American Minute with Bill Federer
Was the U.S. Constitution ratified by "Christian" States?
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George Washington
dictated a "talk" to the Cherokee Nation, August 29, 1796:
“Beloved Cherokees, The wise men of the United States
meet together once a year,
to consider what will be for the good of all their people ...
I have thought that
a meeting of your wise men once or twice a year would be alike useful to you
...
I now send my best wishes to the Cherokees, and pray the Great Spirit to preserve them.”
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Twelve
of
the original 13 states
sent
delegates to Philadelphia.
(Rhode Island boycotted the Convention.)
Instead of rewriting the Articles of Confederation,
they drafted the U.S. Constitution.
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George Washington
opened the
Constitutional Convention,
stating:
"The event is in the hand of
God."
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The 55 delegates who wrote the U.S. Constitution belonged to the following denominations:
- 26 Episcopalian,
- 11 Presbyterian,
- 7 Congregationalist,
- 2 Lutheran,
- 2 Dutch Reformed,
- 2 Methodist,
- 2 Quaker,
- 2 Roman Catholic,
- and Dr. Franklin, who called for prayer at the Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787, stating:
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"In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had
daily prayer
in this room for the
divine protection.
Our prayers,
Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered.
All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of
a superintending providence in our favor ..."
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He continued:
"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that
God Governs in the affairs of men.
And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? ..."
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Franklin
concluded:
"We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that
'except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it'
...
I also believe that without
His concurring aid
we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel ...
I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth
prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven,
and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business."
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New Hampshire Governor John Langdon
had called for a Day of Fasting, February 21, 1786, to pray for the new government:
"That He would be pleased to bless the great Council of the United States of America and
direct their deliberations ...
that he would
rain down righteousness upon the earth,
revive
religion,
and spread abroad the knowledge of
the true God, the Saviour of man."
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The Federal Constitution needed
nine states to ratify it
in order for it to go into effect.
Eight states had ratified it, and
New Hampshire was in line to be the ninth.
On February 13, 1788,
New Hampshire
convened the first session of its ratifying convention, but
disagreements
caused it to be adjourned on February 22, 1788.
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Like many states,
New Hampshire had an annual Day of Fasting.
The Governor set date for its observance on April 10, 1788:
"to be observed and kept as
a day of fasting of humiliation and prayer."
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After the Day of Fasting,
New Hampshire
reconvened its
ratifying convention
in June of 1788.
Harvard President Rev. Samuel Langdon
addressed the New Hampshire delegates with a message titled
"The Republic of the Israelites an example to the American States":
"Instead of the
twelve tribes of ISRAEL,
we may substitute the
thirteen states of the American union,
and see this application plainly ...
The
Israelites
may be considered as
a pattern to the world
in all ages ...
Government ... on republican principles,
required
laws;
without which it must have degenerated immediately into ... absolute monarchy ...
Laws
were founded on the plain immutable principles of reason, justice, and social virtue ...
How unexampled was this quick progress of the
Israelites, from abject slavery,
ignorance, and almost total want of order,
to a national establishment perfected in all its parts
far beyond all other kingdoms and states!
From a mere mob, to a well regulated nation,
under a government and
laws far superior to what any other nation could boast!
..."
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Langdon
continued:
"It was a long time after the
law of Moses
was given before the rest of the world knew any thing of
government by law
...
It was
six hundred years
after Moses
before ...
Grecian republics
received a very imperfect ... code of
laws
from
Lycurgus.
It was about
five hundred years
from the first founding of the celebrated Roman empire ... before the
first laws of that empire."
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After
Rev. Langdon's
address, the
New Hampshire delegates
voted on JUNE 21, 1788,
to ratify
the U.S. Constitution.
Since it was the ninth state to do so,
the U.S. Constitution went into effect.
The Portsmouth Daily Evening Times,
January 1, 1891, acknowledged
Rev. Samuel Langdon's
influence:
"...
by his voice
and example
he contributed more
perhaps,
than any other man
to the
favorable action of that body."
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In their act of ratifying the Constitution, the
New Hampshire delegates
also directed "Congress shall
never disarm any citizen,"
ending with:
"Acknowledging with grateful hearts
the goodness of the Supreme Ruler of the Universe
in affording the People of the United States in the Course of
his Providence
an Opportunity, deliberately & peaceably without fraud or surprise of entering into an explicit and solemn compact with each other
by assenting to &
ratifying a new Constitution,
in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and
secure the Blessings of Liberty
to themselves &
their Posterity-
Do In the Name & behalf of the People of the State of New Hampshire assent to &
ratify the said Constitution
for the United States of America."
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Were the states that ratified the U.S. Constitution effectively "Christian" states?
The answer can be seen by examining the acknowledgements of religion in the state constitutions
at the time those states debated and ratified the U.S. Constitution.
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DELAWARE,
the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1776 State Constitution:
"Every person ... appointed to any office ... shall ... subscribe ...
'I ... profess faith in
GOD THE FATHER,
and in
JESUS CHRIST His only Son,
and in the
HOLY GHOST,
one God,
blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the
Holy Scriptures
of the
Old and New Testament
to be given by
Divine inspiration.'"
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PENNSYLVANIA,
the 2nd state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1776 State Constitution,
signed by Ben Franklin:
"Each member, before he takes his seat, shall ... subscribe ...
'I do believe in
one GOD,
the
Creator and Governor of the Universe,
the
Rewarder of the good and the Punisher of the wicked.
And I do acknowledge the
Scriptures
of the
Old and New Testament
to be given by
Divine Inspiration.'"
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NEW JERSEY,
the 3rd state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1776 State Constitution:
"All persons, professing a belief in the
faith of any PROTESTANT sect,
who shall demean themselves peaceably under the government ... shall be capable of being elected."
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GEORGIA,
the 4th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1777 State Constitution:
"Representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county ... and they shall be of the
PROTESTANT religion."
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CONNECTICUT,
the 5th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, retained its
1662 Colonial Constitution,
which was established
PROTESTANT CONGREGATIONAL,
till 1818:
"By the
Providence of GOD
... having from their ancestors derived a free and excellent Constitution ... whereby the legislature depends on the free and annual election ... The free fruition of such liberties and privileges as humanity, civility and
CHRISTIANITY
call for."
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MASSACHUSETTS,
the 6th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1780 State Constitution,
written by John Adams:
"Any person ... before he ... execute the duties of his ... office ... [shall] subscribe ... 'I... declare, that I believe the
CHRISTIAN religion,
and have a firm persuasion of its truth' ...
The legislature shall ... authorize the support and maintenance of
public PROTESTANT teachers
of
piety, religion and morality."
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MARYLAND,
the 7th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1776 State Constitution:
"No other test ... ought to be required, on admission to any office ... than such oath of support and fidelity to this State ... and a declaration of a belief in the
CHRISTIAN religion."
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SOUTH CAROLINA,
the 8th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1778 State Constitution:
"No person shall be eligible to a seat ... unless he be of the
PROTESTANT religion
... The
CHRISTIAN PROTESTANT religion
shall be deemed ... the
established religion of this State."
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NEW HAMPSHIRE,
the 9th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1784 State Constitution:
"No person shall be capable of being elected ... who is not of the
PROTESTANT religion."
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VIRGINIA,
the 10th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1776 State Constitution, Bill of Rights,
written with the help of James Madison and George Mason:
"It is the mutual duty of all to practice
CHRISTIAN forbearance, love, and charity
towards each other."
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NEW YORK,
the 11th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1777 State Constitution:
"The United American States ... declare ...
'Laws of nature and of
NATURE'S GOD
... All men are created equal; that they are endowed by their
CREATOR
with certain unalienable rights ... Appealing to the
SUPREME JUDGE of the world
... A firm reliance on the protection of
DIVINE PROVIDENCE'
...
People of this State, ordain ... the free exercise and enjoyment of
religious profession and worship,
without discrimination ...
Provided, That the
liberty of conscience,
hereby granted,
shall not
be so construed as to
excuse acts of licentiousness
(sexuality immorality)."
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NORTH CAROLINA,
the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, stated in its
1776 State Constitution:
"No person, who shall deny the being of
GOD
or the truth of the
PROTESTANT religion,
or the
Divine authority
either of the
Old or New Testaments,
or who shall hold
religious principles
incompatible with the freedom and safety of the State, shall be capable of holding ... office."
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RHODE ISLAND,
the 13th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, retained its
1663 Colonial Constitution
till 1843, which stated:
"By the blessing of
God
... a
full liberty in religious concernements
... rightly grounded upon
GOSPEL principles,
will give the best and greatest security ... in the
true CHRISTIAN faith and worship of God
... They may ...
defend themselves,
in their just rights and liberties
against all the enemies of the CHRISTIAN faith."
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Lafayette Black
wrote in
Engel v. Vitale,
1962:
"As late as the time of the Revolutionary War, there were
established Churches
in at least 8 of the 13 former colonies and
established religions
in at least 4 of the other 5."
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John K. Wilson
wrote in
"Religion Under the State Constitutions 1776-1800"
(Journal of Church and State,
Volume 32, Autumn 1990, Number 4, pp. 754):
"An
establishment of religion,
in terms of
direct tax aid to Churches,
was the situation in 9 of the 13 colonies on the eve of the American revolution."
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The Journal of the U.S. House recorded that on March 27, 1854, the 33rd Congress voted unanimously to print
Rep. James Meacham's
report, which stated:
"At the adoption of the Constitution,
we believe every state -- certainly 10 of the 13 -- provided as
regularly for the support of the Church
as for the support of the Government ...
Down to the Revolution, every colony did sustain religion
in some form. It was deemed peculiarly proper that the
religion of liberty
should be upheld by a
free people ...
Had the people, during the Revolution, had a
suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity,
that Revolution would have been
strangled in its cradle."
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Schedule Bill Federer for informative interviews & captivating PowerPoint presentations: 314-502-8924
wjfederer@gmail.com
American Minute is a registered trademark of William J. Federer. Permission is granted to forward, reprint, or duplicate, with acknowledgment.
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