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Text: "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, ’Doth not your master pay tribute?’ He saith, ‘Yes.’ And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying ‘What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?’
"Peter saith unto Him, ‘Of strangers.’ Jesus saith unto him, ‘Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast in a hook and take up the fish that first cometh and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.’" (Matt. 17:24-27)
LOVELACE, "The method of keeping the people in order is severity and laying such taxes as shall give them liberty for no thought but how to discharge them." (1690)
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS: "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." (1821)
SAMUEL ADAMS- On September 27, 1722, Samuel Adams was born. He became a fervent Calvinist in the Congregational Church, and a strict Sabbatarian. Every morning and evening his house was a house of prayer. He was a poor man and was censured for "wanting wisdom to estimate riches at their just value."
He invented the caucus and for his master’s degree he wrote a thesis in which he contended for the lawfulness of assisting Supreme Court magistrates if the Commonwealth could not otherwise be preserved. The Stamp Act caused him great concern and he organized the first American protest against the parliamentary right of taxation. He stated as his reasons--
Those unexpected proceedings may be preparatory to more extensive taxation, for if our trade may be taxed, why not our lands and everything we possess? If taxes are laid upon us in any shape without our having a legal representation where they are laid, are we not reduced from the character of free subjects to the miserable state of tributary slaves?
Samuel Adams was unquestionably responsible for the Boston Tea Party on the night of December 17, 1773. In 1775, he and John Hancock, a Baptist, were the only patriots exempted from amnesty. General Gage’s attempt to seize them brought about the Battle of Lexington and the American "Revolution."
It was Samuel Adams who pushed for the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Constitution, but the latter only after long hesitancy and the promise that a "bill of Right" would be added.
JONATHAN MAYHEW - Consider Jonathan Mayhew who confessed, "I adore Him who is
before all time. He lucidly argued "Tyranny is no government" and declared "The Gospel permits resistance.... I am clear on this point, that no people are under a religious obligation to be slaves, if they are able to set themselves at liberty."
Such sentiments were expressed by many. The Philadelphia Press wrote, "None in this day of liberty will say that duty binds us to yield obedience to any man or body ...when they exceed the limits prescribed by that (the British) Constitution." Presbyterians in Philadelphia responded, "Our Mother should remember we are children and not slaves;" and George Bancroft relates how Calvinists in the North revolted saying, "What portion have we in David? What inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Now see to thine own house, David!"
It was precisely on account of such sentiments that John Quincy Adams declared "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."
Anglicans in New York preached loyalty to the king as the Lord’s anointed. Even George Whitefield speaking in Portsmouth, New Hampshire lamented "My heart bleeds for America. O poor New England, there is a deep-laid plot against both your civil and religious liberties; and they will be lost: Your golden days are at an end."
JUST VERSUS UNJUST TAXATION
At the heart of the controversy was the issue of just vs. unjust taxation. The Swedes and Finns along the Southern shores of the Delaware River had been roused to resistance when in 1669, Lovelace arroganced "The method of keeping the people in order is severity and laying such taxes as may give them liberty for no thought but how to discharge them."
One hundred years later, Lord Coke confessed, "It is against Magna Carta and against the franchises of the land for freemen to be taxed but by their own consent...." While Coke maintained that an act of Parliament against common law is void, William Pitt argued, "Lawyers are not to be regarded in questions of liberty."
Three hundred years after Lord Lovelace, Americans are fighting the same battle: does government have the right to tax people without their consent? And, does government have the right to levy taxes without taxpayers having legal representation where their tax "monies" are laid?
Today, Americans are taxed to promote blasphemy, sodomy, and murder. Americans – both Christian and non-Christian, once pledged "(their) lives, (their) fortunes, and (their) sacred honor" for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This is the secret of America’s greatness then, and explains why America is great no longer.
We are not sending our son to college so that he can make "good" money: that is not the purpose for education. We send him that he may become a better and a more useful man.
11, 1792 --Vermont. Mr. Caleb Blood declares, "A wise magistrate will set a constant guard over the words of his mouth...and have all his language such as shall tend to prevent others from an uncivil, profane way of treating their fellow-citizens. A magistrate who is rough and profane in his language is a monstrous character. He is not civil himself, and we cannot expect but that the practice at least will do hurt in the community. He is not a gentleman; for any person of sense knows that a rough, profane way of treating mankind better fits the character of a clown than of a gentleman."
12, 1492 --The Bahamas. Christopher Columbus kneels on a wooded island, and planting the flag of Leon and Castille, and the banner of the cross, names it "San Salvador", or "Holy Saviour." He thus dedicates the New World to civil and ecclesiastical rule.
In the only book he wrote, Book of Prophecy, he confesses, "I am a most unworthy sinner, but I have cried out to the Lord for grace and mercy, and they have covered me completely. I have found the sweetest consolation since I made it my whole purpose to enjoy His marvelous presence...."
He conducted vespers at sundown aboard ship in which he offered prayers and expounded the Scriptures, and led his men in the recitation of the Apostle’s Creed. (Note: Apparently, the Encyclopedia Britannica does not think this important.)
13, 1719 --Massachusetts. Mr. Samuel Sewell wrote in his Diary, "Governor Dudley visits me in his chariot; speaks to me in behalf of Col. William Dudley, that I would give him leave that he might visit my daughter Judith. I said ‘Twas a weighty matter; I would consider of it..."
19,1781 --Virginia. At Yorktown, British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered his army of 7,247 regular soldiers and 840 sailors to General George Washington. When letters were sent to Congress announcing the capitulation of the British, its members marched in procession to the Dutch Lutheran Church to return thanks to Almighty God.
24,1821 --New Jersey. At Burlington, Elias Boudinot dies. He was the representative of the state of New Jersey to the Continental Congress of 1778-1779 and again in 1781-1784. In 1782 he was elected President of that Congress. He was Director of the United States Mint between 1795-1805, and was the first President of the American Bible Society.
30,1799 --Pennsylvania. William Balch is appointed the first Navy chaplain in the United States. (Note: Today, chaplains are being referred to as "moral counselors" and have been instructed not to use the word "God" in their discussions on morality.)
WE HAVE FORSAKEN THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS.
(You need "Of Whom The World Was Not Worthy" --3 vols. $45)
NOTE:
"The rivers of America will run with blood before we will submit to them taking the Bible out of our schools." (Billy Sunday)
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Once in the land of US, there lived a people called WE. WE became a wonderful people, governed by a Great King called THE LORD. He gave US such good laws and government until WE became the envy of all the world and WE had prosperity unlike anything anywhere. But alas, WE became unthankful and vain, lazy and proud, and THE LORD brought in a fierce and terrible unseen enemy with a great mouth called THEY.
THEY told everywhere that WE lost our promises and furthermore there was nothing WE could do about it. This was so devastating that WE became overrun by other enemies. And THEY paraded throughout their land telling monstrous tales until WE had no hope at all of being free again.
Among US, though, was a small child called I who had heard what THEY had said, but I remembered the covenant with THE LORD. "If my people which are called by My Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Thus I refused to hearken to the intimidating lies THEY told although I was the subject of much mockery and ridicule. And although WE laughed and said there was nothing I could do either, because THEY were stronger than THE LORD, yet I believed God and His promises.
I thus insisted and petitioned THE LORD earnestly and He said that I could turn His heart because of the repentance and reformation, and how glad I was. And because of this remembrance and repentance, I was made into a new people and given a great heart and such courage that I thanked THE LORD for a good memory. THEY were driven out and defeated utterly and I led WE the people in a prayer meeting of thanksgiving to THE LORD.
-submitted by Mrs. June Griffin, Evensville, Tennessee-
*The format for "The Angelus" is owing to the kindness of Pastor Wade Trimmer of Grace Baptist Fellowship and Pastor Dr. William Owens of Crawford Ave Baptist Church.
May the Lord be gracious to them. Thank you, brethren.