OUR FOREFATHERS’
COVENANTS
Part 13
March 13, 2020
I was just reading
from a collection of comments made by some of our Supreme Court justices
throughout the years and stumbled on one that deserves repeating within the
framework of this series of discussions.
We've
already talked about Thomas Jefferson and some of his contributions to our
nation's founding. What some folks may not know or remember is that he
appointed John Marshall to be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in
1801. John Marshall served this nation as Chief Justice for 34
years. In a letter dated May 9, 1833 to Jasper Adams, addressing the
question of our nation's foundations and liberties, he wrote,
"The American population is entirely Christian, and with us
Christianity and Religion are identified. It would be strange indeed, if with
such a people, our institutions did not presuppose Christianity, and did not
often refer to it, and exhibit relations with it."
And
now it is supposedly illegal for our various institutions of government, and
people within those institutions to name the name of Jesus Christ, or to
worship the Lord publicly and acknowledge Him as Lord, or THE final authority
in this nation? Right.
Now
you know why I'm doing this series. Americans -- and especially
Christians -- need to wake up and realize that the left is systematically
robbing us blind and stealing our heritage as a Christian nation. When
Christians stand by and do nothing, stay out of the political process treating
it as though it has "cooties", the leftist liberals who hate our
heritage, hate God, and hate everything this nation was founded upon,
progressively encroach on our freedoms, rewriting history to suit their agenda,
re-shaping our society so as to eliminate our memories of how our founding
fathers covenanted with the Lord and each other in order to build a free and
prosperous society.
In
Matthew 25:33-34, 41, we read: "And he
shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then
shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world.......Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels...."
And
what determined the difference between those "on the right" and those
"on the left?" Those on the right exemplified agape love -- the love of the Lord Jesus Christ
-- whereas those on the left did not.
Those
on the right exemplified agape love --
the love of the Lord Jesus Christ -- whereas those on the left did not.
Today,
we have idiots on the left claiming that socialism is how you exemplify the
love of the Lord. What they totally ignore is the fact that Jesus places
the responsibility on the individual, NOT on the government. Using
government to deal with social needs and ills is a safe and secure cop-out for
those who want to ignore their own personal and individual responsibility --
AND ANSWERABILITY -- to the Lord. They attempt to make bigger and bigger
government (at the financial expense of every individual) the solution to every
problem. Instead of solving the problem, big government only exacerbates
it.
Hence,
Jesus accurately and appropriately puts these people in the category of
"goats" on the left whose ultimate end is "everlasting
fire." And that's exactly where the "left" belongs!
OK.
Now that I've lit a few firebrands myself a la Patrick Henry, I'll come down
off my perch. Grab your cup, pull up a chair and let's talk about George
Washington.
Born
in 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia to parents who were part of "the
Virginia Gentry," and descended from English Gentry, George Washington's
upbringing could be referred to as a mix of Anglicanism and Quakerism.
From his Anglican heritage, he developed the inclination to withhold his
personal convictions concerning his relationship with the Lord, choosing rather
to refer to the Lord as "Providence," From his Quaker heritage
and surroundings, he despised war and everything associated with it.
His
life, therefore, was a striking contrast to one who so hated war. A
pragmatist, he took Patrick Henry's view as enunciated before the Continental
Congress thus, " As individuals professing a holy religion,
it is our bounden duty to forgive injuries done us as individuals. But when the
character of Christian you add the character of patriot, you are in a different
situation. Our mild and holy system of religion inculcates an admirable maxim
of forbearance. If your enemy smite one cheek, turn the other to him. But you
must stop there. You cannot apply this to your country. As members of a social
community, this maxim does not apply to you. When you consider injuries done to
your country your political duty tells you of vengeance. Forgive as a private
man, but never forgive public injuries. Observations of this nature are
exceedingly unpleasant, but it is my duty to use them."
Highly
intolerant towards the bickering that went on between the various
denominational groups, Washington refused to associate himself with any
specific church. As Commander-in-Chief of the military forces, he banned
a practice referred to as "Guying", referring to Guy Fawkes, and the
New England celebration of "Pope's Day." It was a practice
which ridiculed Roman Catholics, and George Washington took the sensitivities
of his Catholic soldiers to heart by ordering that the festivity forever be
cancelled among the military.
Attending
a church service with his wife, Martha, the minister called for the serving of communion.
When Martha participated in the communion and he chose not to, the minister
preached a sermon pointedly directed at Washington's non-participation.
That the minister would use his pulpit to exercise personal condemnation on the
President was so offensive to Washington that he refused to set foot in a
church -- any church -- from that day forward.
That
said, those who knew him and walked with him as close friends and confidantes
saw him as a man of deep personal faith and conviction. Despite the fact
that he rarely demonstrated his faith in a public arena, John Adams (who
succeeded Washington as President) wrote to his wife in 1774 that at the First
Continental Congress, "Washington was kneeling, and Henry, and Randolph
and Rutledge, and Lee and Jay...."
In
contrast to the public kneeling question, there is considerable documentation
from eyewitnesses to show that George Washington did pray on his knees in
private. His step-grandson and step-granddaughter and other relatives
reported seeing Washington on his knees in prayer in the library at Mount
Vernon. His aides-de-camp recalled discovering him on his knees in prayer in
his office in military headquarters buildings during the war years. His
presidential personal secretaries told of coming upon Washington 'lost in
reverent prayer' before he had to make a major policy decision. Isaac Potts, a
Quaker, told his wife -- and later many others -- of seeing Commander in Chief
George Washington in a solitary, reverent, kneeling prayer in the snow at Valley
Forge. Potts thought Washington was 'upon his knees praying for his
army.'" (Commentary, compliments of Paul Bessel)
In
1827, Robert Lewis, a nephew of George Washington and private secretary during
the first part of Washington's presidency, wrote that he had plenty of
opportunity "for observing his private devotions in his library both
morning and evening; that on those occasions [Lewis had seen him] in a kneeling
posture with a Bible open before him, and believed such to have been his daily
practice."
There
are many historians who have pooh-poohed George Washington's faith, just as
there are many revisionists who have sought to portray America as something
other than a Christian nation. Earlier, I quoted from Chief Justice John
Marshall's statement concerning America as being Christian. Listen to
what Washington said in his farewell speech when he left office as President.
"For this you
have every inducement of sympathy and interest. Citizens by birth or choice, of
a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The
name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always
exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from
local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the
same Religion, Manners, Habits & Political Principles. You have in a
common cause fought & triumphed together. The independence &
liberty you possess are the work of joint councils, and joint efforts--of
common dangers, sufferings and successes."
I
have underlined Washington's comment here to illustrate. Despite
obviously and observed doctrinal differences between Catholics, Presbyterians,
Baptists, Quakers, Anglicans, etc., George Washington saw them as "slight
shades of difference," with faith in God and Jesus Christ as being the
central and binding factor.
He
continued his farewell address and on page 20 & 22 of a 32-page prepared
address to the nation, he said (and this is perhaps the most widely quoted
portion of his speech among Christians):
"Of all the
dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and
morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the
tribute of Patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great Pillars of
human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men & citizens.
The mere Politician, equally with the pious man ought to respect & to
cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private
& public felicity. Let it simply be asked where is the security for
property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the Oaths, which
are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us
with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion.
Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of
peculiar structure--reason & experience both forbid us to expect that
National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
'Tis substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary
spring of popular government. The rule indeed extends with more or less force
to every species of Free Government. Who that is a sincere friend to it, can
look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric............"
".......Observe
good faith & justice towards all Nations. Cultivate peace & harmony
with all -- Religion & morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be that
good policy does not equally enjoin it? It will be worthy of a free,
enlightened, and, at no distant period, a great Nation, to give to mankind the
magnanimous and too novel example of a People always guided by an exalted
justice & benevolence. Who can doubt that in the course of time and
things the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages
which might be lost by a steady adherence to it? Can it be, that
Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a Nation with its
virtue? The experiment, at least, is recommended by every sentiment which
ennobles human Nature."
Although
we find few mentions of the name of Jesus Christ among his writings or quotes,
it was clear that Washington's life revolved about his faith in the Lord, and
that he made few, if any, decisions of import without first taking things to the
Lord. He viewed his faith -- and that of his fellow-Americans -- as woven
into the very fabric of our existence.
Perhaps
no leader in the history of this nation has been so revered, so iconized, and
so remembered. Much less outspoken in public about his faith in God than
perhaps Patrick Henry or John Adams, there is still a wealth of documentation
-- particularly among his personal writings -- to demonstrate where he stood.
Let's
wrap up today with two -- make that three -- quotes from Washington.
This
first comes from an address to the Continental Army on July 9, 1776.
"The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man, will endeavor so
to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest Rights
and Liberties of his country."
Our
second quotation comes from a letter he wrote to Brigadier General Thomas
Nelson on August 20, 1778, "The Hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all
this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than
wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations."
Lastly,
we find this from his prayer at Valley Forge as witnessed by one of his
officers, "Almighty and eternal Lord God, the great Creator of heaven and
earth, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; look down from heaven
in pity and compassion upon me Thy servant, who humbly prostrates myself before
Thee."
In case you are missing out on real fellowship in an environment
of Ekklesia, our Sunday worship gatherings are available by conference call – usually
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conference number is (712) 770-4160, and the access code is 308640#. We are now making these gatherings
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not yet, anyway.
Blessings on you!
Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES
RIVER WORSHIP CENTER
Temple, Texas 76504
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