In 1973, The University of Houston, Political Science Department released the results of a ten year study, revealing the sources our Founding Fathers used most frequently in forming our present system of government.
From the pool of nearly 15,000 documents from our founding period, the researchers selected 3,154documents they considered most significant to our Founding Fathers.
The research revealed, our Founding Fathers quoted heavily from three intellectuals, Montesquieu, Blackstone and Locke.
The most interesting conclusion from the researchwas, our Founding Fathers were more dependent upon the Bible than they were on these three intellectuals.
The Bible was quoted 4 times more than Montesquieu, 16 times more than Blackstone or Locke. Ninety-four percent of the quotes of the Founding Fathers were based on the Word of God.
Thirty-four percent of those quotes were direct from Scripture and the remaining 60% were taken from quotes where they had used the Bible to arrive at their conclusions.
The Book quoted most often by the Founding Fathers was Deuteronomy. The great theme of Deuteronomy is “Love and Obey.”
So explicit was the Word of God in the lives of men in this nation’s early years, Charles Finney, the Billy Graham of the 1800’s, came to Jesus Christ by reading “Blackstone’s Commentaries on Law.” Blackstone unashamedly used Scripture, referring to chapter and verse for every principle of law he cited.
Blackstone's Commentary on Law, introduced in 1757, became the law textbook for lawyers for 160 years till 1917, and the Supreme Court quoted from it to settle cases.
The Tax Exemption for Churches the Founding Fathers got from Ezra 7:24 “Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, or servants of this house of God.”
The three branches of government are based on Isaiah 33:22 “For the LORD is our Judge(Judicial), The LORD is our Lawgiver(Legislative), The LORD is our King (Executive); He will save us,” and the separation of powers is based on the Book of Jeremiah.
The Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly asked that a portion of Leviticus 25:10 be used as the inscription on the Liberty Bell!
On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve a complete separation from Great Britain.
On July 4, the early draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Four days later, July 08, 1776, members of Congress took that document and read it aloud from the steps of Independence Hall, proclaiming it to the city of Philadelphia, after which the Liberty Bell rang.
The inscription around the top of the bell, again,Leviticus 25:10 "...proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants."
John Adams wrote to his wife in a letter about the day America declared her independence. He wrote, "This day will be the most memorable time in the history of America. ...it will be celebrated by succeeding generations...The general principles the Fathers achieved in independence were the general principles of Christianity."
I pray we return to God as a nation, by turning away from so many wicked and evil practices we see in our culture.
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
JLB
From the pool of nearly 15,000 documents from our founding period, the researchers selected 3,154documents they considered most significant to our Founding Fathers.
The research revealed, our Founding Fathers quoted heavily from three intellectuals, Montesquieu, Blackstone and Locke.
The most interesting conclusion from the researchwas, our Founding Fathers were more dependent upon the Bible than they were on these three intellectuals.
The Bible was quoted 4 times more than Montesquieu, 16 times more than Blackstone or Locke. Ninety-four percent of the quotes of the Founding Fathers were based on the Word of God.
Thirty-four percent of those quotes were direct from Scripture and the remaining 60% were taken from quotes where they had used the Bible to arrive at their conclusions.
The Book quoted most often by the Founding Fathers was Deuteronomy. The great theme of Deuteronomy is “Love and Obey.”
So explicit was the Word of God in the lives of men in this nation’s early years, Charles Finney, the Billy Graham of the 1800’s, came to Jesus Christ by reading “Blackstone’s Commentaries on Law.” Blackstone unashamedly used Scripture, referring to chapter and verse for every principle of law he cited.
Blackstone's Commentary on Law, introduced in 1757, became the law textbook for lawyers for 160 years till 1917, and the Supreme Court quoted from it to settle cases.
The Tax Exemption for Churches the Founding Fathers got from Ezra 7:24 “Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, or servants of this house of God.”
The three branches of government are based on Isaiah 33:22 “For the LORD is our Judge(Judicial), The LORD is our Lawgiver(Legislative), The LORD is our King (Executive); He will save us,” and the separation of powers is based on the Book of Jeremiah.
The Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly asked that a portion of Leviticus 25:10 be used as the inscription on the Liberty Bell!
On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve a complete separation from Great Britain.
On July 4, the early draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Four days later, July 08, 1776, members of Congress took that document and read it aloud from the steps of Independence Hall, proclaiming it to the city of Philadelphia, after which the Liberty Bell rang.
The inscription around the top of the bell, again,Leviticus 25:10 "...proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants."
John Adams wrote to his wife in a letter about the day America declared her independence. He wrote, "This day will be the most memorable time in the history of America. ...it will be celebrated by succeeding generations...The general principles the Fathers achieved in independence were the general principles of Christianity."
I pray we return to God as a nation, by turning away from so many wicked and evil practices we see in our culture.
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
JLB
