thumbs up americans

5. You still believe in God: Thanks, pretty cool having the light of Reason. In 1838 the Legislature of New York said:Our Government depends for its being on the virtue of the people,–on that virtue that has its foundation in the morality of the Christian religion; and that religion is the common and prevailing faith of the people.[37]WashingtonGeorge Washington said in 1783 that “without an humble imitation” of the “characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion…we can never hope to be a happy nation.”[38]MadisonHe wrote in 1797: “Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society.”[39] In his Farewell Address in 1796, he wrote: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”[40]James Madison wrote in 1825: “[T]he belief in a God all powerful, wise, and good, is…essential to the moral order of the world and to the happiness of man.”[41] In his Memorial and Remonstrance, he said: “Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the universe.”[42]RushNoah Webster wrote in his History of the United States: “[T]he genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament or the Christian religion.”[43]Benjamin Rush wrote in 1806: “Christianity is the only true and perfect religion, and that in proportion as mankind adopt its principles and obeys its precepts, they will be wise and happy.”[44]McHenryThe father of American Geography, Jedidiah Morse wrote: “To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoys.”[45]The Constitution of New Hampshire of June 2, 1784, stated: “[M]orality and piety, rightly grounded on evangelical principles, will give the best and greatest security to government, and will lay in the hearts of men the strongest obligations to due subjection.”[46]AdamsJames McHenry, signer of the Constitution said: “The Holy Scriptures…can alone secure to society, order and peace, and to our courts of justice and constitutions of government, purity, stability, and usefulness. In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions.”[47]The Father of the American Revolution, Samuel Adams, said that to transform our nation the people must simply “study and practice the exalted virtues of the Christian system.” “While the people are virtuous,” he said, “they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader….CarollIf virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security.”[48] He also stated: “Religion and good morals are the only solid foundations of public liberty and happiness.”[49]Charles Carroll, Signer of the Declaration, wrote: “Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion whose morality is so sublime and pure…are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.”[50]Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1809:The practice of morality being necessary for the well-being of society, He [God] has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the moral precepts of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in his discourses.[51]He also maintained that “The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty;…student’s perusal of the Sacred Volume will make us better citizens.”[52]In a book entitled American Political Writings during the Founding Era, Dr. Donald Lutz and Charles Hyneman collected 76 of the most representative pamphlets and essays written by our Founders. In these 76 essays, virtue is emphasized as vital over 300 times.[53]https://wallbuilders.com/chw/lessons/lesson-4-american-founding-federal-era-original/