Below is the official proclamation issued by the First Continental Congress. Note that they were interested in not only glorifying God for His blessing and provision, but also spreading "the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness."
IT being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for his gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner to give him praise for his goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of his providence in their behalf: Therefore the United States in Congress assembled, taking into their consideration the many instances of divine goodness to these States, in the course of the important conflict in which they have been so long engaged----- Do hereby recommend to the inhabitants of these States in general, to observe, and request the several States to interpose their authority in appointing and commanding the observation of THURSDAY the twenty-eight day of NOVEMBER next, as a day of solemn THANKSGIVING to GOD for all his mercies: and they do further recommend to all ranks, to testify to their gratitude to GOD for his goodness, by a cheerful obedience of his laws, and by promoting, each in his station, and by his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.
Done in Congress, at Philadelphia, the eleventh day of October, AD 1782.
Done in Congress, at Philadelphia, the eleventh day of October, AD 1782.
Consider also this:
ReplyDelete"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..."
Treaty of Tripoli (1797),
http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/treaty_tripoli.html
"Authored by American diplomat Joel Barlow in 1796, the following treaty was sent to the floor of the Senate, June 7, 1797, where it was read aloud in its entirety and unanimously approved. John Adams, having seen the treaty, signed it and proudly proclaimed it to the Nation."
So who's right? Bernie or Lenny?
ReplyDeleteTim,
ReplyDeleteContext is everything. The section from the treaty reads:
"As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
Notice how the second clause clarifies the first - we are not a founded to be a nation that is *exclusively* Christian and we therefore as a nation have no enmity against Musselmen (that is, Muslims) because of their religious beliefs. Obviously, they did have an issue with these Musilms because of their action. To assume this means that there were no Christian principles at play nor were there any Christians believers instrumental in forming the nation is silly. Further, while the *Federal* government had no religious test for office, that was not true of several state government positions upon formation of the union.
Nicely done Lenny. You are correct!
ReplyDelete