Shoulder To Shoulder #1255 -- 9/6/21 ---- "The Tale of Two Systems" (Pt 11 -- System Two and Its Origin: The Founders' Other Primary Resources -- Pt 6)
Posted by: lifeunlimited1010 <lifeunlimited1010@...>
We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement
Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics
selected to motivate people to be strong students of the Word
and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ.
It is a personal letter of encouragement to you, written solely
to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world
will not be destroyed by those who do evil,
but by those who watch them without doing anything."
-- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind
of Christianity in this day,
which many have, and think they have -- a cheap
Christianity
which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice, which
costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” –
J. C. Ryle
"Now
these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica,
for they received the word with great eagerness, examining
the
Scriptures daily to see whether these things were
so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
Shoulder To Shoulder #1255 -- 9/6/21
Title: "The Tale of Two Systems" (Pt 11 -- System Two and
Its Origin: The Founders' Other Primary Resources -- Pt 6)
My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Seeker:
(NOTE: Once again horrible internet connection has seriously delayed my
letter.)
Well, it is another beautiful sunny day in the White Mountains,
but Fall is in the air without a doubt. Yesterday Jo Ann and I
took a couple hours off to go to one of our favorite places --
The Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Refuge between Eager and
Nutrioso. While the wildflowers are not as plentiful and bright
as some seasons in the past, -- don't know if we're too early,
too late, or the recent rains beat them down -- but the drive
was awesome, as always. It was nice to see our Christian
friend, Su Small, one of the volunteer couples who manage the
facility each season for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
The Refuge is a former 1,300+ acre ranch and features all kinds
of birds, an abundance of hummingbirds (with an annual
festival), elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, picnic areas,
hiking trails, the original homestead, and the ancient Rudd
Creek Pueblo ruins that were occupied in the early 13th Century.
Once again we had wonderful services Sunday even though our
attendance remained far below normal seasons. In spite of that,
we had first-timers once again (every Sunday but one this
season), and probably had the largest single offering in the
Chapel's 27-year history. Continuing the series, "Longing
For Times of Refreshing", I preached my 13th sermon of the
season, "Restoring The Guard To Your Heart", based on I
Thes 5:23; Phil 4:6-7; and Prov 4:23. During these crucial
days, it is imperative that we guard our minds, emotions, and
actions from all that dirties, dissuades, or destroys our
affections, attitudes, and actions. John was absolutely right
when he told us .
"Do not love the world nor the things in the
world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is
not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life,
is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is
passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the
will of God lives forever." (I John 2:15-17)
POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE:
Grant me a personal privilege if you will. Our youngest
daughter, Deanna Reynolds, has been riding in MS150
fundraisers throughout the Midwest, making eleven rides
in 10 years. This will be her 12th. Now in her upper
50's, she rides in honor of our second daughter (Debbie
Martinez), our granddaughter (Rachel Bartlemay), our
Niece (Kathy Nortensen), and Nephew and wife (Bryan
andSherri Breslow Hacke). This year she is riding in
the Kansas City MS150 (Olathe to Topeka and back) on
September 25th and 26th with a goal of raising $5,130.
She is already $3,000 in reaching her goal. If you'd
like to do a favor for Jo Ann and
me by helping her
reach her goal, go to the following link to donate.
<img alt="No
photo description available." class="gmail-ji94ytn4 gmail-r9f5tntg gmail-d2edcug0 gmail-r0294ipz" src="https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/120350440_10207247179375061_7855987001403489982_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=09cbfe&_nc_ohc=DReaqgyfL_8AX8R8rWF&tn=ObSH5XwJM6on9jEt&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.xx&oh=de475e14a06d20ba2bcb6fc7203ff397&oe=61595FA6" width="256" height="256"> <img alt="Deanna's Fundraiser for Bike MS: Kansas
City 2021" class="gmail-i09qtzwb gmail-n7fi1qx3 gmail-datstx6m gmail-pmk7jnqg gmail-j9ispegn gmail-kr520xx4 gmail-k4urcfbm gmail-bixrwtb6" src="https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/c0.0.1384.722a/s843x403/152318908_10207726750244033_5607528956454927942_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=7367bb&_nc_ohc=BAhY7tktoBkAX_opGWU&tn=ObSH5XwJM6on9jEt&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.xx&oh=2b96e2ba5b3f86d85026427b465cc910&oe=61569ED0" width="485" height="252">
The second pic is from the 2015 ride with her sister
(Debbie, L) and Debbie's daughter (Rachel, R). Last
year she was 74th out of several hundred riders in fund
raising. This year she is currently 20th, hoping to
climb even higher. Regardless of whether or not you
donate, please pray for her safety and success as well
as all other participants. Remember -- that's September
25th and 26th. If you'd like to see the route she'll be
taking, go to
https://mssociety.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1787&eventID=596#active-accordion-tab-2
for route options. I'm not sure which she'll do, but
she usually does the longest and most difficult. If she
does, her total miles will be about 165 miles. If
you're anywhere near the route she'll be riding and
would like to give her a send-off, cheer her on, or
celebrate at the finish line, get in touch with her. I
know she'd appreciate it. And so would the rest of us.
In my preparation and research for today's letter about
the Black Robe Regiment and the role of pastors in the
founding of our nation, I have become more convinced
than ever that the true behind-the-scenes (and sometimes
not so behind-the-scenes) driving force was the sound of
the pulpit. John Adams must have felt the same way
because he declared that, ". . . the pulpits have
thundered . . ." He identified ministers as
being among “the most conspicuous, the most ardent,
and influential” voices throughout the colonies
in the “awakening of and a revival of American
principles and feelings.". It's nice to know that
I'm not alone in my belief regarding the major influence
that preachers had in the creation of our nation.
This series has doubtless been much too long for many of
those who read my letters, but in light of the
precarious position we are in as a country these days --
teetering on the precipice of losing it all -- I believe
one of the better ways to help us turn around is to look
back at what we have, how we got it, and how easy it is
to lose it. I have known for many years that it was the
First Great Awakening itself that provided the primary
motivation leading up to our declaring Independence.
And, I have also known for a long time that pastors were
crucial players in that motivation and subsequent
process.
So, even though you may be tiring of my little journey
into the past, I want to pursue the issue still further
today, and will do that right after you peruse . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ 10 Ways To Pray For Afghanistan: I
found the following on my Facebook page this morning
from one of my Facebook friends. If you are more than
angered and disgusted, but instead are burdened and
heartbroken over what has happened in Afghanistan, then
this is a site you'll want to visit if possible -- and
pray! It gives you ten specific ways in which to
pray. Go to https://www.facebook.com/?sk=h_chr .
+ Bible-Based Nature Series: VidAngel,
the production company that produced "The Chosen" series
is now producing a Bible-based nature series that
focuses on God being the Creator of all things and man
being the most special creation of all with a divine
purpose. You may want to keep your eye out for this
series. For more information, go to
https://invest.angel.com/riot?start_video=A3BfU2SrVbQ&autoplay=1&utm_source=12&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=blaze&oid=1&_ef_transaction_id=b952ac44b7984e958a496fbc13779857&affid=7
.
+ Six Planes and Passengers Held Hostage By
Talaban: News has finally been released as
to the status of the six planes unable to fly out of
Afghanistan with about 1,000 people wanting to leave
Afghanistan. They are chartered by Glen Beck's "Mercury
One" charity foundation. Read the details at
https://www.theblaze.com/news/glenn-beck-taliban-hostage-planes?utm_source=theblaze-breaking&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210907Trending-NazareneFundTaliban&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Breaking%20News
.
+ Global Persecution of Christians:
+ Archaeological Discovery In Jerusalem Fits
Earthquake Reference: Recent excavations in
Jerusalem have uncovered evidence of a great earthquake
about 2,800 years ago that seem to allign with the
earthquake mentioned by Amos and Zechariah that took
place during the reign of Uzziah. Read the article at
https://patternsofevidence.com/2021/09/03/evidence-of-biblical-earthquake-found-in-jerusalem/?utm_campaign=Thinker%20Update-Friday%20-%20New%20Evidence%20for%202%2C800-Year-Old%20Biblical%20Earthquake%20Found%20in%20Jerusalem%20%28Rj3t92%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Email%20List%20-%20All%20-%2090%20day%20engaged&_kx=MQD2bDKvMzlz_YSnMMN_NhVFmswuxE9TakcEwSPaaIs%3D.WEfJdA
.
+ "I Can Be Good Without God": Recently
Harvard University appointed an avowed atheist as the
head of its chaplains, a far cry from Harvard's origin
when founded by Christians for the purpose of providing
a Christian education to the people of Massachusetts.
He claims he can be good without God. Immediately three
questions came to mind. 1. How can one be "good
without God" when the Bible tells us that "God is
Good."? 2. How good does one have to be good in order
to be good without God and satisfy the requirements of
good? 3. Is it possible that one's definition of
"good" is quite different from God's definition, and is
that difference of any significance? Go to
https://americanvision.org/posts/atheist-chaplain-claims-he-can-be-good-without-god/?_kx=161Y0xuoeggozDLdpyIX5KUhcVgNDMsCL9aMPSzvSvA%3D.Psh6Fs
to read the article.
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> “There are only
two kinds of races, those who
believe in God and those who
don’t!” -- John Wise
(1652-1725)
> “The people made
the laws, and the churches
made the people.” --
David Gregg, early
American history author (In
referring to the role of pastors
and religion in politic)
> “The ministers of
the Revolution were, like
their Puritan predecessors,
bold and fearless in the cause
of their country. No class of
men contributed more to carry
forward the Revolution and to
achieve our independence than
did the ministers . . . By
their prayers, patriotic
sermons, and services [they]
rendered the highest
assistance to the civil
government, the army, and the
country.” -- B.F. Morris, (1864)
> "The
general
principles on
which the
fathers
achieved
independence
were the
general
principles of
Christianity.
I will avow
that I then
believed, and
now believe,
that those
general
principles of
Christianity
are as eternal
and immutable
as the
existence and
attributes of
God." --
John Adams (Signer
of Declaration
of
Independence,
Second
President of
U.S.)
> "In
the chain of
human events,
the birthday
of the nation
is
indissolubly
linked with
the birthday
of the Savior.
The
Declaration of
Independence
laid the
cornerstone of
human
government
upon the first
precepts of
Christianity."
-- John
Quincy Adams
> "[Governments]
could not give
the rights
essential to
happiness… We
claim them
from a higher
source: from
the King of
kings, and
Lord of all
the earth."
-- John
Dickenson
(Rev. War.
General,
Member of
Continental
Congress,
Signer of U.S.
Constitution)
A QUICK RECAP:
When you
overlay
secular
anthropology's
history with
that of the
Bible, you
soon discover
that one
historical
record tends
to complete
the other.
Combined, they
reveal the
presence of
two
fundamental
systems of law
and governance
-- one with
multiple gods
(polytheism)
and the other
with the God
of the Bible
(monotheism).
From those two
systems
inevitably
emerge two
polar
opposites of
moral values
that shape the
social profile
of humanity
and ultimately
impact the
form of
government
that will be
chosen..
So far
in this series we've
compared those two
basic systems of
government --
dictatorial (by
whatever name you want
to call it) and
democratic. We looked
at how the former
generally seems to
have come from either
polytheistic or
atheistic religious
beliefs and the latter
from Judeo-Christian
beliefs. We
enumerated some of the
ancient law codes of
Mesopotamia (Sumerian
culture)
that were the sources
to which differing
ideologies went to
shape subsequent forms
of governance.
We then examined the
introduction of the
biblical records of
God's laws as
articulated first
through Moses and then
through Jesus. We
considered how the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
quickly migrated in
less than five years
to northern Europe and
how, through Christian
leaders like St.
Patrick, Venerable
Bede, and others
impacted kings of the
area, many of whom
created new and fresh
documents of law and
governance. We noted
that these early
Christian-based laws
strongly influenced
the noblemen who rose
up against the King of
England with their
demands penned in "The
Great Charter", the
Magna Carta. We
clearly saw the
influence of Christian
thought within its
laws.
Then we examined how
the Magna Carta (the
primary model for our
Constitution) was
formed from past
western and northern
European law codes
derived from the
Judeo-Christian
teachings of the
Bible. We also looked
at a number of
philosophers and legal
scholars who saw those
law codes as being
entirely logical,
rational, and
trustworthy -- people
like Montesquieu,
Locke, Blackstone, and
others. Finally,
we've been looking the
past few letters at
the roles that
religious leaders
played in the shaping
of colonial values
that were so often
contradictory to those
of the British Crown.
I pointed out several
who played an
especially influential
role in shaping the
thinking of our
founders --
particularly
Whitefield, Tennent,
Edwards, and Davies.
Then in my last letter
we looked a few of the
clergymen who were
actually engaged in
the struggle for
independence itself
during the early
stages of the American
Revolution itself --
people like Davies,
Langdon, Duche',
Clark, Houghton, and
Gano. There are
others that must be
noted before we wind
down the series.
In researching today's
letter, I did a little
digging into the role
that Congregational
pastor John Wise
actually had. I
mentioned previously
that Wise was
apparently one of the
earliest voices in
opposition to British
burdensome tyranny,
preaching about
taxation without
representation as
early as 1687, some 80
years before the
colonies were on the
verge of declaring
independence. Then I
recalled some of the
statements made by
founders about the
significance of Wise'
writings and sermons.
To my astonishment, I
found an abundance of
evidence that Wise'
impact on the founders
was preponderant, and
of far greater import
than most of us would
realize. It is
evident that John Wise
was a major "player"
on many fronts of the
fight for
independence, so much
so that I want to
devote this entire
letter to his life.
His story of
"patriotic preaching"
and its biblical
influence on America's
found is impressive to
say the least. Some
would even say it was
"breathtaking". You
might say that Wise
may actually have been
. . .
THE MAN WHO STARTED IT -- JOHN WISE:
I am personally convinced that the early
American clergy were the primary influences
to both moral and political thought during
colonial days. It was by their teaching of
the Bible and its principles, that the
typical colonial thinking was shaped. For
example, Yale Professor Harry Stout wrote, .
. .
“The average weekly church-goer in
New England (and there were far more
church-goers than church members) listened
to something like seven thousand sermons
in a lifetime, totaling somewhere around
fifteen thousand hours of concentrated
listening.” (The New England Soul:
Preaching and Religious Culture in
Colonial New England, 1986)
While the most famous Black Robe Regiment
pastors were probably men like Peter
Muhlenberg of Woodstock, VA, George
Whitefield of England, and others about whom
I've already written, Rev. John Wise may
well have been the singular character who
took the first step in confronting the
abuses of the King. To borrow the title of
a book about missionaries who lost their
lives, Wise was almost certainly, "The tip
of the spear" in advancing the colonists
toward independence, bringing with them
sound, just, and reasonable principles of
governing.
As I noted in earlier letters, it appears
that Wise was the first pastor to address
some of the many infringements that the
British Crown was making upon what the
colonist clergy felt were personal and
religious freedoms. Few people actually
know that the foundational concepts of
freedom from which Jefferson drew in penning
the Declaration of Independence came from
the pulpit and pen of John Wise decades
before the War of Independence. Think about
the time span -- a man writing in the 1670's
impacting a document crafted in 1776!
Numerous historians have called Wise,
rightly so, "The Father of American
Independence", particularly because
the first paragraph of the Declaration of
Independence references the primary things
he addressed as early as 1687. While
I am far from being an authority on Wise --
or any other Revolutionary patriot, for that
matter, -- I see four primary influences
that sculpted John Wise into probably the
most influential voice in the colonies prior
to those of Whitefield, Edwards, and
Tennent. ---- First his birth and humble
background; second, his deep and rich
theological training; t hird, an experience
at the beginning of his first pastorate;
and fourth, the revocation of Massachusetts
Bay Colony's Charter. I think you will see
that as we look at his life.
Humble Beginnings:
Wise was actually born in Roxbury, MA, in
1652, attended the Roxbury Latin School in
West Roxbury, and graduated from Harvard
College (University) in 1673. He was the
first son of an indentured servant to
graduate from Harvard and became an
impressive preacher and forceful writer. He
married Abigail Gardner, with whom they had
seven children. An 1887 issue of The
New England Magazine contained an
article written by a J. M. Mackaye. The
Magazine published only 48 issues during its
short lifetime between 1831 and 1835, but
included contributors such as Nathaniel
Langdon Frothingham, Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.,
Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edward Everett, and
Samuel Gridley Howe.
Entitled, The Founder of American
Democracy located in Volume 29 of the
Magazine, (it's a very interesting article
to read), Mackaye described Wise's
upbringing, stating, . .
“Like many great men in the annals
of American history, John Wise was of
lowly origin. His father, Joseph, came to
New England as the serving man of a Dr.
Alcock about 1635. These serving men, of
whom many emigrated to the New World early
in the seventeenth century, were too poor
to pay the expense of the voyage across
the Atlantic and who therefore pledged or
mortgaged their services to some person
better provided, in consideration of being
transported to America and supported there
until able to buy their liberty."
Mackeye also pointed out that Wise’
pastor during his early years of faith was
none other than John Eliot, a notable pastor
during the pre-revolutionary era. He
speculates that, “. . . the famous Eliot,
Apostle to the Indians, and the
inspiration derived from early association
with him, may have determined the lad in
the choice of a career”. This
conclusion is certainly tenable because
Immediately upon his arrival in New England,
Eliot had assumed the pastoral charge of the
church of Roxbury southwest of Boston, which
was in the immediate locale of Wise' early
upbringing.
If this is the case, then we can understand
the passion Wise developed for God, for
preaching the Gospel, and for the principles
of freedom found in his writings. Eliot was
fervent in ministry, serving simultaneously
as a pastor, but also traveling often into
the western woods to minister in the Indian
villages. Eliot faithfully served
simultaneously as pastor, missionary,
husband, father, and medical doctor in the
Indian villages. As the "Apostle to the
Indians", he was actually the very
first missionary to come out of colonial
America. People know of the Judsons to go
to foreign lands, but Eliot was the first to
come from America.
Eliot's influence on people and his passion
for ministry was noted by none other than
John Winthrop, Governor of the Massachusetts
Bay Colony, who said of John Eliot’s work
among the Indians, "God prospered his
endeavors. Some of the Indians began to
be very seriously affected and to
understand the things of God and they were
generally ready to reform whatever they
were told to be against the word of God."
Eliot's life is another one to study as it
related to "preparing the way of the
Lord" leading to America's
independence.
Theological Training and Beliefs:
Following Wise' graduation from Harvard
in 1673, he began studying theology and
received his master's degree in 1675, after
which he also preached for two years in
Branford, CT, and Hatfield, MA. Then he
served for a short time as one of three
chaplains in King Philip’s War as chaplain
during General Phipps’ failed expedition in
1690 in the Battle of Quebec against the
Narragansetts. His commander described his
highly esteemed in this way -- he was
praised, “. . . not only for the Pious
Discharge of his Sacred Office, but his
Heroic Spirit, and Martial Skill and
Wisdom did greatly distinguish him.”
You could not possibly describe Wise as
being a mere passive observer in the war,
but rather a courageous and fierce opponent
of the enemy. When Phipps' expedition
failed, Wise made no secret of his disgust
over the situation, describing the failures
of the English forces as an “unpardonable
folly.” When the English forces
stalled in the countryside he became “very
troubled in mind” and chided the
commander, “You are out of your wits– we
did not come hither to drive a parcel of
Cowardly Frenchmen from swamp to swamp,
but to attack Quebec thither!” Even
after the command was reluctantly given to
march forward, it was not a satisfactory
ending for the attack. Wise described it in
his personal journal, saying, “I will
assure you things went on with
insufferable dullness enough to any men.”
First Pastorate:
Following his service in the British
military, Wise took his first pastorate and
was ordained two years later in 1683 as
pastor of the newly organized Chebacco
Parish located in the southwestern part of
Ipswich, MA. The circumstances surrounding
the organization of the parish may well have
been the one thing that motivated Wise
toward his proactive involvement in
governmental arenas. It was an interesting
story, and goes like this: --
At that point in colonial life, Ipswich was
the second actual town in the colony, and
community members were scattered over a wide
area, and the lone church was in Present
Parish Church, a great distance away,
necessitating Ipswich citizens traveling
many miles for "divine services" each
Sunday and Thursday. The Chebacco residents
decided in 1676 to petition the General
Court for permission to build a church
building there and establish a new church.
The first year the petition was tabled, so
the people made a second application which
was also rejected. Finally, the Chebacco
inhabitants decided to build a meeting house
on their own in 1679 which could also be
used, if necessary, as a house of worship.
In retaliation, the authorities of the
Ipswich church got an order from the General
Court restraining the men of Chebacco from
erecting the meeting house, even though it
would have been used for many other
community activities as well. Today this
would be called an injunction.
With the men of Chebacco legally prohibited
from erecting the meeting house, the women
of the neighborhood ingeniously did a "left
flank" on the Ipswich Church and the General
Court. Unknown to their husbands, a Mrs.
Varney, a Mrs. Goodhue, and a Mrs. Martin,
after conferring with other local women,
scattered on horseback throughout the woods
to adjacent towns of Gloucester and
Manchester, and rallied a ". . . small
army of men, not of Chebacco, and
therefore not restrained by the
injunction, who quickly raised the meeting
house."
It was to this enterprising infant
congregation that John Wise was initially
recommended by the General Court to become
the pastor, noted above. His salary
consisted of 60 British pounds per year, “.
. . one-third in money and two-thirds in
grain at the current price, forty cords of
oak wood by the year yearly and eight
loads of salt hay.” In addition they
assigned to him ten acres of land and
agreed to build him a house and barn, 'the
house to be equal in every respect to
Samuel Giddings’ house'.” It turns
out that Giddings must have been a man of
means and, according to legal records,
somewhere along the line married that Mrs.
Goodhue who helped initiate the construction
of the now-famous meeting house.
The
historical record
reveals that Wise
addressed the issue of
taxation without
representation as
early as 1687. By the
time opposition to the
Crown's abuses had
gained momentum enough
to take action, Wise
was long dead, having
died in 1725, some 51
years prior to the
signing of the
Declaration of
Independence.
However, an inordinate
number of issues
directly addressed in
the Declaration came
directly from Wise'
many sermons and
activist political
speeches.
Numerous issues
addressed by Jefferson
in the Declaration can
be traced directly
back to John Wise.
His strong biblical
and legal opinions
regarding religious
and civil democracy
foreshadowed both the
logic and the scope of
the Declaration
itself. Clearly,
Jefferson had read
many of his sermons
and papers that were
posted in colonial
newspapers. In fact,
in a speech given in
Philadelphia on July
5, 1926, President
Calvin Coolidge
(1923-1929) noted Wise
as being a primary
inspiration to the
writing of the
Declaration. He said,
. . .
"We are
obliged to conclude
that the Declaration
of Independence
represented the
movement of a
people. It was not,
of course, a
movement from the
top. Revolutions do
not come from that
direction. It was
not without the
support of many of
the most respectable
people in the
Colonies, who were
entitled to all the
consideration that
is given to
breeding, education,
and possessions. It
had the support of
another element of
great significance
and importance to
which I shall later
refer. . . . .
". . . . It was
in no sense a rising
of the oppressed and
downtrodden. It
brought no scum to
the surface, for the
reason that colonial
society had
developed no scum. .
. . . The
American
Revolution
represented the
informed and
mature convictions
of a great mass of
independent,
liberty-loving,
God-fearing
people who
knew their rights,
and possessed the
courage to dare to
‘maintain them. . .
. .
". . . . It had
about it nothing of
the lawless and
disordered nature of
a riotous
insurrection. It was
maintained on a
plane which rises
above the ordinary
conception of
rebellion. It was in
no sense a radical
movement but took on
the dignity of a
resistance to
illegal usurpations.
It was conservative
and represented the
action of the
colonists to
maintain their
constitutional
rights which from
time immemorial had
been guaranteed to
them under the law
of the land."
After pointing out
that freedoms were
determined by the "consent
of the governed" rather
than by the "divine
right of kings",
Coolidge referenced
the earlier
declaration by the
Dutch in1581,
and in a sermon by Rev
Thomas Hooker of
Connecticut in 1638,
more than a century
earlier, and then
noting John Wise,
Coolidge stated, . . .
"This doctrine
found wide
acceptance among the
nonconformist clergy
who later made up
the Congregational
Church. The great
apostle of this
movement was the
Rev. John Wise, of
Massachusetts. He
was one of the
leaders of the
revolt against the
royal governor
Andros in 1687, for
which he suffered
imprisonment. . . .
Wise published a
treatise, entitled
“The Church’s
Quarrel Espoused,”
in 1710, which was
amplified in another
publication in 1717.
In it he dealt with
the principles of
civil government. His
works were
reprinted in 1772
and have been
declared to have
been nothing less
than a textbook of
liberty for our
Revolutionary
fathers.
While the written
word was the
foundation, it is
apparent that the
spoken word
was the vehicle
for convincing the
people. This
came with great
force and wide range
from the successors
of Hooker and Wise."
Actually, Coolidge's
entire speech is truly
worth reading because
of its masterful way
in painting the
extraordinary backdrop
leading up to the
colonies uniting to
declare independence.
I would encourage you
to read it at this
link --
https://coolidgefoundation.org/resources/inspiration-of-the-declaration-of-independence/
.
Revocation of Massachusetts Bay Colony
Charter"
In 1689, King James II revoked the
Massachusetts Bay Colony charter and
appointed Sir Edmond Andros as governor, who
immediately imposed a Province Tax to be
collected in each town. J. M. Mackaye wrote
in his previously noted article that Andros
had, . . .
“. . . been for two years and more
the Governor of New England. The charters
of the several colonies, under which they
had for two generations practised
self-government, had been abrogated by a
characteristic act of the House of Stuart.
Andros had already made himself obnoxious
by his tyrannical conduct, and in the
summer of 1687 added to his malodorous
reputation by arbitrarily levying a tax of
a penny a pound on property holders
indiscriminately. The people had no voice
in the matter.”
Rev. Wise, John and Samuel Appleton and the
selectmen of Ipswich initiated a campaign of
resistance.-- a citizen protest against
Andros would be a better description.
Andros had adamantly asserted that when the
colonists left England, they had also left
behind all their rights as Englishmen. Wise
rallied his parishioners to protest and
resist taxation, and Andros immediately had
him and the other three men arrested,
convicted and fined.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, an
Andros official addressed Wise, simply
saying, "Mr. Wise, you have no more
privileges Left you then not to be Sold
for Slaves." Wise was deprived of
all his pastoral rights for a period of
time. However, Andros was overthrown in
1689, and Wise was subsequently
enthusiastically chosen as a representative
from Ipswich to the Boston Convention, which
then reorganized the Massachusetts
government.
Andros had also tried to force the
colonists, who were of a religiously diverse
makeup, to become Anglican as were the
British in England. Obviously, this didn't
sit well with the colonists, many of whom
had left England specifically for the
purpose of religious freedom. Wise, as one
of the major leaders, declared, "It must
needs be allowed, as a fundamental
principle relating to government, that
(under God) all power is originally in the
people.”
These actions were to merely be a precursor
to future revolts in Boston that ultimately
led to the American Revolution. It is for
this reason that Ipswich is known as "the
Birthplace of American Independence". The
Declaration of Independence subsequently
incorporated principles from John Wise’
memoirs. Commenting on that fact, Wise
wrote, . . .
"The first human subject and
original of civil power is the people…and
when they are free, they may set up what
species of government they please. The end
of all good government is to cultivate
humanity and promote the happiness of all,
and the good of every man in all his
rights, his life, liberty, estate, honor,
etc., without injury or abuse done to
any.”
When Wise had first arrived to the Chebacco
Parish of Ipswich, it didn't take long for
his congregants to realize they had an
extraordinary young man as their pastor.
The Historic Ipswich website (see below) has
a description of the congregation's
assessment. It reads, . . .
"His congregation quickly became
convinced that The Rev. Wise was
spiritually powerful and that his prayers
begat results. When the crew of a ship
from his parish were captured by pirates
he beseeched the Lord on a Sabbath morning
to give them speedy deliverance, and if no
other way be possible, for the Lord to
help them 'rise up and butcher their
enemies.' The next day the men arrived
back home, having [themselves] attacked
and killed the pirates."
The Issue of Who Controls Churches:
Perhaps one of the greatest
contributions John Wise made to the
formation of the United States, had to do
with the matter of religious freedom. His
writings and sermons related not only to
church-state relationships, but also to
local congregational control as opposed to
local churches being controlled by an
ecclesiastical hierarchy -- a "bishop" or
"council", so to speak. When it comes to
church polity, he is primarily remembered
for his defense of a pure "congregational"
polity, where each local church is free
to conduct its own affairs without hindrance
or help from higher church authorities.
In The Churches Quarrel Espoused
(1710) and again in A Vindication of the
Government of New-England Churches
(1717), Wise took issue with the idea that
pastors were incapable of or should not be
allowed to lead their own congregations or
carry out their duties without some kind of
hierarchial control or authority. -- for the
sake of uniformity, equality of leadership,
and doctrinal purity, of course. He,
rather, contended that it was "potentially
dangerous" to submit to regional or
national councils, synods, or committees for
assistance, advice or control.
Those were all the roles of local
congregations where the people and the
pastor knew their surroundings, recognized
their needs, understood their resources, and
could manage their affairs, and where
pastors could even choose their own spouses.
Wise questioned, for example, -- could such
hierarchy, ". . . direct all Wooers in
their Choice for the Marriage Bed; for
that there is many a fond Lover who has
betrayed the glory of Wedlock by making an
unwise and unfortunate Choice; and why not
particular Beds be overruled, as well as
particular Churches?"
During attempts by church hierarchy to
remove local church control from local
churches and give it to an elite church
council, Wise strongly opposed and
reportedly, “not only fiercely resisted
but almost single-handedly defeated the
effort” His essay, "A Vindication
. . . " seemed to have addressed the
issue of church government in such a way as
to assert that civil authority and
government was also to derive its authority
from principles found in the Bible relating
to church government. In other words, just
as there were principles for governing a
congregation according to biblical truth,
those principles could also easily apply to
civil government.
One cannot underestimate Wise' role in the
shaping of our rights and freedoms found in
our Declaration and our Bill of Rights.
Without his writings and addresses on this
topic, it is highly probable that the
churches in New England might have ended up
under the same kind of hierarchical rule as
that of the Anglican or Catholic churches
today.
Had that happened, there would have been a
radical decline in lay preaching, Bible
classes, and biblical literacy, just as it
did in both the Anglican and Catholic
churches under the elite governing body of
the priests. In those days, almost no
member in an Anglican or Catholic church
understood the Bible other than by the voice
of the priests and bishops, and very few of
them owned a Bible.
John Wise' fight for local church autonomy
and freedom of religion was paramount to its
influence on our founding fathers as they
forged our governing documents and form of
government you and I enjoy today. Had it
not been for his adamant and influential
teachings, we might still have official
state or national churches today -- or maybe
no churches at all.
A Man's Man:
Wise
was no wimp or
milquetoast man in
either his preaching,
his political
influence, or his
physical appearance.
Physically, he was
quite tall and
graceful in
appearance, and was
recognized for his
almost legendary
physical strength as a
formidable wrestler.
A 2013 Family Research
Council article about
Wise and written by
Kenyon Cureton gave
the following
description:
"The story is
told that later in
life he was
challenged to a
wrestling match by
Andover’s champion
wrestler, Capt. John
Chandler. Wise tried
to beg off, pleading
that he was too old
and infirm, but he
was finally goaded
into it for sport.
So in the makeshift
ring, Captain
Chandler grappled
with the elderly
Wise. The preacher
promptly threw the
reigning wrestling
champion completely
over his front wall.
Chandler got up,
shook himself off
and announced he
would be on his way
as soon as the
preacher threw his
horse over after
him."
The Historic Ipswitch
website
(https://historicipswich.org/2021/07/24/john-wise/)
describes that event a
little more
graphically. It
reads, . . .
"John Wise was
of great muscular
strength and had a
reputation as a
superior wrestler.
John Chandler of
Andover being
undefeated,
prevailed upon Mr.
Wise to a match. The
story is told that
after reluctantly
accepting the match,
Wise quickly had the
boastful antagonist
on his back, then
picked him up and
pitched him over the
fence. Humiliated in
defeat, Mr. Chandler
asked Mr. Wise if he
would mind throwing
his horse over in
like fashion."
Impact on America's Founding:
As his reputation grew, his role in
Massachusetts' political and church circles
increased. In 1690 the General Court had
already appointed him chaplain of the
unsuccessful expedition against Quebec.
Then in 1703 he petitioned for a reversal of
the sentence for one of the victims in a
witchcraft trial. His reputation building,
he then wrote A Vindication of the
Government of New-England Churches in
1717, reasserting his position on both
religious and civil government and later
wrote a pamphlet entitled, A Word of
Comfort to a Melancholy Country in
1721, in which he advocated for paper money
for the colony.
Two of his pamphlets, written in 1710 and
1717, were reprinted in 1772 for use in the
controversy with England, and have been
judged as some of the finest, most concise
and articulate, -- and most extraordinary --
expositions written in the colonial era on
the democratic principles that you and I
still enjoy and hold dear today. In that
the Revolutionary War was looming on the
horizon, the Sons of Liberty and others
began distributing these pamphlets
containing core biblical principles of
government across the colonies. Citizens
devoured them as soon as they were "hot off
the press".
A later edition, written in 1860, pointed
out that the Declaration of Independence
itself had passages in them that were
strikingly similar to what Wise had
previously written. Clearly this was a
pastor who likely had more influence on
American independence than any other voice
of the colonial era. If you were to read
his writings, you'd discover the same thing.
Wise' argument regarding local church polity
also had unavoidable implications for civil
liberty as well, and was acknowledged in the
1772 republication of both books noted
earlier. By the time the Sugar Act (1764),
the Stamp Act (1765), the Townshend acts
(1767), and the Boston Massacre (1770) had
transpired, the idea that a natural person
is "a Free-Born Subject under the Crown
of Heaven, and owing Homage to none but
God Himself." was a welcomed and
encouraging truth to the beleagured New
Englanders.
Wise proposed some of the most
forward-thinking biblical and political
ideas ever considered up to that point in
political thought. They were clearly
appropriate to the time leading up to the
Revolution One of the most articulate
writers and preachers of the colonial era,
Wise demonstrated from the Bible numerous
principles that were incorporated into the
Declaration of Independence and the
subsequent U.S. Constitution. For example,
Wise showed from scripture that:
> God created all men equal and
every man must be acknowledged by the state
as equal to every man.
> The end of all good government is
to promote the happiness of all and the good
of every man in all his rights: his life,
liberty, estate, honor, etc.
> The consent of the governed is the
only legitimate basis for government.
> Taxation without representation is
tyranny.
Sometime around 1700, Wise had declared from
his Chebacco Parish pulpit, . . .
"The first human subject and
original of civil power is the people…and
when they are free, they may set up what
species of government they please. The end
of all good government is to cultivate
humanity and promote the happiness of all,
and the good of every man in all his
rights, his life, liberty, estate, honor,
etc., without injury or abuse done to
any.”
In his book Seedtime of the Republic,
Cornell University historian Clinton
Rossiter identified six people that he
considered to be the most influential
thought leaders of the American Revolution.
Only two were political leaders, and the
other four were ministers of the Gospel, one
of whom was John Wise.
Impact on the Declaration of
Independence:
One researcher I read earlier today also
indicated that the Declaration of
Independence was based on isermons preached
by Wise in 1687. Whether that is true or
not, if you want to understand the depth of
impact Wise had on the development, consider
his following statements found in his, Treatise
on Civil and Church Government, in
which he stated, . . .
“I shall consider man in a state
of natural being, as a free-born
subject under the crown of heaven, and
owing homage to none but God himself.
It is certain civil government in
general is a very admirable result of
providence, and an incomparable
benefit to mankind, yet must needs be
acknowledged to be the effect of human
free-compacts and not of divine
institution; it is the produce of man’s
reason, of human and rational
combinations, and not from any direct
orders of infinite wisdom, in any positive
law wherein is drawn up this or that
scheme of civil government.
"Government ( says Lord Warrington )
is necessary . . . in that no society of
men can subsist without it ; and that
particular form of government is necessary
which best suits the temper and
inclination of a people. Nothing can be
God’s ordinance, but what He has
particularly declared to be such; . . .” (A
Vindication of the Government of New
England Churches, pg 59).
“The prime immunity in man’s
state, is that he is most properly the
subject of the law of nature. He is the
favorite animal on earth ; in that this
part of God’s image, namely ,
reason, is congenate with his nature,
wherein by a law immutable, enstamped upon
his frame, God has provided a rule for men
in all their actions, obliging each one to
the performance of that which is right,
not only as to justice, but likewise as to
all other moral virtues, the which is
nothing but the dictate of right reason
founded in the soul of man. (Molloy, De
Mao, Præf.) That which is to be drawn from
man’s reason, flowing from the true
current of that faculty, when unperverted,
may be said to be the law of nature, on
which account, the Holy Scriptures
declare it written on men’s hearts”
(A Vindication of the Government of
New England Churches, pg 60).
“Man’s external personal, natural
liberty, antecedent to all human parts or
alliances, must also be considered. And so
every man must be conceived to be
perfectly in his own power and disposal,
and not to be controlled by the authority
of any other. And thus every man must be
acknowledged equal to every man, since all
subjection and all command are equally
banished on both sides; and considering
all men thus at liberty , every man has a
prerogative to judge for himself, namely,
what shall be most for his behoof,
happiness, and well-being” (A
Vindication of the
Government of New
England Churches,
pg 64).
“The third capital immunity
belonging to man’s nature, is an equality
amongst men ; which is not to be denied by
the law of nature, till man has resigned
himself with all his rights for the sake
of a civil state, and then his personal
liberty and equality is to be cherished
and preserved to the highest degree, as
will consist with all just distinctions
amongst men of honor, and shall be
agreeable with the public good. For man
has a high valuation of himself, and the
passion seems to lay its first foundation
(not in pride, but) really in the high and
admirable frame and constitution of human
nature” (A
Vindication of the
Government of New
England Churches,
pg 66).
Nineteenth Century historian Benjamin
Franklin Morris spoke of the similarities
between the Declaration of Independence and
things Wise had written by stating, "[S]ome
of the most glittering sentences in the
immortal Declaration of Independence are
almost literal quotations from this [1772
reprinted] essay of John Wise….It was used
as a political text-book in the great
struggle for freedom." (1864)
FINALLY:
Summing
Up John Wise' Thoughts That Impacted Us:
Again, J. M. Mackaye summed
up the amazing impact John Wise had on our
founders and the documents they crafted,
stating, “What vital principle is to
be found in the Declaration of
Independence which is not involved in
the following extracts from Wise’s
argument for free government drawn ‘from
the Light of Nature’?
‘All men are born free, and
nature having set all men upon a level
and made them equals, no servitude or
subjection can be conceived without
inequality.’
‘The first human subject and
original of civil power is the people.’
‘When the subject of sovereign
power is quite extinct that power
returns to the people again, and when
they are free they may set up what
species of government they please.’
‘The formal reason of
government is the will of the
community.’
‘A civil state is a compound
moral person … whose will is the will of
all.’
‘The end of all good government
is to cultivate humanity and promote the
happiness of all and the good of every
man in his rights, his life, liberty,
estate, honor, etc., without injury or
abuse done to any'”
It was not Jefferson who first came up
with the idea that all men are created
equal. It was a Biblical principle long
before either Wise' or Jefferson’s time,
and Wise echoed it in his defense of those
liberties for all. Jefferson picked up on
it and wisely realized that these
principles were the only basis for a
government to be founded on if it were to
avoid dictatorial behavior and violation
of both God’s dictates and human nature.
He and the other men and women who fought
against English tyranny understood that it
was these principles that were being
violated and these principles that they
would fight and die to keep and preserve.
Blogger Jay Mankus wrote in 2014 on his
expressyourself4him.com about the "Sermons
of John Wise". He summarized his
assessment of John Wise and his preaching
---- "First, a preacher should not be
muzzled by the government. Church
should be a place of refuge where
worshipers can experience heaven on
earth before going back into the world
like disciples for the next 6 days.
Second, the Bible is a blueprint for
life, liberty and the American way. . .
. Finally, history is like a true
National Treasure, full of mentors,
stars and visionaries who have made
America a great nation."
Just think about this for a moment
---- obviously
the sermons
and writings
of the New
England
pastors
impacted the
way people
thought -- and
lived.
Whether one
was a
political
leader, a
merchant, or a
farmer, the
backbone of
the culture
was a
religious
one. Nobody
was more
influential in
colonial life
than a
pastor. I
have mentioned
that before.
He influenced
not only those
in his own
generation,
but also
impacted
future
generations.
Did you know, for example, that
many Founding
Fathers such
as George
Mason, Noah
Webster,
Patrick Henry,
Thomas
Jefferson,
James Madison,
Benjamin Rush,
and scores of
others were
personally
tutored by
pastors?
In addition,
many clergymen
were often
presidents and
professors in
area
colleges.
Some went on
to be
legislators,
governors, and
the like.
I cannot
overstate the
significance
of preachers
in the entire
spectrum of
America's
founding --
from Jamestown
in 1606 to the
ratification
of the U.S.
Constitution
in 1788. For
more than 150
years prior to
our nation
becoming a
functioning
government,
ministers from
Europe and the
colonies of
the United
States
injected
powerful and
insightful
truth and
morality into
the
bloodstream of
our country.
What has
happened to
us!!!!
Historian B.F. Morris wrote in 1864, . . .
“The ministers of the Revolution
were, like their Puritan predecessors,
bold and fearless in the cause of their
country. No class of men contributed
more to carry forward the Revolution and
to achieve our independence than did the
ministers . . . By their prayers,
patriotic sermons, and services [they]
rendered the highest assistance to the
civil government, the army, and the
country.”
As American Renewal Project founder David
Lane queries at the end of each blog, "Will
a Rahab or Elijah stand up again???"
I certainly pray so.
In His Bond,
By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
Copyright September, 2021
"A
fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I
took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and
hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
"If Jesus had preached the same
message that many ministers preach today, He would never
have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when
instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will
have clowns entertaining the goats." --
Charles H. Spurgeon
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