Dreams from Our Fathers

American Heritage, Constitution, and Religion A warning from Charles Finney: "The Church must take right ground in regards to politics.... The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics ... God cannot sustain this free and blessed country which we love and pray for unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God ... He (God) will bless or curse this nation according to the course they (Christians) take in politics." A warning from Benjamin Rush: "As Proverbs 29:2 accurately states: When the righteous--not the Republicans, the Democrats or any other party--but "When the righteous rule, people rejoice, when the wicked rule the people groan." The love of correct principles--not the love of a party--is the key to effective political involvement; the government of this nation will blessed only to the extent that God-fearing and moral individuals are placed into office." George Washington's comment: "Excessive allegiance to any political party leads to corruption." A warning from John Hancock: "I conjure you, by all that is dear, by all that is honorable, by all that is sacred, not only that ye pray but that you act. Remember that where citizen complacency rules, wrong principles and policies will abound; and when it comes to sound government, the enemy is seldom them, it is generally citizen apathy."