USA is no longer a Christian nation
What has happened to our Independence and freedoms??Can we learn from history?
If praised Hillary got 55 million votes in 2016, how did hidden, mentally challenged Biden get 81 million votes?
1-13-OT-- Habakkuk in the Amplified Version ETRSFed
(logically formatted by Bill Stevenson)
****How can you modernize these Old Testament prophecies in relation to the political civil war in the USA?
Chapter 1
1 The burden or oracle (the thing to be lifted up) which Habakkuk the Prophet saw.
2 “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help and You will not hear?
Or cry out to You of violence and You will not save?
3 Why do You show me iniquity and wrong,
and Yourself look upon or cause me to see perverseness and trouble?
For destruction and violence are before me;
and there is strife, and contention arises.
4 Therefore the Law is slackened and justice and a righteous sentence never go forth,
for the [hostility of the] wicked surrounds the [uncompromisingly] righteous;
therefore justice goes forth perverted.”
5 “Look around you, Habakkuk”, replied The LORD”, among the nations and see!
And be astonished! Astounded!
For I am putting into effect a work in your days [such] that you would not believe it if it were told you.
6 For behold, I am rousing up the Chaldeans,
that bitter and impetuous nation who march through the breadth of the Earth
to take possession of dwelling places that do not belong to them.
7 [The Chaldeans] are terrible and dreadful;
their justice and dignity proceed [only] from themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards and are fiercer than the evening wolves,
and their horsemen spread themselves and press on proudly;
yes, their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle that hastens to devour.
9 They all come for violence; their faces turn eagerly forward,
and they gather prisoners together like sand.
10 They scoff at kings, and rulers are a derision to them;
they ridicule every stronghold, for they heap up dust [for earth mounds] and take it.
11 Then they sweep by like a wind and pass on,
and they load themselves with guilt, [as do all men] whose own power is their god.
12 “Are not You from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die. O LORD,
You have appointed the Chaldean to execute Your judgment,
and You, O Rock, have established him for chastisement and correction.
13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil and can not look [inactively] upon injustice.
Why then do You look upon the plunderer?
Why are you silent when the wicked one destroys him who is more righteous than the Chaldean oppressor?
14 Why do You make men like the fish of the sea,
like reptiles and creeping things that have no ruler [and are defenseless against their foes]?
15 The Chaldean brings all of them up with his hook;
he catches and drags them out with his net,
he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is in high spirits.
16 Therefore he sacrifices [offerings] to his net and burns incense to his dragnet,
because from them he lives luxuriously and his food is plentiful and rich.
17 Shall he therefore continue to empty his net
and mercilessly go on slaying the nations forever?”
Context of the Declaration of Independence
Mayflower Compact
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony.
It was written by the male passengers of the Mayflower, consisting of separatist Puritans, adventurers, and tradesmen.
The Puritans were fleeing from religious persecution by King James of England.
The Mayflower Compact was signed aboard ship on November 11, 1620.
They used the Julian Calendar, also known as Old Style dates, which was ten days behind the Gregorian Calendar.
Signing the covenant were 41 of the ship's 101 passengers [1][2]
while the Mayflower was anchored in Provincetown Harbor within the hook at the northern tip of Cape Cod. [3]
Reasons for the Compact
The Mayflower was originally bound for the Colony of Virginia, financed by the Company of Merchant Adventurers of London.
Storms forced them to anchor at the hook of Cape Cod in Massachusetts,
however, as it was unwise to continue with provisions running short.
This inspired some of the non-Puritan passengers (whom the Puritans referred to as "Strangers")
to proclaim that they "would use their own liberty;
for none had power to command them" since they would not be settling in the agreed-upon Virginia territory. [4]
To prevent this, the Pilgrims determined to establish their own government,
while still affirming their allegiance to the Crown of England.
Thus, the Mayflower Compact was based simultaneously upon
a majoritarian model
and the settlers' allegiance to the king.
It was in essence a social contract in which the settlers consented to follow the community's rules and regulations
for the sake of order and survival. [5]
The Pilgrims had lived for some years in Leiden, a city in the Dutch Republic.
Historian Nathaniel Philbrick states,
"Just as a spiritual covenant had marked the beginning of their congregation in Leiden,
a civil covenant would provide the basis for a secular government in America." [6]
Bradford's transcription of the Compact
The original document has been lost, [7] but three versions exist from the 17th century: printed in Mourt's Relation (1622), [8] [9]
which was reprinted in Purchas his Pilgrimes (1625); [10]
hand-written by William Bradford in his journal Of Plimoth Plantation (1646); [11]
and printed by Bradford's nephew Nathaniel Morton in New-Englands Memorial (1669). [7]
The three versions differ slightly in wording and significantly in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. [9]
William Bradford wrote the first part of Mourt's Relation, including its version of the compact,
so he wrote two of the three versions.
The wording of those two versions is indeed quite similar, unlike that of Morton.
Bradford's handwritten manuscript is kept in a vault at the State Library of Massachusetts.[12]
Modern version
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN.
We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James,
by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.
Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith,
and the Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage
to plant the first Colony in the northern Parts of Virginia;
Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another,
covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick,
for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid:
And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame,
such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Officers,
from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony;
unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience.
IN WITNESS whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the eleventh of November,
in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth,
and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini; 1620. [13]
Signers
The document was signed under the Old Style Julian calendar, since England did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752.
The Gregorian date would be November 21.
A list of 41 male passengers who signed the document was supplied by Bradford's nephew Nathaniel Morton
in his 1669 New England's Memorial.
Thomas Prince first numbered the names in his 1736 A Chronological History of New-England in the form of Annals. [1]
The original document has been lost, so Morton is the sole source for the signers.
He probably had access to the original document,
but he could not have known the actual order in which it was signed simply by inspecting it.
Morton's arrangement of names might not have been the arrangement on the original document,
and the names on the original may not have been arranged in any orderly fashion.
Prince's numbers are based solely on Morton, as he himself stated. [7]
Morton's list of names was unnumbered and untitled in all six editions (1669–1855),
although their order changed with successive editions.
In his original 1669 edition, the names were placed on two successive pages
forming six short columns, three per page. [7]
In subsequent editions, these six short columns were combined into three long columns on a single page
in two different ways, producing two different orders in unnumbered lists of signers.
The second (1721) and third (1772) editions changed the order of the first edition
by combining the first and fourth columns into the first long column, and similarly for the other columns.
The fifth (1826) and sixth (1855) editions returned the names to their original first edition order
by combining the first and second short columns into the first long column,
and similarly for the other columns.
Prince numbered the names in their original 1669 Morton order.
He added titles (Mr. or Capt.) to 11 names that were given those titles by William Bradford
in the list of passengers at the end of his manuscript. [1][11]
No colonies or subsequent states were irreligious. Prior to and following July 4, 1776, all English patents, charters, and subsequent state constitutions bore allegiance to the Christian faith. The first charter granted by King James I was issued on April 10, 1606 to the Virginia Company—in large part—for the purpose of “propagating the Christian religion.” Upon breaking with England, American “states” were forced to construct new constitutions or, like Connecticut, continue under a governing document from the colonial era—which in the case of Connecticut was shaped by Rev. Thomas Hooker. On September 28, 1776, Benjamin Franklin—as president of Pennsylvania’s constitutional convention—signed that state’s first constitution which legislated a Christian test for members of Pennsylvania’s assembly: “And each member, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, … [namely] : ‘I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the Universe, the Rewarder of the good and the Punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration.'”[2] —and Pennsylvania was only one of two colonies that never had a state church!
Congress was not irreligious. From June 1775, to August 1784, the Continental and Confederation Congresses issued sixteen spiritual proclamations calling upon the states to invite citizens to days of fasting, prayer, and thanksgiving. George Washington ensured the spiritual proclamations of Congress were observed by his troops. Most Americans will be startled to realize Thomas Jefferson acted in cooperation with Patrick Henry and others to introduce such spiritual proclamations in his home state of Virginia on June 1, 1774.[3] Any Sunday school class will be deeply benefited by a study of these sixteen Congressional proclamations which were heavily ladened with Christian theology.
The most influential ideas were not irreligious. King George III referred to the American Revolution as a “black-robe” rebellion because of the black clerical attire worn by many pastors. Nothing could be more descriptive of the influence the Christian clergy wielded over the rise and progress of the American Revolution. In his book, Seedtime of the Republic,[4] distinguished scholar, Clinton Rossiter, identified six leading voices of the Revolution, four of which were Christian ministers. And, after studying thousands of original sources from the founding era, political science Professor, Donald Lutz (in The Origins of American Constitutionalism)[5] , demonstrated that the Bible was the single greatest source for the ideas and ideals that gave rise to the American Republic. In fact, the ideas of the Declaration of Independence were first advocated by prominent ministers such as Thomas Hooker and John Wise.
Thomas Jefferson was not irreligious—and was certainly not a Deist! In a brief article titled, “Notes on Religion,” written in October 1776, Jefferson summarized his views on the Christian faith. What was his view concerning the origin of the Bible? As he states, he believed “the [human] writers were inspired” by God, and for this reason, the Bible possessed authority concerning “the fundamentals of Xty[Christianity].” Because the following excerpt was written only three or four months after Jefferson had acted as the chief penman of the Declaration of Independence, the first of America’s four most important legal documents was written by a Christian layman in support of orthodox Christian teaching. This means that as the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson held a high view of Scripture—higher than what is often presently held by many liberal and “evangelical” pastors throughout America and many parts of the world. It is also worth noting that he believed Jesus Christ was “our Savior” and the teaching of the Apostles’ Creed contained “all things necessary to salvation.”[6] Mr. Jefferson also planted a “Reformed” church near his home in Virginia. It is true that following his wife’s death (1782), he was eventually influenced by what came to be known as Unitarianism, but as primary author of the Declaration of Independence, there is every evidence he was an orthodox Christian.
The Declaration of Independence was not irreligious. In the first two paragraphs of the Declaration, Mr. Jefferson, asserted that both the rights of nations and individuals were derived from a religious foundation. The right “of the thirteen united States of America” to exist “among the powers of the earth” was dependent upon “the Laws of Nature and…Nature’s God” who established those laws. Further, Mr. Jefferson also posited individual human rights upon a religious source: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” That any judge should be permitted to deny students the right to study the Founding Fathers’ understanding of the source of human government via the “Creator” should be an impeachable offense.
Most Americans are unaware that the first two individuals to sign the Declaration of Independence after Congress had approved it were the son and grandson of Christian ministers and a Bible scholar. The third president of Congress was Peyton Randolph, who had served as the First President of Congress the previous year.[7] As in the case of the First Continental Congress, Mr. Randolph was called away from this office by extenuating personal circumstances, having only served from May 10 to May 23, 1775. By unanimous consent of Congress, John Hancock was chosen to succeed Randolph to the presidency, serving his first term in that office from May 24 to October 31, 1777.[8] Like Randolph, Hancock also served a second term as President of Congress from November 23, 1785 to June 5, 1786.
Americans have remembered John Hancock as the first signer of the Declaration of Independence—a right duly reserved for him as President of Congress. However, secular attempts to remove the awareness of America’s Christian origin have successfully removed a little-known fact about this wealthy patriot. John Hancock was the son and grandson of Christian ministers.[9] Given this little-known biographical fact, it is entirely appropriate that the son and grandson of Christian ministers should be the first to sign a congressional request to all the Colonies represented in Congress calling for a day of fasting and prayer. Less than three weeks after assuming the presidency of Congress, John Hancock was the first to sign such a proclamation. The second and last person to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 was the secretary of Congress, Charles Thomson. To further refute the notion that America’s Founding Fathers were secular or irreligious, some insight into the relationship that Thomas Jefferson sustained to Charles Thomson will prove instructive.
In a letter to Thomson, Jefferson asked to assist him in the publication of one of the first Bibles to be printed in America—still commonly known as the “Thomson Bible.” It was a four-volume Bible titled, The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Covenant, Commonly Called the Old and New Testament: Translated from the Greek.[10] Thomson had held the office of Secretary of the Congress from the inception of the Continental Congress to the formation of the new government under the Constitution—that is, from 1774 to 1789. In addition to his political contributions to America’s independence and his “Thompson Bible,” he also penned an important theological works such as, A Regular History of the Conception, Birth, Doctrine, Miracles, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ.[11] In his January 11, 1808 letter, Jefferson asked to contribute financially to the publication of Thomson’s Bible: My dear and antient [old] Friend,—I see by the newspapers your translation of the Septuagint is now to be printed, and I write this to pray to be admitted as a subscriber….I have learnt from time to time with great satisfaction that you retain your health, spirits and activity of mind and body…. God bless you and give you years and health to your own wishes. Remember me respectfully to Mrs. Thomson and accept yourself my affectionate salutation.[12]
The gap between the republican form of government of America’s Founding Fathers and irreligious Marxist socialism cannot be bridged. The Founding Fathers believed that the rights of governments and individuals were God given and were irrevocable. Socialists, on the other hand believe, rights are ultimately granted by the government and may be revoked at the whim of government. Despite the fact that America has not always lived up to the standards of its Christian origin, its record as the world’s oldest republic speaks volumes over the here-today, gone-tomorrow governments of irreligious socialism.
In Congress, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands
which have connected them with another
and to assume among the powers of the Earth, the separate and equal station
to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them,
a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires
that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the Right of the People
to alter or to abolish it,
and to institute new Government,
laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form,
as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate
that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;
and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer,
while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism,
it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government,
and to provide new Guards for their future security. —
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies;
and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations,
all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.
To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world:
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance,
unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained;
and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people,
unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature,
a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places
unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records,
for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly,
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for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected,
whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation,
have returned to the People at large for their exercise;
the State remaining in the mean time exposed to
all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States;
for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners;
refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither,
and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice
by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for
the tenure of their offices,
and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices,
and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution,
and unacknowledged by our laws;
giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders
which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the World:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province,
establishing therein an Arbitrary government,
and enlarging its Boundaries
so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument
for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws
and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures,
and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here,
by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns,
and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries
to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny,
already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy
scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages,
and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas
to bear Arms against their Country,
to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us,
and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers,
the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare,
is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms:
Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.
A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant,
is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren.
We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us.
We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here.
We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity,
and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations,
which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence.
They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity.
We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation,
and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress,
Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions,
do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies,
solemnly publish and declare,
That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States,
that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown,
and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved;
and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to
levy War,
conclude Peace,
contract Alliances,
establish Commerce,
and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. —
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,
we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
The Sacrifices Made by the Men Who Signed the Declaration
Mike Sabo / @MESabo86 / July 01, 2016
The signers’ mutual pledge to themselves to sacrifice their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for the cause of independence shows that these men took seriously their duties to the people of the new nation.
Commentary By
Mike Sabo, formerly a research assistant for the B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics at The Heritage Foundation, is the editor of Real Clear Public Affairs: American Civics.
When reading the Declaration of Independence, it is easy to focus only on the sweeping language of the second paragraph and skip over the names and mutual pledge of the signers at its conclusion. Though the principles enunciated in its opening paragraphs, such as the self-evident truth that all men are created equal, provide the moral and philosophical foundation on which the American regime rests, it is important to acknowledge that declaring principles alone secures nothing. Principles need to be enforced by individuals who have the habits of character necessary to fight for them, and perhaps even die for them, if need be. In a time where talk of rights dominates our political discourse, a focus on duties is indispensable in order to teach citizens the responsibilities they owe toward each other and their posterity. The signers’ mutual pledge to themselves to sacrifice their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for the cause of independence shows that these men took seriously their duties to the people of the new nation.
A look at the historical record will show this to be beyond dispute. Of the 56 men who signed the declaration, 12 fought in battles as members of state militias, five were captured and imprisoned during the Revolutionary War, 17 lost property as a result of British raids, and five lost their fortunes in helping fund the Continental Army and state militias battle the redcoats.
Below we will explore the sacrifices the signers made on behalf of the American cause.
Thomas Heyward Jr., Edward Rutledge, and Arthur Middleton
Thomas Heyward Jr. of South Carolina was a signer of both the declaration and the Articles of Confederation. Heyward drew the ire of the British when, as a circuit court judge, he presided over the trial of several loyalists who were found guilty of treason. The prisoners were summarily executed in full view of British troops. In 1779, he joined the South Carolina militia as a captain of artillery. Heyward’s compatriot in the South Carolina delegation, Edward Rutledge, also served in the state militia. At age 26, Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. After returning home from attending the Second Continental Congress in 1777, he joined the militia as captain of an artillery battalion.
Both Heyward and Rutledge aided their country in the battle at Port Royal Island, where they helped Gen. Moultrie defeat British Maj. William Gardiner and his troops.
Arthur Middleton, the last of the South Carolina delegation who served in the militia, took up arms against the British during the siege of Charleston in 1780. His fellow signers, Heyward and Rutledge, fought in that battle as well.
Upon the surrender of Charleston, all three men were captured by the British and were sent to a prison in St. Augustine, Florida, which was reserved for people the British thought were particularly dangerous. They were held there for almost a year before being released. On route to Philadelphia for a prisoner exchange in July 1781, Heyward almost drowned. He survived his fall overboard by clinging to the ship’s rudder until he could be rescued.
During the British occupation of Charleston, Commandant Nisbet Balfour ordered the seizure of many estates in Charleston, including those owned by Heyward and Middleton.
During his imprisonment, Heyward’s wife died at home, and his estate and property were heavily damaged. Rutledge’s estate was left intact, but his family had to sell many of their belongings in order to make the trip to Philadelphia to reunite with him after his release. Middleton’s estate was left relatively untouched, but his collection of rare paintings was destroyed during the British occupation of his home.
Thomas Nelson Jr.
Thomas Nelson Jr. of the Commonwealth of Virginia was appointed to the position of brigadier general and commander-in-chief of the Virginia militia by Gov. Patrick Henry in August 1777. At that time it was thought that the British would be making a full scale invasion of the state. Nelson was able to muster only a few hundred men to defend Virginia, but the British instead decided to attack Philadelphia.
Nelson inherited a vast family fortune, much of which he used to support the American effort. He personally paid for the return journey home of 70 troops he had led to meet the British in Philadelphia during the summer of 1778. In the spring of 1780, Nelson signed his name to a loan for $2 million that was needed to purchase provisions for the French fleet that was coming to America’s aid in the war. As then-governor of Virginia, during the Battle of Yorktown he ordered American troops to fire upon his mansion, which had been commandeered by Gen. Cornwallis and his men.
Richard Stockton
A member of the New Jersey delegation, Richard Stockton, had his estate commandeered by the British for use as a headquarters. As they left, British troops burned all his personal effects—including his library, private papers, furniture, and clothes.
Though Stockton was in hiding at the time, he ultimately did not escape capture; a traitor led the British to his position in November 1776. He was held captive in Amboy, New Jersey, and was then sent to New York City where he was imprisoned in a jail reserved for common criminals. Incensed by his treatment, Congress worked with British Gen. William Howe to obtain his release.
George Walton
Because of his small build and stature, George Walton was thought to be the youngest of the signers of the declaration (he was actually in his mid-30s). He hailed from Georgia and served as colonel in the first regiment of the state militia in 1778. During the siege of Savannah, a cannonball broke Walton’s leg, which led to his being captured. He was held captive for nine months and was released in the early fall of 1779 in a prisoner exchange for a British navy captain. At the same time Walton was held prisoner, his wife Dorothy was captured by the British. She was imprisoned on an island in the West Indies and was eventually freed after a prisoner exchange. During the Waltons’ confinement, the British ransacked their home.
George Clymer
British troops destroyed the home of George Clymer of Pennsylvania in September 1777 when they captured Philadelphia. Though his home was outside of the city, it was right in the middle of the path of the British march. American loyalists pointed out to the British homes belonging to patriots, which of course included Clymer’s estate.Clymer also contributed to the war monetarily. He converted his entire fortune into continental currency, a risky move considering the likelihood that the currency would be rendered worthless. He also told wealthy friends to contribute to the American cause.
Robert Morris
A delegate from Pennsylvania, Robert Morris helped insure Washington’s victory at Yorktown by using his own credit to obtain the supplies necessary to defeat the British. He spent more than $1 million (not adjusted for inflation) of his own money to accomplish this. While serving as superintendent of finance of the United States, Morris regularly used his own financial resources to obtain much needed supplies. Using his own funds, for example, he purchased one thousand barrels of flour for Washington’s men in late spring of 1778.
Lewis Morris
Lewis Morris of New York served as a major general in the state militia. Morris devoted himself to recruiting men to serve in the militia and to help keep supplies up, which was a constant problem. For almost the entire length of the war, the British occupied his home, Morrisania, and used it as their headquarters. This forced Morris to live off of his close friends and associates until the war ended in 1783.
John Hancock
John Hancock of Massachusetts, the man with the largest signature on the declaration, served in the militia as major general in 1778. Hancock was put in command of approximately 6,000 men during the Rhode Island campaign. That campaign was ultimately unsuccessful because the French failed to carry out their end of the bargain.
Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney served in the Delaware militia as well, attaining the rank of brigadier general. Rodney famously road on horseback straight from Dover to Philadelphia to cast his vote in favor of declaring independence (the Delaware delegation was split). He was with his men in the field during the brutal winter of 1776, helped quash an uprising in Delaware (there were a large number of loyalists within the state), and helped in George Washington’s effort to defend Philadelphia from being taken by the British.
Carter Braxton
Carter Braxton of the Virginia delegation accumulated massive personal debts helping the American effort in the war. He loaned 10,000 pounds sterling to Congress, which was never repaid. He also spent much of his wealth outfitting American ships so that they could carry more cargo. Due to the British capturing some of his vessels and others being lost out on the high seas, he suffered great financial calamity. These accumulated losses left him bankrupt by war’s end.
Oliver Wolcott
A delegate from Connecticut, Oliver Wolcott served as captain and then major general in the state militia. In 1776, he was appointed to lead 14 regiments in defense of New York City. He also commanded thousands of men in the Battle of Saratoga. Wolcott worked tirelessly to recruit for the Connecticut militia, which, like the army in general, was sorely lacking in numbers within its ranks.
William Whipple
William Whipple of New Hampshire served as brigadier general in the state militia. He fought against Gen. Burgoyne at the battles of Stillwater and Saratoga (commonly pointed to as the turning point for Americans in the war) in 1777. The following year, Whipple participated in the retaking of Rhode Island.
Thomas McKean
Thomas McKean of Delaware served as colonel in the Delaware state militia. Once McKean was appointed to the office of President of Delaware in 1777, he was targeted by the British (the British captured John McKinley, the previous president). He had to move his family on five occasions because of raids by both the British and local Indian tribes.
Francis Lewis
Francis Lewis of New York signed the declaration on August 2, 1776. Although he was present when independence was declared a month earlier, the New York delegation did not get permission from the state’s legislature to sign the document. A few months after affixing his signature on the declaration, British troops destroyed the Long Island estate of Lewis. They took Lewis’ wife and put her in prison where she was tortured on a regular basis. Under the direction of George Washington, she was finally returned in a prisoner exchange two years later.
Benjamin Franklin
Known as the sage of Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest of the signers of the declaration. Prior to setting sail for France in late 1776 to ask the French for assistance in the war, Franklin gave his entire fortune to Congress to help fund the war.
John Hart
Hessian mercenaries plundered signer John Hart’s 400-acre farm outside of Hopewell, New Jersey. Prior to his farm being captured, Hart was forced to leave his family because of advancing British troops. During his absence, his wife died, and his children were sent to live with neighbors.
William Ellery
The estate of William Ellery of Delaware was burned down during the British occupation of Newport, Rhode Island. Ellery served in the Second Continental Congress until the British left Newport, which they held for three years. He returned home in order to salvage what was left of his property.
Joseph Hewes
With his fortunes built on trade, Joseph Hewes of North Carolina was a vigorous proponent of the decision of the First Continental Congress to cut off all imports and exports with the British. This of course had the effect of drying up his wealth. Interestingly, Hewes also renounced his Quaker religion in order to support the war.
James Smith
A delegate from Pennsylvania, James Smith served in the Pennsylvania militia as captain, colonel, and then as brigadier general. He was one of the first to raise men for the possibility of defending his home state, a duty he took up beginning as early as 1774.
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison of Virginia, whose son and grandson both served as U.S. presidents, complained in a letter to Gov. William Livingston of New Jersey that his debts had accumulated substantially because of the “ravages” and “plunderings” of the British.
William Floyd
While William Floyd of New York served as a delegate in the Second Continental Congress, the British sacked his estate, forcing his family to flee. Though they made it safely to Connecticut, his family was left without a home for the duration of the war.
William Hooper
William Hooper of North Carolina outlasted British raiders who were looking to capture him and his family. In 1782, he and his family fled Wilmington after it fell to the British. Though much of his property was destroyed, he and his family were reunited at the conclusion of the war.
Lyman Hall
The British destroyed the home and plantation of Lyman Hall of Georgia. Luckily, his family escaped before the British arrived and moved up North to be with him.
USA was a Christian nation-- https://app.box.com/s/s6daabfhl9s3or9y4ykbdfe0y47snasa
Foundational Documents of the Genesis of the United States of America logically indent formatted:
Educational statue about the establishment of liberty in the USA--
miscellaneous secular quotations in ETRLF-- https://app.box.com/s/zf9ilm46hb5q4l98hyrocysgwnrh6dnm
***Good advice for USA-- https://app.box.com/s/xm6yr7lt3gct7nhysmfp
For returning back to basic true Christianity,
Bible lover Bill
Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:4-8, and Jude 20-25
https://www.facebook.com/BibleloverBill daily ministry for God
***Interesting Spiritual Acronyms-- 5th edition-- https://app.box.com/s/27gmvfgpeumpwvcbbmmcers3f0w4tm9n
Very Important Teachings in John 13-17-- ETRS (7 pgs.)--
Grace by God and by humans-- https://app.box.com/s/xchte8tn4hnloqei25dixcbysu2jtc6j
Justification towards Glorification (2) -- ETRSF (11 pgs.)--
Proper Doctrine and Teaching—ETRSF-- https://app.box.com/s/ukf6i7gjm13ih09yp42ocsu1s9az0ngf
Thesis about Basic Christianity in ETRSF (51 pgs.)-- https://app.box.com/s/ria23t09749axe4qku4hj86xnzevl7qt
Psalm 119 in ETRSF with questions-- https://app.box.com/s/dkjiwpsq5jekm7l5ckjqedncj6zpo54u
Proof of Jesus Christ being the Word-- https://app.box.com/s/zg366bol3yh9t9a35w2a2a8p2a6p5w2k
***My free Bible books study tools-- https://app.box.com/s/eclmahly4b5g4vsy2wcmsgz1utxhpqyz
***Word Studies-- https://app.box.com/s/z6gyg00kwnslxwy6ikxi2ki5gi3sjv2q
a.) God and His love and related to Him-- ttps://app.box.com/s/mkvvtg47cyuvwpiprssfesunm71990dl
b.) Salvation and onward-- https://app.box.com/s/guvlxp6tygfpufa9ykwfngscfohvv79f
c.) Sanctification-- https://app.box.com/s/xwh54jlvcazvtw8ejqf9gul6bk1xrvqn
Time usage exhortations and advice-- ETRSF-- https://app.box.com/s/y475dheh5wtoh9breg55c58g90h1eulu
Bible Study About Testing, Examining, and Questioning-- ETRSF (13 pgs.)--
Church attending-- https://app.box.com/s/n20bqjscs6n0207zkwen4nnmj09uu27y
Filled with the Holy Spirit results-- ETRSF (14 pgs.).doc’–
Bible study tool for proper unity -- https://app.box.com/s/2b4uzzre2ti2f7btzl1ztotpffhabmct
a lot of places of other good free information-- https://app.box.com/s/sylk2vec1wc9dusotpaa1v16x5mhrwwq
Note: The "1--" and "2--" items are what I considered the best.
new e-mail address: [email protected]
News Reporter at Richmond Free Press
1 年It neverr was. Do you have to keep sprreading lies?
Student at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
3 年William I disagree. There are many of us devout Christians who like myself put my Christian service to work every day of my life.
Shawn Broadnax, the CTO of Church Everywhere Technologies, Inc., is a visionary leader dedicated to revolutionizing how churches integrate and leverage cutting-edge audiovisual technology to enhance worship experiences.
3 年USA was never a Christian nation.