Diverse Patriots Other Contributors P4

Despite their differences, they all joined hands and came together to preserve America’s Biblical principles and participate in God’s blessings of freedom.

This great diversity, unified around core common principles, was still evident in the next generation. For example, in 1798 after John Adams addressed a group of young men in Philadelphia, he later described to Thomas Jefferson what he saw:

There were among them Roman Catholics, English Episcopalians, Scotch and American Presbyterians, Methodists, Moravians, Anabaptists, German Lutherans, German Calvinists, Universalists, Arians, Priestleyans, Sicilians, Independents, Congregationalists, Horse Protestants and House Protestants, Deists and Atheists, and Protestants “qui ne croyent rien” (who don’t believe anything). Very few, however, of several of these species; nevertheless, they were all educated in the general principles of Christianity.

More on this next week for another American Moment.

Sourced from The American Story: The Beginnings by David Barton and Tim Barton.