Words of Faith by Those That Started America

In our journey through looking at our nations Christian heritage it’s amazing to recall some of the things our forefathers and key political leaders said during the formation of America. Check these out:

James Madison - Religion is the basis and Foundation of Government.

Benjamin Rush – Signer of Declaration of Independence - Without religion there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments", Benjamin Rush

John Hancock -1st Signer of the Declaration of Independence - Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual. ... Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us.

Benjamin Franklin - Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Unites States Constitution -

Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped.

John Quincy Adams - The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth. Never since the foundation of the world have the prospects of mankind been more encouraging to that hope than they appear to be at the present time. And may the associated distribution of the Bible proceed and prosper till the Lord shall have made 'bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God' (Isaiah 52:10).

William Penn - Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.

James Monroe - When we view the blessings with which our country has been favored, those which we now enjoy, and the means which we possess of handing them down unimpaired to our latest posterity, our attention is irresistibly drawn to the source from whence they flow. Let us then, unite in offering our most grateful acknowledgments for these blessings to the Divine Author of All Good.

Roger Sherman - Let us live no more to ourselves, but to Him who loved us, and gave Himself to die for us.

George Washington - And now, Almighty Father, if it is Thy holy will that we shall we shall obtain a place and name among the nations of the Earth...grant that we may be enabled to show our gratitude for Thy goodness by endeavors to fear and obey Thee.

Thomas Jefferson - God who gave us life gave us liberty.  And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God?  That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?  Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever." 

Abraham Lincoln - I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.

Patrick Henry - It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Oliver Wolcott – Signer of Declaration of Independence - Thro Various Scenes of Life God has Sustained me. May he ever be my unfailing Friend, May his Love cherish my Soul, May my Heart with Gratitude Acknowledge his Goodness and may my Desires be to him and to the Remembrance of his Name... May We then turn our Eyes to the bright Objects above, and may God give us Strength to travel the upward Road. May the divine Redeemer conduct us to that Seat of Bliss which he himself has prepared for his Friends; at the Approach of which every Sor-row shall Vanish from the human heart, and endless scenes of Glory Open upon the enraptured Eye.

College Presidents at the time:

Harvard President - After God had carried us safe to New England, and we ... rear'd convenient places for God's worship ... dreading to leave an illiterate Ministry to the Churches, when our present Ministers shall lie in the Dust ... it pleased God to stir up the heart of one Mr. Harvard, a godly gentleman and a lover of learning ... to give the one half of his estate ... towards the erecting of a college and all his Library.

Reverend Jonathan Dickinson – 1^st president of Princeton - Cursed be all learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ.