FOUNDING ERA LESSONS IN REVIEW.
AND OTHER TIDBITS.
Founding Era Lesson for May 15.
In 1787, 12 of the 13 colonies had Christian religious oaths written into their State Constitutions, two are included below. The other 10 were very similar.
Article 6 Section 3 not only did away with religious oaths in the Federal government but in the states as well. The ramifications of this are huge, in my humble opinion.
To serve in Congress under the Articles of Confederation, a man had to be appointed by his state legislature. He could be recalled at any time. He could serve in only three years out of every six. He was under public scrutiny continually. In order to exercise the authority entrusted to him by his state legislature, he had to take an oath. These oaths in most states were both political and religious. The officer of the state had to swear allegiance to the state constitution and also allegiance to God.
Consider please Delaware’s required oath:
Art. 22. Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of trust, before taking his seat, or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take the following oath, or affirmation, if conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath, to wit: “I, ______ will bear true allegiance to the Delaware State, submit to its constitution and laws, and do no act wittingly whereby the freedom thereof may be prejudiced.” And also make and subscribe the following declaration, to wit: “I, _____ do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.” And all officers shall also take an oath of office.
The Constitution of Vermont in 1777 was not much different:
Section IX. A quorum of the house of representatives shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of members elected and having met and chosen their speaker, shall, each of them, before they proceed to business, take and subscribe, as well the oath of fidelity and allegiance herein after directed, as the following oath or affirmation, viz.
I ________ do solemnly swear, by the ever living God, (or, I do solemnly affirm in the presence of Almighty God) that as a member of this assembly, I will not propose or assent to any bill, vote, or resolution, which shall appear to me injurious to the people; nor do or consent to any act or thing whatever, that shall have a tendency to lessen or abridge their rights and privileges, as declared in the Constitution of this State; but will, in all things, conduct myself as a faithful, honest representative and guardian of the people, according to the best of my judgment and abilities. And each member, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, viz. I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the old and new testament to be given by divine inspiration, and own and profess the protestant religion. And no further or other religious test shall ever, hereafter, be required of any civil officer or magistrate in this State.
Notice the language: “no further or other religious test shall ever be required.” There could be only one kind of oath: to the trinitarian God of the Bible. This made trinitarianism the permanent judicial foundation of 12 states.
In order to break this trinitarian monopoly, the Framers had to undermine the states’ oaths. So they did.
“Inspired by God” they claim! Whose god?
