Gary discusses the historical conditions and motivations behind The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States.
When B.F. Morris began work on his book, American Christians were retreating from Bible-based involvement in social action, education, intellectual pursuits, the shaping of culture, and political thought and action. Many in the old “main-line” Protestant denominations abandoned belief in the full inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible in favor of faith in science, belief in the unscientific, false claims of evolutionism, and credence in various bodies of modern man-centered thought. Many followed baptized versions of modern pagan social and political thinking and programs.
On the other hand, many who believed the truth of the Bible retreated from social and political involvement because those who had abandoned belief in the truth of the Bible were involved in politics. Meanwhile, many Bible-believing Christians became so convinced that the return of Jesus Christ was so close at hand that they forgot—or abandoned—the Biblical duty to occupy until He comes (Luke 19:13). Forsaking Bible-based educational thought and action, they allowed their children to be miseducated in “public schools” and secularist colleges (including nominally Christian institutions). Forsaking Bible-based social, cultural, and political action, they increased the size of the vacuum which their parents had created.
Consequently, the foundation of a godly nation was not maintained: indeed, it was permitted to be well-nigh destroyed. So the Constitution and its Christian principles were increasingly ignored in practice. Hence, the size and scope of civil government was increased; power was centralized in the national government; and the rule of law was abandoned in favor of the arbitrary rule of men.
Thus, presidents, congresses, and federal courts have made multitudes of decisions which have undermined not only the Constitution’s principles but also Christian morality, the family, the social fabric, law and order, the safety of the individual and his property, economic freedom, liberty, and even domestic tranquility.
Now that Christians have begun to recover the knowledge that God and His word require us to be involved in all areas of life—including politics—for His glory and the good of our fellow men, it is time for Christians to recover our Christian forefathers’ Biblical vision of the world and of life. It is time for Christians to grasp the vision of civil government under God which motivated the great majority of our early American citizens and statesmen. Christians must improve upon that vision and upon the practices of our forefathers. They must be equipped for the battles that such a restoration will involve. But they cannot do so if they remain ignorant of the truth about our heritage in civil government. The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States is a powerful weapon which must be used in the battle to recover upon our godly heritage, and an important tool which should be used to improve upon that heritage. It should be read and enjoyed, studied and used by all Americans, and particularly by all American Christians.
The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States
Reprinted by American Vision for the first time in over 140 years in 2007, we can't keep this book in print! Benjamin Franklin Morris' book has been out of print for over 100 years. If you can find an original copy, it's only because you have looked in the deep recesses of university libraries where the volume is likely collecting dust on dimly lit library shelves. Organizations like the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have done their best to ignore the content of the massive compilation of original source material found in this book. If Americans ever become aware of the facts assembled by the author in this historic encyclopedia of knowledge, arguments for a secular founding of America will turn to dust.
Buy NowIn this interview with Darren Doane, Gary discusses the historical conditions and motivations behind The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States. Interestingly, the political climate in 1864 was not much different from our own. Christians and non-Christians alike need to be reminded of the impact of God’s Word and the Church on society and culture in every generation.