Foundations of American Liberty and Independence

​Foundations of American Liberty and Independence:
​American Self-Government~Even a Child Understands This

Here is one of my favorite passages from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books as she retells the moment, one 4th of July, when she understands what it means to be American, a Christian, and free:

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Well, I remember a very special 4th of July celebration where we went dressed in our Sunday best, to town and listened as our mayor read the Declaration of Independence which Mary and I knew by heart already.  Suddenly, Pa started to sing and everyone joined in:

          My Country tis of thee
          Sweet land of liberty
          Of thee I sing
          Long may our land be bright
          With Freedom’s holy light
          Protect us by Thy might
          Great God our King!

The crowd was scattering away then, but I stood stock still.  Suddenly, I had a completely new thought.  The Declaration and the song came together in my mind and I thought:  God is America’s King.  I thought:  Americans won’t obey any king on earth.  Americans are free. That means they have to obey their consciences.  No king bosses Pa; he has to boss himself.  Why, I thought, when I’m a little older, Pa and Ma will stop telling me what to do, and there isn’t anyone else who has a right to gibe me orders.  I will have to make myself be good.  My whole mind seemed to be lighted up by that thought.  This is what it means to be free.  It means you have to be good.  Our father’s God, Author of Liberty, the Laws of Nature, and Nature’s God endow you with a right to life and liberty.  Then you have to keep the laws of God, for God’s law is the only thing that gives you a right to be free.
                                                                      Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
                                                                                                              Chapter 8, Fourth of July  

Foundations of American Liberty and Independence:
What Real Patriots Do

Our fathers built a nation based upon the premise that the self governing Christians will produce the finest society.  God bless them as they train their children in the ways of the Lord.  Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots unite their endeavors to renovate the age by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls and inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Diety, and universal philanthropy.  And in subordination to these great principles, the love of their country, of instructing them in the art of self government of societies, great or small.  In short, of leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system. 
                                                                                                                                  Samuel Adams
                                                                                                            First Continental Congress 
                                                                               Signer of the Declaration of Independence

Foundations of American Liberty and Independence:
Why Real Patriots Do What They Do

​It is to the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoy.  In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the corruption of its doctrines, or the neglect of its institutions; in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom . . . whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government, and all the blessings which flow from them, must fall with them.
                                                                              Dr. Jedediah Morse, Election Sermon, 1799

Foundations of American Liberty and Independence:
How to Restore That Which Has Been Lost When We Don't Do What We Ought to Do to Preserve the Republic

History matters to your future and that of your children and grandchildren. For excellent primary source documents regarding​ America's Christian History broken down into principles to govern and teach all ages how to secure American freedoms in a literate and civilized society, visit the resources at the Foundation for American Christian Education.

Visit the Pageant Wagon Publishing Bookshop and pick up your copy of Principles of Our Fathers by Dr. Ronald L. Bernier. Learn how to restore our foundations to the generations.

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