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Four generations of Americans have now been taught that this nation was birthed out of ideas from many different cultures:  That America is the great ‘melting pot’ of ideas. While it is true America has descendants from many nations which make up her citizenry, the men who birthed this nation were very much alike in their basic view of life and the world.  The effort to hide from us their beliefs is designed to destroy the very liberty we cherish.

In 1843, Emma Willard, educator and historian, identified both the characteristics of the young republic of the United States and the reason for its emerging greatness.  Her words give us insight, which, if taught to our children, will protect God’s precious gifts to us of “life, liberty, and property”.  She wrote:

“The government of the United States is acknowledged by the wise and good of other nations, to be the most free, impartial, and righteous government of the world; but all agree, that for such a government to be sustained for many years, the principles of truth and righteousness, taught in the Holy Scriptures, must be practiced. The rulers must govern in the fear of God, and the people obey the laws.”

(1852.  Willard, Emma. 1843. Emma Willard, History of the United States. Rosalie J. Slater, Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History (San Francisco: Foundation for American Christian Education, 1980), p. 83. Stephen McDowell and Mark Beliles, “The Providential Perspective” (Charlottesville, VA: The Providence Foundation, P.O. Box 6759, Charlottesville, Va. 22906, January 1994), Vol. 9, No. 1, p. 3. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg’s Heart’N Home, Inc., 1991), 9.23.)

Since Emma Willard lived in the very next generation after America was founded, this statement, made in 1843, gives us great insight into the way our Founders thought.  She learned to think from teachers who were part of America’s Founding generation.  Her statement, recorded in her History of the United States, reveals not only the success of the young American republic, it also identifies the Bible as the source of the ideas, which had brought about that success.

Indeed the truth of the “Holy Scriptures” is the only means of lasting success. Nearly four thousand years ago God had told Joshua, the leader of Israel, how to be successful.  It’s recorded in the Bible:

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

(Joshua 1:8)

Only by knowing and obeying the teachings of the Bible will we walk in liberty as a nation.

And likewise the teachings of the Bible must be given the right to be heard in our schools and public places.  Chief Justice John Marshall, who served on our Supreme Court from 1801-1835, made this plain.  Remember, this is the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court in our Founding Father generation.  He said,

“The American population is entirely Christian, and with us Christianity and Religion are identified.  It would be strange indeed, if…our institutions did not presuppose Christianity, and did not often refer to it, and exhibit relations with it.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, Chief Justice Marshall has just said our institutions, like education and government, should often refer to Christian teachings and have good relations with the Christian religion.  If these ideas made America the greatest nation in world history, why is it that so many government servants, especially in Washington, are ridiculing those ideas?

Any doubt as to what ideas birthed America—and that those ideas are necessary to sustain it?  Shouldn’t our schools be teaching what the Bible says about God and man? Shouldn’t our government servants live by the morality taught in the Bible?  Shouldn’t they write, administrate, and judge law according to the teachings of the Bible?

Think about it; because if you don’t, someone else will do your thinking for you—and for your children! And you won’t like what that brings to you.  I’m Don Pinson; this has been Think About It.