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Pastor Tims Blog
[Pastor Tims Blog]
05/15/2009
By Admin, Admin
The concept of “The Separation of Church and State” as is being propagated today by the historical revionists and the politically correct is completely separated from the philosophy and ideas of our founding fathers. Christians, local churches and pastors were intimately involved in the birth and ideological foundations of this great nation.
The idea of not being directly involved in our countries infant beginnings was to be pagan and unpatriotic.
Patriotism, activism and Christianity were inseparable as far as those at the genesis of our country were concerned.
Christianity and patriotism have much in common. It is significant to note that:
Our patriotic hymn, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," was written by a Baptist clergyman, Samuel Francis Smith.
A Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy, wrote the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag in 1892.
The words, "In God We Trust," carried on all of our coins, are traced to the efforts of the Rev. W. R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania. His letter of concern, addressed to the Hon. S. P Chase, was dated November 13, 1861. Seven days later Mr. Chase wrote to James Pollock, Director of the U.S. Mint as follows:
"No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. Will you cause a device to be prepared without delay with a motto expressing in the finest and tersest words possible, this national recognition."
The president of the College of New Jersey, the Reverend John Witherspoon (Presbyterian), was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence.
He is too much forgotten in our history books: John Witherspoon had a far-reaching influence on democracy. He had personally taught several of the signers of the document, and nine of them were graduates of the little college over which he presided at Princeton.
When he took up his pen to put his name to the document, Witherspoon declared: "There is a tide in the affairs of men, a spark. We perceive it now before us. To hesitate is to consent to our own slavery. That noble instrument upon the table, that insures immortality to its author, should be subscribed this very morning by every pen in this house. He that will not respond to its accents, and strain every nerve to carry into effect its provisions, is unworthy of the name of free man. For my own part, of property I have some; of reputation, more. That reputation is staked, that property is pledged on the issue of this contest; and although these gray hairs must soon descend into the sepulcher, I would infinitely rather that they descend thither by the hand of the executioner than desert at this crisis the sacred cause of my country."
The permeating power of Christianity coursed through the veins of the vast majority of our nations first leaders. George Washington, our first president, argued, “The propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which heaven itself has ordained.”
John Quincy Adams, our sixth president, stated, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this, it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government and those of Christianity.”
Our second president, John Adams, explained, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
Those who would cry today for “separation of church and state” are ignorant of the breadth and depth of our Christian heritage and influence.
Patriotism and Christianity. We could not have the former without the later.
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." (Psalms 33:12 KJV)
Book of the Month
[Book of the Month]
05/15/2009
By Admin, Admin
BOOK OF THE MONTH
THE SHACK
What are your thoughts and opinions about the book?
