Jewells of Thought

My heritage includes slices of German, Irish and Indian Cherokee for sure on one side, maybe both. American and Biblical History are both interwoven into the fabric of not only my Family Heritage but as to our Country’s foundation as well. Comments come and go with the wind, but our Founders have written down the conception of this nation in ink as well as their own blood. Let us not stop short of knowing what our Founding Fathers began with… yes, you and me, in mind.

Yes, our Founding Fathers owned slaves, but there is more to that kernel of truth than meets the eye. The rest of that story, as Paul Harvey would say, is just as important to not. These men were not soulless, illiterate, mean-spirited, task-masters. Clearly history gives us a lens to look back and say this or that was wrong. The crucial piece of learning history, however, is how we use what we have found and allow those results to create a better future. Changing history simply because it hurts does not change the facts.

These men were preachers, some doctors, businessmen, and so forth and were more well-rounded men of their day. The Bible in their day was an educational tool for these men; they knew the Bible and its precepts well. Although many of them would not have considered themselves ‘church people’. They did believe in church principles and most importantly; Christ.

So who are our Founding Fathers? Could you list five names right now?

Our American progenitors are many! Some gave their all in battle and some signed significant parchments. They all had a vision for this beautiful, magnificent Country. I sometimes catch myself wondering… if what we have ultimately would live up to their ideas nearly two and a half centuries ago.

Do you know the mentionable names who were signatories of the Declaration of Independence? I will give you a freebie. The man whose signature is most recognizable was John Hancock. A man who as President of the Continental Congress, proposed a highly esteemed title and job to a humble and well-respected General George Washington. John Hancock’s outrageous size of his name begat his intense feelings of the British and their intolerant ideals. This deed in consequence, gave him the biggest target on his back, from the King of England himself. The King’s soldiers had specific orders to hunt him down personally.

Our Founding Fathers were mentioned in a message by our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge. He gave this oratory and named the speech ‘The Destiny of America’. Here are some excerpts of that speech in 1926.

“If there be a destiny, it is of no avail to us unless we work with it. The ways of Providence will be of no advantage to us unless we proceed in the same direction. If we perceive a destiny in America, if we believe that Providence has been our guide, our own success, our own salvation requires that we should act and serve in harmony and obedience.

Settlers came here from mixed motives, some for pillage and adventure, some for trade and refuge, but those who have set their imperishable mark upon our institutions came from far higher motives. Generally defined, they were seeking a broader freedom. They were intent upon establishing a Christian commonwealth in accordance to the principle of self-government.

They were an inspired body of men. It has been said that God sifted the nations that He might send choice grain into the wilderness. They had a genius for organized society on the foundations of piety, righteousness, liberty, and obedience to law. They brought with them the accumulated wisdom and experience of the ages… Who can fail to see in it the hand of destiny? Who can doubt that it has been guided by a Divine Providence?

Look in Genesis to this ancient man named Nimrod. In chapter 10 we have him recorded as being a descendant of Noah. What is emphasized the most… was his keen hunting skills. The dictionary even says the non-capitalized ‘nimrod’ means hunter, so what would the hunter be capturing? Reading through the research, I found out that this Grandson of Ham, preyed on predominantly… people. This man lived in Cush south of Egypt; possibly Ethiopia. All of this points to Nimrod being the first ever recorded slave trader.

Slavery was established in Biblical times, not in the modern era of America. Nimrod forged the first empire based on the existence of slavery, not to mention the Egyptians, and the infamous Romans; only to name a couple. The color of their skin didn’t seem to matter to any of these captors. So in 1776, men of substance, fortitude and a keen sense of the moment…free men of fiery passion purposely put slavery among the important topics on their agenda. The war only put it on the back burner until the right person could bring it back to the slavery the way it needed to be done.

The American Colonies were inhabited by many Europeans wanting a home in which to practice their religion. A home where compulsory service to a delusional monarchy line that could change to the whims of the wind would be less likely to happen. This is why the American Colonies had Christian roots and that is why stopping slavery was on the agenda in the first place. When Abraham Lincoln became the President, the country was still yet to be a century old after Independence was gained. American people thought it was important that they did not wait for hundreds of years. Policy had been enacted less than a hundred years after our country’s birth. What more could have happened if President Lincoln had lived…

There were 360,000 Union soldiers who died so slavery could be demolished. This figure seems to be outdated, historians now say the numbers should be increased by 20%. This would make total Civil War deaths at least 750,000. Even so, this number should speak volumes and it says that Americans wanted this ancient offensive crime done away with forever. Anything worth fighting for usually happens in small steps with occasional lunges in between.

The witnesses of our American Story reside within the generations of Patriots who know their American lineage. Will you take the time to learn the accounts of men and women from this monumental time of our nations’ birth? We owe a debt of gratitude to those whose signature was an actual death warrant in order to create the United States of America, our Home!