America's Sons and Daughters of Thunder Purified by Fire

By Harry Swanson

America's Founding Fathers left a strong impression with most Americans that they had intended their newly formed nation to be grounded in Christian principles. Many of the founders professed that their established government framework would only succeed under a moral Christian-based society. Some even favored having elected politicians that feared their own judgment day with the hope that it would deter them from temptations faced in political office. They desired the American people be of virtue and not just belonging to a certain favored church or religion.

Most of the founders favored the separation of church and state due to the potential for abuse of power. But they recognized both as being essential and desired each work together in tandem. At the same time, they recognized that if the society was to last, it needed to hold to a higher level of moral character.

Clearly, the founders considered themselves as Christians even if they kept it as a private personal matter. The founders brought their moral biblical views with them from Europe, which helped shape their thoughts and perspectives.

Many of the founders were considered deists, but regardless, they still played a major part in our nation's establishment. It's easy to make a case that Christianity had an extreme influence on the majority of the founders and, in turn, America's founding documents, government, and separation of powers. Documents such as individual state constitutions had often included many biblical texts. The founders also referred to themselves as Christians, mostly Protestants.

However, it's always best that you make up your own mind as to the founders' "Judeo-Christian" intentions for this nation.

This book provides a brief introductory summary on key individuals that preceded the early founders and had an influence on their thinking and character. They include Jesus Christ; His disciples (Apostle Paul); Columbus; Luther; Pocahontas; philosophers such as Blackstone, Locke, and Montesquieu; Christian preachers such as Whitfield, Edwards, the Wesleys, Asbury, and Finney; and Mayflower Pilgrims such as Bradford and Brewster, as well as God's Providence.

With that backdrop, the reader will then find brief summaries covering the lives of twenty-eight historic Americans, along with many of their most historic quotes. Each left their mark and had a measurable impact on the shaping of the United States of America.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798891308879

Book preview

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AmericaaEUR(tm)s Sons and Daughters of Thunder Purified by Fire

Harry Swanson

ISBN 979-8-89130-886-2 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89130-888-6 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-89130-887-9 (digital)

Copyright © 2024 by Harry Swanson

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

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www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE using the NEW IINTERNATIONAL VERSION R NIV R Copyright C 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission of Zondervan and Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.

The New International Version is a trademark registered in the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. The NIV, Biblica, International Bible Society, and the Biblica logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica Inc. Used with permission.

The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. tm.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

To my wife, Sue, whose support, timely assistance, and encouragement made this book possible.

And to my mom, whose support, timely assistance, and encouragement, along with her fruits of the spirit, made my life possible.

Preface

Editor's Notes

Introduction

Part 1 Sources of Christian Influence

Sources of Christian Influence

Chapter 1

Jesus Christ—Earthly Preexistence

Earthly Preexistence

Chapter 2

The Life of Jesus—Short Narrative

Short Narrative

Chapter 3

Ministry of Jesus Christ—Partial Scriptural Summary, Shroud of Turin

Partial Scriptural Summary

Taken from New International Version (NIV)1

Chapter 4

Disciples

Chapter 5

Apostle Paul

Chapter 6

Christopher Columbus (1451–1506)

Chapter 7

Martin Luther (1483–1546)

Chapter 8

Pocahontas (1596–1617)

Chapter 9

William Bradford—Mayflower (1590–1657)

Chapter 10

Elder (Chief) William Brewster—Mayflower

Chapter 11

Plymouth Colony

Chapter 12

Sir William Blackstone (1723–1780)

Chapter 13

John Locke (1632–1704)

Chapter 14

Baron Charles Montesquieu(1689–1755)

Chapter 15

First Great Awakening

Johnathan Edwards

George Whitefield

Charles Wesley

John Wesley

Chapter 16

Second Great Awakening (1795–1835)

Francis Asbury

Lyman Beecher

Charles Grandison Finney

Chapter 17

God's Providence

Part 2 America's Sons and Daughters of Thunder Purified by Fire

America's Sons and Daughters of Thunder Purified by Fire

Chapter 18

Abigail Adams (1744–1818)

Chapter 19

John Adams (1735–1826)

Chapter 20

John Quincy Adams (1767–1848)

Chapter 21

Samuel Adams (1722–1803)

Chapter 22

Frederick Douglass (1817–1895)

Chapter 23

William Floyd (1734–1821)

Chapter 24

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)

Chapter 25

Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885)

Chapter 26

Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804)

Chapter 27

William Henry Harrison (1773–1841)

Chapter 28

Patrick Henry (1736–1799)

Chapter 29

Andrew Jackson

1767–1845

Chapter 30

Thomas Jonathan Stonewall Jackson (1824–1863)

Chapter 31

John Jay (1745–1829)

Chapter 32

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)

Chapter 33

James Kent (1763–1847)

Chapter 34

James Armistead Lafayette (1760–1830)

Chapter 35

Robert Edward Lee

1807–1870

Chapter 36

Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)

Chapter 37

James Madison (1751–1836)

Chapter 38

James Otis (1725–1783)

Chapter 39

Thomas Paine (1737–1809)

Chapter 40

Benjamin Rush (1746–1813)

Chapter 41

Roger Sherman (1721–1793)

Chapter 42

George Washington (1732–1799)

Chapter 43

Martha Washington (1731–1802)

Chapter 44

Daniel Webster (1782–1852)

Chapter 45

Noah Webster (1758–1843)

Chapter 46

Quotes, Words, and Actions

Notes

Referred Works

About the Author

To my wife, Sue, whose support, timely assistance, and encouragement made this book possible.

And to my mom, whose support, timely assistance, and encouragement, along with her fruits of the spirit, made my life possible.

Preface

There's certainly no shortage of courageous and decisive leaders to be found among the early settlers and founders of America during its formative years. Their Christian religion has always been seen as deeply rooted in their beliefs. Today, most Americans still consider the United States to be a Christian nation—in part because of what's revealed in preserved letters, speeches, and documents from these historic individuals. But is that belief really correct? If you were to accept that they were true Christians, then where did this influence come from and to what degree?

Did their inspiration come solely from divine guidance, their biblical understandings, or committed religious faith as found evident in such writings as the Declaration of Independence, various state constitutions, and so forth. We know they often included scriptures in their speeches and writings regardless if they were, or were not, true Christians or just deists. According to studies, the majority of their quotes are directly or indirectly found in Scriptures.

Perhaps it was their acceptance of faith in Jesus Christ and His teachings that had occurred over 1,700 years earlier, as is recorded in the gospels. Additionally, there are the letters written by His disciples or that of the Apostle Paul as found in the Bible.

Then there's the potential impact of the religious faith found in the Mayflower settlers of 1620, such as William Brewster and William Bradford. We know that the Pilgrims were willing to risk all to escape religious persecution with the hope of finding religious freedom in America. The Pilgrims, followed by the Puritans, were called of God to build a ‘city set on a hill' (Matt. 5:14), to create a new Zion in New England's wilderness.¹ As revealed in the Mayflower Compact, the Pilgrims committed themselves to a new governance based on biblical truths and conformity. They saw their future venture as a spiritual mission being guided by the hand of God. The signatories to the Mayflower Compact affirmed that they had embarked on their voyage ‘for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith.'² Many on board believed they were to be a part of establishing a new Israel, creating a new world that would exist without the fear of religious persecution along with the freedoms to choose.

You can't dismiss the impact of religious leaders such as Martin Luther, the German priest and religious reformer who led the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. Or the great spiritual revival that swept North America, referred to as the First Great Awakening, that included powerful preachers such as George Whitefield, John Edwards, Charles Wesley, and his brother John Wesley. And there was the Second Great Awakening, offering names like Francis Asbury, Lyman Beecher, and Charles G. Finney.

Or disregard the writings of great European philosophers such as William Blackstone, John Locke, or Charles Montesquieu. Perhaps they held a fear of their own individual judgment in the next life? Maybe they believed that Christianity offered all the necessary character traits that would hold people to a higher level of morals and ethics? Or perhaps it was a combination of all the above and much more, including their years spent in England living under a king's rule.

The purpose of this book is to better prepare the reader to be able to make up their own mind as to the early founders' belief in Judeo-Christian principles. To be able to measure the impact of Christianity on early America, it's probably best to first understand who the founders looked up to and were influenced by. Therefore, brief summary introductions are offered in part 1 for some of those key influential sources of Christianity for the reader's consideration and understanding.

This understanding will provide the reader with a better frame of reference and perspective when reading about some of America's Sons and Daughters of Thunder—Purified by Fire, as summarized in part 2. These short summaries will include many of their most important accomplishments, along with some of their more famous quotes. We know the founders were a diverse group with different beliefs and backgrounds. They were not pleased with governments being led by a king's rule. We know they wanted to retain full control of their individual rights, liberty, justice, and equality for all. They also fought to protect religious freedom from government control or sponsorship. Apparently, life in England taught them many lessons as well.

But were they all Christians, and did they intend America to be a Christian nation? Hopefully, upon completion of part 2, you will have a better understanding of their personal pledge to Christianity and some of the biblical principles that this nation was originally founded on.

Editor's Notes

All the scriptural passages offered are from the New International Version of the Bible, which is the most popular today and is found to be easier to read by many. While it is easier to read and understand in today's English, it is not believed to lose any of its original meaning or interpretation. Due to the change in sentence structure from King James to the New International, there may be a few inconsistencies as found from the original King James edition. This occasionally meant an older and more outdated word was originally used. Also, the use of capital letters is different at times.

Introduction

America's Sons and Daughters of Thunder

Purified by Fire

America's early founders left an impression with most Americans that they intended their newly formed nation be grounded on Christian principles. Many of the Founders professed that the government framework that they just established, would only succeed under a moral Christian-based society. They even favored choosing politicians that feared their own, judgment day with the hope it would deter the temptations they would face in political office. They desired to have people of virtue and good character and not just those belonging to a certain religion.

According to a 2015 survey conducted by CNN, Most adults (60 percent) say the founders of the United States originally intended for it to be a Christian nation. A third say the US is currently a Christian nation. And more than four in ten Americans (45 percent) say the country should be a Christian nation.¹ With some, a Christian nation is defined very differently than with others. How do you measure it? Is it more about individual behavior and morals or government structure and laws based on biblical teachings or perhaps some combination of both? Also, is the determination based on a need for strict reliance on Scripture and gospel teachings or simply a general guide to be occasionally applied as needed? You could also ask yourself this question: Was the newly established national government framework meant to be based on secular or biblical principles? Additionally, were the individual state's framework and laws meant to be more reliant on Scriptures than that of the national level?

Church and State

Most of the founders made clear that they strongly favored the separation of church and state due to the potential for abuse and the formation of one government endorsing one religion. They saw both church and state as being essential but with the need for both to work in tandem. At the same time, they recognized the need for society to hold to a higher level of moral character that would one day report to their Creator.

Clearly, the founders considered themselves as Christians even if it was a private personal matter.

The Heritage Foundation writes, One possibility is simply that the founders identified themselves as Christians. Clearly, they did. In 1776, every European American, with the exception of about 2,500 Jews, identified himself or herself as a Christian. Moreover, approximately 98 percent of the colonists were Protestants, with the remaining 1.9 percent being Roman Catholics.²

The founders brought their moral biblical views with them from Europe, which helped shaped their thoughts and perspectives here. They were very hospitable to Christianity and all religions.

Many of the founders were considered deists, but regardless, they still played a role in our nation's establishment. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, deist is known as a belief in God based on reason rather than revelation or the teaching of any specific religion. Additionally, it's a movement or system of thought advocating natural religion, emphasizing morality, and in the eighteenth century, denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe.

The true Christians understood that following the Scriptures for all its many benefits was one thing, but salvation by way of the cross was something else. You could be morally convicted in one and not believing in the other. It's not easy to determine for sure how many of the founders were true born-again Christians or just respectfully influenced by its teachings. Only God knows the answer to that question.

It's easy to make the case that Christianity had an extreme influence on the majority of the founders and, in turn, America's founding documents and government structure, including its separation of powers. Just look to early colonial laws and constitutions such as the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, and Massachusetts Body of Liberties that are filled with such language—and in some cases, they incorporate biblical texts wholesale.³ They referred to themselves as Christians and America as being established under godly direction. Massachusetts governor John Winthrop called America a shining city upon a hill,⁴ a reference to Matthew 5:14.

Judeo-Christian Intentions

It's probably best that you make up your own mind as to the founders' Christian intentions for this young nation. In part 1 (covering chapters 1–17), you'll find brief introductory summary accounts of those individuals that the founders turned to, studied, and looked up to for guidance and direction. I define those early founders as those who stood up, took a stance, held their ground, and paid a price for what they believed. They could also be called sons and daughters of thunder. Some of those individuals include the following:

Jesus Christ, His disciples, and the Apostle Paul

Philosophers: Blackstone, Locke, and Montesquieu

Christian preachers: Luther, Edwards, the Wesleys, Whitefield, Asbury, and Finney

Mayflowers: Bradford, Brewster

Acts of Providence

With that brief basis of understanding, it's now possible to better grasp the mindset of where the founders were coming from.

Studies Have Shown

The Holy Bible was found to have directly contributed to 34 percent of all quotes by the Founding Fathers. This was discovered after reviewing fifteen thousand items from the Founding Fathers (including newspaper articles)… The other main sources that the Founders quoted include: Montesquieu, Blackstone, Locke…who they themselves took 60 percent of their quotes from the Bible.⁵

In part 2 (covering chapters 18–46), you'll find briefly written summary accounts for twenty-eight historic American founders in alphabetical order that include names such as Adams, Douglass, Franklin, Grant, Hamilton, Henry, Jefferson, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Paine, Rush, Washington, Webster, and more.

We will start with Christianity's namesake, Jesus Christ, summarized in three ways as follows:

Chapter 1. His preexistence to his earthly life

Chapter 2. Short narrative of His earthly life

Chapter 3. Partial scriptural summary of His ministry

Part 1 Sources of Christian Influence

Chapters 1–17

Sources of Christian Influence

Chapter 1

Jesus Christ—Earthly Preexistence

Earthly Preexistence

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ existed in the heavens long before his existence here on earth. Jesus is referred to as the Word in the New Testament, in the Gospel of John. He was with God from the very beginning and He was God. Jesus is considered the second part of the Holy Trinity of God, which includes the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The teachings on this concept are drawn from scriptures found throughout the Old and New Testament as included in the Bible. Christian theology holds firm to Christ's preexistence as part of the Trinity prior to taking on human form and dying on the cross for the sins of all who believe. It was Christ's understanding of our souls' lost state, combined with His divine nature, that demanded His earthly sacrifice. Jesus Christ is Christianity, the Son of God, and the Savior of humanity according to the Holy Scriptures.

We find several Bible verses that support Jesus Christ's pre-earthly existence by way of scripture (New International Version):¹

Very truly I tell you, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I am! (John 8:58)

And now, Father, glorify me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began. (John 17:5)

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17)

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1–2)

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said, Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17–18)

Chapter 2

The Life of Jesus—Short Narrative

Short Narrative

Birth (Approximately 4–6 BC)

It's believed that Jesus was born around the time frame of 4–6 BC. The Bible teaches that the conception was by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and that Mary, Jesus's birth mother, is a virgin. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to reveal this. An angel would also appear to Joseph in a dream to do the same. According to scriptures, Jesus was born in a manger to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, which is located about six miles from Jerusalem. They had been traveling to Bethlehem to register for a census by the decree of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus. Rome ruled the area at that time.

Upon the birth of Jesus, shepherds were notified by an angel that Christ the Lord was born this day in the city of David. The shepherds traveled immediately and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby in the manager as foretold. Jesus would be circumcised as in Jewish tradition. Also within Jewish tradition, Jesus was presented at the temple at one month of age. Today, the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated worldwide on December 25 as Christmas Day (reference: Luke 1:26–38, Matthew 1:18–25, Luke 2:8–20, Luke 2:21–38).

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus Flee to Egypt (4 BC)

Wise men had arrived in Jerusalem from the East and were searching for an infant born as the King of the Jews. They had seen a star in the East and wished to find and worship the child.

King Herod was troubled by this news. He inquired of the Jewish elders where this Christ was to be born. They replied, Bethlehem. Herod then summoned the wise men to ascertain the time this star appeared. Herod instructs the wise men to notify him at once when they locate the infant.

The wise men would find the baby Jesus and offer their worship and gifts. However, being warned in a dream not to return to King Herod, they return home using another route.

Upon learning this, Herod becomes furious and orders the death of all infant boys in Bethlehem from age two and under. Being warned by an angel in a dream, Joseph and Mary flee to Egypt due to this order by King Herod (reference: Matthew 2:1–15).

Return to Nazareth from Egypt (4 BC)

After the death of King Herod, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus return home to Nazareth after being warned by an angel in a dream to rise and go to Israel. But upon learning that Archelaus had replaced his father, King Herod,