I have not posted a blog for nearly two weeks now. It is my intention to resume my discussion of the Constitutional Crisis we are undergoing in our nation; however, while reviewing my manuscript for "God Shed His Grace On Thee" (C) 2013, 2014 Rexford "Rex" Louth, I re-read (hey, I wrote it) a section of the proofs of Christianity being the faith of our nation. There are those who will try to lend rebuttal by bringing up the "Treaty of Tripoli" and other quotes from documents and persons of the early nation. They are wrong. I offer the following, quoted from the book, for your perusal today, and will be continuing my "other" series soon:
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...(T)here are...actions taken within the halls of
Congress and the Supreme Court which are very difficult for the
non-believer to accept. Each of these elements of government
has declared such to be true. We have already discussed
Presidential proclamations to the effect that the Almighty has
had a determining hand in the matters of the United States of
America’s existence.
A group asking that chaplains be removed from the Houses
of the United States Congress as well as the Army and
Navy approached the Senate in 1852. The Senate Judiciary
Committee issued their report early the following year. After
pointing out the various examples of the founders supporting
religious activity within the government, they indicated very
strongly that they had every right to support chaplains in these
areas.
"Our fathers were true lovers of liberty, and utterly
opposed to any constraint upon the rights of conscience.
They intended, by this amendment (the first) to prohibit
“an establishment of religion” such as the English church
presented, or anything like it. But they had no fear or
jealousy of religion itself, nor did they wish to see us
an irreligious people; they did not intend to inhibit a just
expression of religious devotion by the legislators of the
nation, even in their public character as legislatures;
they did not intend to send our armies and navies
forth to do battle for their country without any national
recognition of that God on whom success or failure
depends; they did not intend to spread over all the public
authorities and the whole public action of the nation
the dead and revolting spectacle of atheistical apathy.
Not so had the battles of the revolution been fought,
and the deliberations of the revolutionary Congress
conducted. On the contrary, all had been done with a
continual appeal to the Supreme Ruler of the world, and
an habitual reliance upon His protection of the righteous
cause which they commended to His care."75
Similarly, the Judiciary Committee of the House of
Representatives was approached by a group requesting that
Christianity be removed from all government proceedings in
1853. The committee took a full year in reviewing the request
and its findings, presented on March 27, 1854, stated the
following:
"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. At the time of
the adoption of the Constitution and the amendments,
the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be
encouraged – not any one sect.
* * *
If there be a God who hears prayer – as we believe
there is – we submit, that there never was a deliberative
body that so eminently needed the fervent prayers of
righteous men as the Congress of the United States.
* * *
…we beg leave to rescue ourselves from the imputation
of asserting that religion is not needed to the safety of
civil society. It must be considered as the foundation
on which the whole structure rests. Laws will not
have permanence or power without the sanction of
religious sentiment – without a firm belief that there
is a Power above us that will reward our virtues and
punish our vices. In this age there can be no substitute
for Christianity; that, in its general principles, is the
great conservative element on which we must rely
for the purity and permanence of free institutions.
That was the religion of the founders of the republic,
and they expected it to remain the religion of their
decendents."76
In the case of HOLY TRINITY CHURCH v. U.S., 143 U.S. 457,
12 S.Ct. 511, 36 L.Ed. 226, the Supreme Court delivered its
findings on February 29, 1892. Holy Trinity Church in New York
City had brought in a minister from England for employ in their
congregation. According to a law enacted by Congress, no
one was to be able to do so. The court handed down a ruling
stating that Holy Trinity Church would be able to do so under
their rights as a religious organization. Within the body of the
ruling is the following statement.
"If we pass beyond these matters to a view of American
life, as expressed by its laws, its business, its customs,
and its society, we find everywhere a clear recognition of
the same truth. Among other matters note the following:
The form of oath universally prevailing, concluding
with an appeal to the Almighty; the custom of opening
sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions
with prayer; the prefatory words of all wills, “In the name
of God, amen;” the laws respecting the observance of
the Sabbath, with the general cessation of all secular
business, and the closing of courts, legislatures,
and other similar public assemblies on that day; the
churches and church organizations which abound in
every city, town, and hamlet; the multitude of charitable
organizations existing everywhere under Christian
auspices; the gigantic missionary associations, with
general support, and aiming to establish Christian
missions in every quarter of the globe. 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."77
When considering the rulings of courts through that day in 1892,
it is difficult to understand the ability of the Supreme Court in
later years to completely ignore the precedent established by
these prior rulings. Beginning in 1948, the Court began to
infringe upon the rights of religious practice in reinterpreting the
“establishment clause” of the first amendment, noting President
Thomas Jefferson’s reference to the “separation of church and
state”. It must be noted that President Jefferson’s letter in no
way attempted to set up the idea that government was not to
promote Christianity in any fashion.
John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme
Court, believed very strongly in the need for a Christian
society controlling the Christian government. He is quoted
in the following two statements that to sustain a reliance on
Christianity is to maintain the freedom fought for and cherished
so vehemently by those in his time.
“Real Christians will abstain from violating the rights of
others, and therefore will not provoke war. Almost all
nations have peace or war at the will and pleasure of
rulers whom they do not elect, and who are not always
wise or virtuous. 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.”78
“No human society has ever been able to maintain both
order and freedom, both cohesiveness and liberty apart
from the moral precepts of the Christian Religion. Should
our Republic ever forget this fundamental precept of
governance, we will then, be surely doomed.”79
75 United States Senate: Judiciary Committee Report, Chaplains in
Congress, and in the Army and Navy. (January 19, 1853).
76 United States House of Representatives: Judiciary Committee Report,
Chaplains in Congress, and in the Army and Navy. (March 27, 1854).
77 United States Supreme Court, Holy Trinity Church vs. U.S., 143 U.S.
457 (February 29, 1892).
78 Jay, William (1833). The Life of John Jay: With Selections from His
Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers. (New York: J. & J.
Harper), 376
79 The Heritage Foundation, Loconte, Joseph, “Why Religious Values
Support American Values”, http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/whyreligious-
values-support-american-values, (Accessed August 4, 2013).
<the above is taken from pages 120 through 125>
If you like this portion (and even if you don't) I encourage you to get your own copy of "God Shed His Grace On Thee" in either paperback, hardback, or eBook format (or any combination of the three ;) ). They may be purchased through www.westbowpress.com/bookstore or directly through me if you would like a signed copy.
Rex Louth
Author - God Shed His Grace On Thee - (C) 2013, 2014 Rexford "Rex" Louth
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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