FAITH OF THE FOUNDERS: John Hancock on Why God’s Blessing is Essential for Liberty
(QUICK READ) — John Hancock’s bold signature on the Declaration of Independence certainly made him the odds-on-favorite to be the first of the 56 men who put their names on that august document to be targeted by the British.
Had the Red Coats captured Hancock, he would have been summarily hung as a traitor to the King of England.
But Hancock not only survived the American Revolution, he went on to a distinguished career that included serving as Governor of Massachusetts where he would play a major public role in persuading his fellow countrymen that the principles of the French Revolution led to death and destruction of liberty.
Check out the following excerpt from Hancock’s statement warning, more than a year before the Declaration was written, signed and promulgated, that forgetting God is a recipe for national disaster:
“In circumstances dark as these, it becomes us, as Men and Christians, to reflect that, whilst every prudent Measure should be taken to ward off the impending Judgments … All confidence must be withheld from the Means we use; and reposed only on that GOD who rules in the Armies of Heaven, and without whose Blessing the best human Counsels are but Foolishness–and all created Power Vanity.” — John Hancock. April 15, 1775, Cited by Mark Strand.
Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States of America.
Many of the quotes reprinted in HillFaith’s “The Faith of The Founders” weekly series of posts are compiled from Benjamin F. Morris’ classic work, “The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States.” Morris, an historian and pastor, published the first edition more than a century ago.
Quotations are also compiled from Mark Strand, author of the Daily Inspirations email he shares on request here and that HillFaith highly recommends to all congressional aides, be they working on Capitol Hill or in a state or district office back home.
Mark Strand was for 16 years President of the Congressional Institute, and he is a former fellow of the Harvard Institute of Politics. He was also a 24-year veteran congressional staffer, including four years as Chief of Staff to Sen. James Talent (R-Missouri).