
the manner he shall think proper.” (via Morris, p254f, Federer, p149, and
Barton, pp 107,108; For a picture and further documentation see
http://wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=46)
Interestingly,
Aitkin's request, approved by Congress, specifically stated that the Bible
would be "for the use of schools"!
Congress Expressly Promoted Religion
========================
On
October 12, 1778, Congress passed the following act in which it directly
encouraged religion and morality:
“Whereas
true religion and good morals are the only solid foundations of public liberty
and happiness: Resolved, That it be, and it is hereby earnestly recommended to
the several States to take the most effectual measures for the encouragement
thereof.” (Journals of Congress, via Barton, p106)
The Declaration of Independence
=====================
The
Declaration of Independence, of course, was written under the guidance of the
Continental Congress, which formally adopted it on July 4, 1776, and signed it
August 2, 1776. The Declaration directly appeals to God at least four times:
“When
in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among
the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of
Nature and of Nature's God entitles them...”
“We
hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they
are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these
are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...”
“We,
Therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General
Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the
rectitude of our intentions...”
“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.”
Congress Appointed Days Of Prayer, Thanksgiving, and Repentance
=========================================
In the
approximately fifteen years of its existence, the Continental Congress approved
at least fifteen proclamations calling on the states to appoint days of special
worship or honor to God. Though they may seem repetitious, I have listed below
all the ones I found simply to demonstrate how deeply involved the Congress was
in emphasizing religion and respect for God.
By way
of summary, these official congressional proclamations promote all the
following:
*
prayer to God
*
thanksgiving to God
*
worship and praise of God
*
church meetings to honor God
*
encouragement of morality and discouragement of immorality, profanity, etc.
*
appreciation for the gospel
*
requests for religious freedom
*
requests for God's blessing on the spread of the gospel
*
recognition of Christianity and forgiveness through Jesus Christ
*
repentance and confession to God for sins
*
appeals to God for forgiveness
*
recognition of God as the Creator
*
acknowledgement that God rules in the affairs of men
*
requests for citizens to respect and obey God's will
*
requests for God's blessings on churches and government officials
*
requests for God's blessings and guidance on schools
*
acknowledgement that schools should teach piety and religious values
*
requests for God to provide and bless faithful preachers of the gospel
*
requests that citizens may receive God's eternal reward
The
following quotations are excerpts from official annals of the Continental
Congress as recorded on pp 656-678 of Christian Life And Character of the Civil
Institutions of the United States, B. F. Morris. (Some are confirmed elsewhere
as noted below.)
May 17,
1776
************
“... it
becomes the indispensable duty of these hitherto free and happy colonies, with
true penitence of heart and the most reverent devotion, publicly to acknowledge
the overruling providence of God, to confess and deplore our offences against
him...
“The
Congress, therefore, ... 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
enterprises, on his aid and direction, do earnestly recommend that Friday, the
17th 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; ... and grant that a spirit
of incorruptible patriotism and of pure, undefiled religion may universally
prevail ... And it is recommended to Christians of all denominations to
assemble for public worship, and abstain from servile labor, on said day.” (See
also Federer, p141)
First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving - December 18, 1777
*****************************************************
“Forasmuch
as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending
providence of Almighty God, to acknowledge with gratitude their obligations to
him for benefits received, and to implore such further blessings as they stand
in need of; and it having pleased him in his abundant mercy ... to continue to
us the innumerable bounties of his common providence...: it is, therefore,
recommended to the legislative or executive powers of these United States to
set apart Thursday, the 18th day of December, 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
of kind 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 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.” (See also Federer, p147.)
December
30, 1778
*****************
“It
having pleased Almighty God ... to bestow many great and manifold mercies on
the people of these United States, and it being the indispensable duty of all
men gratefully to acknowledge their obligations to him for benefits received:
“Resolved,
That it be, and is hereby, recommended to the legislative or executive
authority of each of the said States to appoint Wednesday, the 30th of December
next, to be observed as a day of public thanksgiving and praise, that all the
people may, with united hearts, on that day, express a just sense of his
unmerited favors ...
“And it
is further recommended that together with devout thanksgivings may be joined a
penitent confession of our sins, and humble supplication for pardon, through
the merits of our Saviour...”
April
22, 1779
**************
“Whereas,
... it being at all times the duty of a people to acknowledge God in all his
ways, and ... to acknowledge his righteous government, confess and forsake
their evil ways, and implore his mercy;
“Resolved,
That it be recommended to the United States of America to set apart Wednesday,
the 22d day of April next, to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation, and
prayer; that at one time and with one voice the inhabitants may acknowledge the
righteous dispensations of Divine Providence, and confess their iniquities and
transgressions, for which the land mourneth; that they may implore the mercy
and forgiveness of God, and beseech him that vice, profaneness, extortion, and
every evil may be done away, and that we may be a reformed and a happy people;
that they may unite in humble and earnest supplication ... that it may please
him to bless our schools and seminaries of learning, and make them nurseries of
true piety, virtue, and useful knowledge...”
May,
1779
*********
“Whereas,
... too few have been sufficiently awakened to a sense of their guilt, or
warmed with gratitude, or taught to amend their lives and turn from their sins,
so he might turn from his wrath; and whereas, from a consciousness of what we
have merited at his hands...
“Resolved,
That it be recommended to the several States to appoint the first Thursday in
May next to be a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer to Almighty God that
... he will grant us his grace to repent of our sins and amend our lives
according to his holy word; ... that he will diffuse useful knowledge, extend
true religion, and give us that peace of mind which the world cannot give ...”
December
9, 1779
****************
“Whereas
it becomes us humbly to approach the throne of Almighty God with gratitude and
praise for the wonders which his goodness has wrought in conducting our
forefathers to this Western world, for his protection to them and to their
posterity amidst difficulties and dangers, ... and, above all, that he hath diffused
the glorious light of the gospel, whereby, through the merits of our gracious
Redeemer, we may become the heirs of his eternal glory; therefore,
“Resolved,
That it be recommended to the several States to appoint Thursday, the 9th of
December next, to be a day of public and solemn thanksgiving to Almighty God
for his mercies, and of prayer for the continuance of his favor and protection
to these United States; ... that he would grant to his Church the plentiful
effusions of Divine grace, and pour out his Holy Spirit on all ministers of the
gospel; that he would bless and prosper the means of education, and spread the
light of Christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earth; ...
that he would in mercy look down upon us, pardon our sins, and receive us into
his favor; and, finally, that he would establish the independence of these
United States upon the basis of religion and virtue, and support and protect
them in the enjoyment of peace, liberty, and safety.”
April
26, 1780
**************
A PROCLAMATION FOR A FAST.
“... it
becomes us to endeavor, by humbling ourselves before [the righteous Governor of
the world] and turning from every evil way, to avert his anger and obtain his
favor and blessing; it is, therefore, recommended to the several States --
“That
Wednesday, the twenty-sixth day of April next, be set apart and observed as a
day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, that we may with one heart and one
voice implore the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth to remember mercy in his
judgments; to make us sincerely penitent for our transgressions; ... to banish
vice and irreligion from among us, and establish virtue and piety by his Divine
grace...”
May 3, 1780
************
Proclamation.
“At all
times it is our duty to acknowledge the overruling providence of the Great
Governor of the universe, and devoutly to implore his Divine favor and
protection. ... we are peculiarly excited with true penitence of heart to
prostrate ourselves before our great Creator, and fervently to supplicate his
gracious interposition for our deliverance.
“The
United States in Congress assembled, therefore, do earnestly recommend that
Thursday, the third day of May next, may be observed as a day of humiliation,
fasting, and prayer, that we may with united hearts confess and bewail our
manifold sins and transgressions, and by sincere repentance and amendment of
life appease his righteous displeasure, and, through the merits of our blessed
Saviour, obtain pardon and forgiveness; ... that it may please him to bless all
schools and seminaries of learning, and to grant that truth, justice, and
benevolence and pure and undefiled religion may universally prevail.”
December
7, 1780
****************
“Whereas
it hath pleased Almighty God, the Father of all mercies ... to bestow blessings
on the people of these States, which call for their devout and thankful acknowledgments
... and, above all, in continuing to us the gospel of peace:
“It is,
therefore, recommended to the several States to set apart Thursday, the 7th day
of December next, to be observed as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer;
that all the people may assemble on that day to celebrate the praises of our
Divine Benefactor, to confess our unworthiness of the least of his favors, and
to offer our fervent supplications to the God of all grace, that it may please
him to pardon our heinous transgressions and incline our hearts in the future
to keep all his laws; ... to cherish all schools and seminaries of education,
and to cause the knowledge of Christianity to spread over all the earth.” (See
also Federer, p148 and Barton, pp 106f)
December
13, 1781
*****************
PROCLAMATION
“Whereas
it hath pleased Almighty God. the Father of mercies, remarkably to assist and
support the United States of America ... it is the duty of all ranks to observe
and thankfully to acknowledge the interpositions of his providence in their
behalf ...
“It is
therefore recommended to the several States to set apart the 13th day of
December next, to be religiously observed as a day of thanksgiving and prayer;
that all the people may assemble on that day, with grateful hearts, to
celebrate the praises of our gracious Benefactor; to confess our manifold sins,
to offer up our most fervent supplications to the God of all grace that it may
please him to pardon our offences, and incline our hearts in the future to keep
all his laws; ... to bless all seminaries of learning, and cause the knowledge
of God to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.”
April,
1782
***********
Proclamation
“The
goodness of the Supreme Being to all his rational creatures demands their
acknowledgments of gratitude and love; his absolute government of this world
dictates that it is the interest of every nation and people ardently to
supplicate his favor and implore his protection. ...
“The
United States in Congress assembled, therefore, taking into consideration ...
our multiplied transgressions of the holy laws of our God, and his past acts of
kindness and goodness towards us, which we ought to record with the liveliest
gratitude, think it their indispensable duty to call upon the several States to
set apart the last Thursday in April next as a day of fasting, humiliation, and
prayer, that our joint supplications may then ascend to the throne of the Ruler
of the universe, beseeching him to diffuse a spirit of universal reformation
among all ranks and degrees of our citizens, and make us a holy, that we may be
a happy, people; ... and take under his guardianship all schools and seminaries
of learning, and make them nurseries of virtue and piety; that he would incline
the hearts of all men to peace, and fill them with universal charity and
benevolence, and that the religion of our Divine Redeemer, with all its benign
influences, may cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.”
November
28, 1782
******************
“It
being the indispensable duty of all nations not only to offer up their
supplications to Almighty God, the Giver of all good, ... but also in a solemn
and public manner to give him praise for his goodness in general, and
especially for great and signal interpositions of his providence in their
behalf; therefore the United States in Congress assembled ... do hereby
recommend it to the inhabitants of these States in general, to observe, and
request the several States to interpose their authority in appointing and
commanding the observation of, Thursday, the 28th day of November next, as a
day of solemn thanksgiving to God for all his mercies; and they do further
recommend to all ranks to testify their gratitude to God for his goodness, by a
cheerful obedience to his laws, and by promoting, each in his station and by
his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great
foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.”
December,
1783
**************
By the United States in Congress assembled.
A Proclamation.
“Whereas
... the interposition of Divine Providence in our favor hath been most
abundantly and most graciously manifested, and the citizens of these United
States have every reason for praise and gratitude to the God of their
salvation; impressed, therefore, with an exalted sense of the blessings with
which we are surrounded and of entire dependence on that Almighty Being from
whose goodness and bounty they are derived, the United States in Congress
assembled do recommend it to the several States to set apart the second
Thursday in December next as a day of public thanksgiving, that all the people
may then assemble to celebrate, with grateful hearts and united voices, the
praises of their supreme and all-bountiful Benefactor for his numberless favors
and mercies; ... and, above all, that he hath been pleased to continue unto us
the light of the blessed gospel, and secured to us in the fullest extent the
rights of conscience in faith and worship; and while our hearts overflow with
gratitude, and our lips set forth the praises of our great Creator, that we
also offer up fervent supplications that it may please him to pardon all our
offences ...; to smile upon our seminaries and means of education, to cause
pure religion and virtue to flourish, to give peace to all nations, and to fill
the world with his glory.” (See also Barton, pp 109f)
October
19, 1787
****************
By the United States of America in a Committee of the States
assembled.
A Proclamation.
“Whereas
... the citizens of the United States have the greatest reason to return their
most hearty and sincere praises and thanksgiving to the God of their
deliverance, whose name be praised. Deeply impressed, therefore, with a sense
of his mercies manifested to these United States, and of the blessings which it
hath pleased God to shower down on us, of our future dependence at all times on
his power and mercy, as the only source from which so great benefits can be
derived:--
“We the
United States of America, in the Committee of the States assembled, do
earnestly recommend to the Supreme Executive of the several States to set apart
Tuesday, the nineteenth day of October next, as a day of public prayer and
thanksgiving, that all the people of the United States may then assemble in
their respective churches and congregations, to celebrate with grateful hearts
and joyful and united voices the mercies and praises of their all-bountiful
Creator, most holy and most righteous, for his innumerable favors and mercies
vouchsafed unto them ... and, above all, that he hath been pleased to continue
to us the light of gospel truth, and secured to us in the fullest manner the
rights of conscience in faith and worship.”
“And
while our hearts overflow with gratitude and our lips pronounce the praises of
our great and merciful Creator, that we may also offer up our joint and fervent
supplications that it may please him of his infinite goodness and mercy to
pardon all our sins and offences; ... and to raise up from among our youth men
eminent for virtue, learning, and piety, to his service in Church and State; to
cause virtue and true religion to flourish; to give to all nations amity,
peace, and concord, and to fill the world with his glory.”
Primary
sources:
==========
America's
God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, edited by William Federer, 1994;
FAME Pub. Inc., 820 S. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 105-220, Coppell, TX 75019-4214.
Christian
Life And Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States, Benjamin F.
Morris; Philadelphia, 1863; (2nd edition, 2007, American Vision, Powder
Springs, GA 30127-5385)
Original
Intent: The Courts, the Constitution, & Religion, David Barton, 1996;
WallBuilder Press, PO Box 397, Aledo, TX, 76008.
