James Madision
"Experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - James Madison, "A Memorial and Remonstrance", 1785
John Adams
"I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved--the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!" - John Adams, letter to Thomas Jefferson
"As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?" - John Adams, letter to F.A. Van der Kamp, Dec. 27, 1816
Thomas Jefferson
"Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced an inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth." - Thomas Jefferson, from "Notes on Virginia"
Ben Franklin
"If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practiced it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England blamed persecution in the Romish Church, but practiced it upon the Puritans. They found it wrong in Bishops, but fell into the practice themselves both here (England) and in New England." - Benjamin FranklinWhat Did Congress Have to Say?
September 11, 1777
—The Continental Congress recommended and approved that the Committee of Commerce "import 20,000 Bibles from Holland, Scotland, or elsewhere," because of the great shortage of Bibles created by the Revolutionary War’s interruption of trade with England.
September 25, 1789
—After months of discussion and debate, the Congress of the United States approved the language of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, the "Bill of Rights," including the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Also September 25, 1789 (after passing the First Amendment)
—Congress unanimously voted to ask President Washington to declare a national "day of public thanksgiving and prayer."
George Washington (1732-1799)
—First President of the United States and chairman of the Constitutional Convention
—"O most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ my merciful and loving Father, I acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day."
from Daily Sacrifice, Washington’s personal prayer book, written in his own handwriting, declaring continual faithfulness to Jesus Christ.
"These and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial "Without making ostentatious professions of religion, he was a sincere believer in the Christian faith, and a truly devout man."
—John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1801-1835) who served with George Washington at Valley Forge, describing Washington in his Life of George Washington(1804-7), a biography written at the request of Washington’s family.
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John Adams (1735-1826)
as for Rectionary's claim:—Second President of the United States and signer of the Declaration of Independence — On March 6, 1799, President Adams proclaimed a national day of prayer and fasting so that America might "call to our mind numerous offenses against the most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, imploring his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgression, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience."
—National Proclamation for a Day of Fasting and Prayer.
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James Madison (1751-1836)
—Fourth President of the United States and member of the first U.S. Congress
—"Christ’s Divinity appears by St. John, chapter xx, 2: ‘And Thomas answered and said unto Him, my Lord and my God!’ Resurrection testified to and witnessed by the Apostles, Acts iv, 33: ‘And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.’"
—written in the margin of Madison’s Bible.
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John Jay (1745-1829)
—First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1789-1795), President of the Continental Congress – "Unto Him who is the author and giver of all good, I render sincere and humble thanks for His manifold and unmerited blessings, and especially for our redemption and salvation by His beloved Son."
—Last Will and Testament, 1829.
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Patrick Henry (1736-1799)
—Patriot famed for his words "Give me Liberty or give me death."
—"My heart is full. Perhaps I may never see you in this world. O may we meet in heaven, to which the merits of Jesus will carry those who love and serve Him."
—Letter to his sister, Ann Christian, upon the death of her husband, 1786.
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George Mason (1725-1792)
—Well-known for his insistence that Congress add the Bill of Rights to the Constitution —"My soul, I resign into the hands of my Almighty Creator, whose tender mercies are all over His works, who hateth nothing that He hath made and to the Justice and Wisdom of whose dispensation I willingly and cheerfully submit, humbly hoping from His unbounded mercy and benevolence, through the merits of my blessed Savior, a remission of my sins."
—Last Will and Testament, 1792.
Barton, David. Original Intent:
The Courts, the Constitution, and
Religion. Aledo, Texas:
Wallbuilder Press, 1997.
Eidsmoe, John. Christianity and
the Constitution: The Faith of
Our Founding Fathers. Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House
Company, 1991.
Federer, William J. America’s
God and Country: Encyclopedia
of Quotations. Coppell, Texas:
FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994.
Grant, George. The Patriot’s
Handbook: A Citizenship Primer
for a New Generation of
Americans. Elkton, Maryland:
Highland Books, 1996.
Staver, Mathew D. Faith and
Freedom: A Complete Handbook
for Defending Your Religious
Rights. Orlando: Liberty Counsel,
1998.
What Did Congress Have to Say?
September 11, 1777
—The Continental Congress recommended and approved that the
Committee of Commerce “import 20,000 Bibles from Holland, Scotland,
or elsewhere,” because of the great shortage of Bibles created by the
Revolutionary War’s interruption of trade with England.
“What our fathers with
so much difficulty
attained, do not basely
relinquish.”
—Inscribed, in Latin, on
Governor William Bradford’s gravestone,
Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1657.
September 25, 1789
—After months of discussion and debate, the Congress
of the United States approved the language of the first
ten amendments to the Constitution, the “Bill of
Rights,” including the First Amendment: “Congress
shall make no law respecting the establishment of
religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Also September 25, 1789 (after passing the First Amendment)
—Congress unanimously voted to ask President Washington to
declare a national “day of public thanksgiving and prayer.”
Barton, David. Original Intent:
The Courts, the Constitution, and
Religion. Aledo, Texas:
Wallbuilder Press, 1997.
Eidsmoe, John. Christianity and
the Constitution: The Faith of
Our Founding Fathers. Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House
Company, 1991.
Federer, William J. America’s
God and Country: Encyclopedia
of Quotations. Coppell, Texas:
FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994.
Grant, George. The Patriot’s
Handbook: A Citizenship Primer
for a New Generation of
Americans. Elkton, Maryland:
Highland Books, 1996.
Staver, Mathew D. Faith and
Freedom: A Complete Handbook
for Defending Your Religious
Rights. Orlando: Liberty Counsel,
1998.
As quoted by reclaimamerica.org
Honorable Senate Majority Leader (R-WI) "Liberals have gone stark-raving mad, yes,"- Euterpe
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