Declaration Of Independence P3

Last week I ended talking to you about the hardships of several American heroes who were signers of the Declaration and who risked so much for our freedom. The care, devotion, and affection so many Founding Fathers had for their families and children is well illustrated by the life of Patrick Henry. This remarkable leader gave much to help secure America’s freedom, and because of his exceptional abilities and leadership Virginia repeatedly called him to places of public trust. He was elected governor five times, including twice when he was not running.

After decades of service, Henry declined these positions as he grew older, preferring to spend more time with his family (he had 15 children and 77 grandchildren). Visitors to his home reported finding him “lying on the floor with a group of these little ones climbing over him in every direction, or dancing around him with obstreperous (loud) mirth (glee), to the tune of his violin, while the only contest seemed to be who should make the most noise.”

Just as little is known today about the family life of the signers, perhaps even less is known of their strong religious faith. In fact, they are now often wrongly presented as being generally irreligious—as atheists and secularists, or at best deists. But in reality, they almost all identified themselves as Christians; and 29 of the 56 signers held degrees from what we would today call Bible colleges.

Those who did not go to college were still afforded an excellent Christian education, and even self-educated Founders such as Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington had better educations (and far more Christian) than most college graduates today.  

More on this next week for another American Moment.

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