Download MP3New Hampshire Governor John Langdon called for a Day of Fasting, February 21, 1786, to pray for the new government of the United States:
"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."
When New Hampshire became the 9th State to ratify the U.S. Constitution, JUNE 21, 1788, it officially went into effect.
The 55 writers of the U.S. Constitution were:
26 Episcopalian Christians
11 Presbyterian Christians
7 Congregationalist Christians
2 Lutheran Christians
2 Dutch Reformed Christians
2 Methodist Christians
2 Quaker Christians
2 Roman Catholics
and Dr. Franklin, who called for prayer at the Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787, stating:
"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...
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?..."
Franklin continued:
"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."
The Constitution went into effect June 21, 1788, when 2/3's of the States ratified it:
DELAWARE - 1st 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.'"
PENNSYLVANIA - 2nd 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.'"
NEW JERSEY - 3rd 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."
GEORGIA - 4th 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."
CONNECTICUT - 5th 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."
MASSACHUSETTS - 6th 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."
MARYLAND - 7th 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."
SOUTH CAROLINA - 8th 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."
NEW HAMPSHIRE - 9th 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."
VIRGINIA - 10th 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."
NEW YORK - 11th 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."
NORTH CAROLINA - 12th 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."
RHODE ISLAND - 13th 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."
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."
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."
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."
Show Endnotes
(
Brought to you by AmericanMinute.com)
Add American Minute on your Website
How to use the American Minute RSS feed
Post to Facebook
Post to Twitter
