Constitution Alive Section Two – The Seeds Of Liberty Day Four: Our Constitution is still alive and applicable today! As citizens, we all have a duty to study the Constitution, to understand where our rights and our freedoms are laid out in that document, and how our government structure should work. The reason our government continues to overstep its boundaries is because “€œwe the people”€ don”€™t know what those boundaries are! Tune in for day four of another segment from Constitution Alive as we talk about the seeds of liberty and lay the foundation for studying our Constitution and Declaration in later episodes.

Air Date: 03/07/2019

On-air Personalities: David Barton, Rick Green, and Tim Barton

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Transcription note:  As a courtesy for our listeners’ enjoyment, we are providing a transcription of this podcast. Transcription will be released shortly. However, as this is transcribed from a live talk show, words and sentence structure were not altered to fit grammatical, written norms in order to preserve the integrity of the actual dialogue between the speakers. Additionally, names may be misspelled or we might use an asterisk to indicate a missing word because of the difficulty in understanding the speaker at times. We apologize in advance.

Faith And The Culture

Rick:

Welcome in the intersection of faith and politics. This is WallBuilders Live with David Barton and Rick Green. Thanks for joining us today.

Visit online at WallBuilders.com, WallBuildersLive.com, and today, also ConstitutionAlive.com. Constitution Alive is our teaching on the Constitution. We take about 12 hours to give you a crash course through the entire Constitution,

including the principles upon which it was founded and all kinds of action steps on how to restore our Constitutional Republic.

Here on WallBuilders Live, we are sharing with you this week Chapter Two out of Constitution Alive! A couple of weeks back we shared with you Chapter One, and today and yesterday and the day before and again tomorrow, we’re sharing with you Chapter Two. So, it’s a four-part series.

If you tuned in for the first time, then today you’re gonna be right in the middle that four-part series; but, it’s still great information. You’re going to enjoy it immensely, and and you’ll get the conclusion today of that four-part series. And, you can go online to watch WallBuildersLive.com and listen to all four programs. We also encourage you to grab those links and share them with your friends and family so that they can get educated about the Constitution as well.

We’re going to pick up right where we left off yesterday. This will be the conclusion of our four-part series here on Wall Boulder’s Live! We”€™re sharing with you Chapter 2 out of Constitution Alive! with David Barton and Rick Green.

Pierce Vs. The Society of Sisters & Meyer Vs. Nebraska

David:

I may not like a Dodge; I may not like gray. It doesn’t matter. I don’t have the authority to do anything.

Rick:

That changes everything when you really think about the authority; because,  in a nation without God,  that government has the authority to do anything they want because like you said, they”€™re god.

David:

You choose any other nation in the world that is secular; and, in Germany right now they literally–it’s a crime to homeschool your kids because you’re not the one over your kids. Here in America, we’ve held for generations, a position the Supreme Court articulated in the case called Pierce versus The Society of Sisters and Meyer versus Nebraska: it is the fundamental right of parents direct the education, upbringing, and the care of their children.

Rick:

Not the state.

Every Kid Assigned a Government Official Liaison

David:

It”€™s not the state; but, over there, it”€™s: “€œNo, no, no. Parents, you belong to the state and the kids–.”€  In Scotland, we were talking to a guy recently who said that in Scotland from the time you’re born, every kid is assigned a government official liaison to the state.

Rick:

I remember that on that on a radio show. Yeah, I started thinking about that. Imagine that if every kid’s assigned somebody to monitor them.

God Made Parents the Authority

David:

They assume that every kid belongs a state; therefore, we have to assign you a government official. From the time you come into this earth, you don’t belong to your parents. Wait a minute; we believe you do.

We believe that the parents are the authority because God made the parents the authority.

Rick:

So these initial principles really matter in your day-to-day life. They are not just books and old documents.

David:

They are huge.

Rick:

This this impacts our lives today.

David:

It”€™s not just, “€œWell, if you believe in God that’s fine; that’s your private belief. But, don’t bring it in public with you.”€ If I don’t bring it to public with me, you don’t have a limited government.

Rick:

You’re going to lose all those [freedoms].

Government Exists to Protect God-Given Rights.

David:

So, that’s a second point. The third point is very simple. It says that “€œTo secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men.”€

Now we have the purpose of government; the purpose of government is to protect inalienable rights. Those God-given rights, government exists to protect those God-given rights.

Now, significantly, government does not exist to make sure we all have a job or that we’ve got a great economy. Government exists to make sure that we have a certain set of rights that nobody can violate and can take away. Now, once we’ve done that — and if you do that, then you will have a prosperous government.

You will have a limited government. You will have freedom. And, with freedom, we’ll take off. I mean, we’re gangbusters with freedom.

We invent things and find things. We discover; entrepreneurs thrive. This four percent of the world, the population of America, produces more than 96 percent of the world every year with inventions and patents and everything else. I mean, we’re more creative because we have more freedom.

Rick:

Because of this formula right here.

David:

Because of this formula right there.

Rick:

So, you’re saying government is there to protect, not provide.

David:

Absolutely.

Rick:

It’s there to protect you; and then, you go out and earn and produce.

David:

If they will keep thieves off my back, I will go and take my ideas. And, if they’ll keep somebody from stealing my ideas, I’ll go and create a McDonald’s in every corner.

Moment From America”€™s History

David:

This is David Barton with another moment from America’s history. The teachings of God’s Word are the best friend civil government has. Because these teachings deal with the heart. Only by dealing with the heart can crime be prevented. For as Jesus explained in Matthew 5 all crime comes from the heart.

Understanding this, Daniel Webster, the great defender of the Constitution once declared, “€œThe cultivation of the religious sentiment represses licentiousness. It inspires respect for law and order and gives strength to the whole social fabric.Whatever makes men good Christians makes them good citizens.”€

Indeed, it is not the good Christians whom the police arrest for armed robbery, gang activity, or other such crimes. Understanding this, the Founding Fathers encouraged religious instruction. For as Daniel Webster so accurately noted, “€œGood Christians make good citizens.”€ For more information on God’s hand in American history. Contact WallBuilders at 1-800-8 -REBUILD.

David:

I”€™ll create a Walmart in every city. If you just keep people from stealing my ideas.

Rick:

And if just that principle was taught today, we wouldn’t have government growing so much because we’ve shifted that. Now we think government’s job is to provide us with every little need that we have.

David:

And the more it provides, the less prosperous you become because the less initiative you have and the less creative you are. Government’s not creative; it is never creative. Government doesn’t cover things; they don’t file patents and cures and whatever.

Rick:

Right.

David:

They have monopolies if they keep private citizens from doing it; but, they’re not a creative source. So, that’s the third principle.

Rick:

Okay.

The Laws of Nature and Nature’s God

David:

The fourth principle says: “€œAnd to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station which the laws of nature and nature’s God entitles then.”€ We’ll talk about this more later; but, that told every person in that generation that there is a fixed moral law.

There are certain laws you cannot cross, and they are called “€œthe laws of nature and nature’s God.”€ Now, we don’t know what that means today; but, we’ll show you literally the books with the Founding Fathers took that phrase, what it meant, how they understood it. But, there are certain absolute rights and wrongs.

We live in a culture that says, “€œWell, if it”€™s right for you, it”€™s right for you; but, I don’t think so.”€ No. You can’t have a culture that says that rape is OK sometimes but not OK.

And, “€œTheft is okay sometimes if it’s for the right reason.”€ You can’t be Machiavellian: The end justifies the means. You know, “€œRape”€™s ok sometimes; theft is okay in certain circumstances;”€ or, “€œA white lie doesn’t hurt anything.”€

No, you got to have fixed rights and wrongs. Perjury is not okay if it’s for a good reason. You can’t perjure yourself under oath if it’s a little white lie. No; you have to have fixed absolutes.

Rick:

If there is no more law, then–

David:

If there is no more law, it becomes anarchy because I will decide what is right and wrong.

Rick:

Then I get to decide what’s right for me.

“€œThe Law of the Tiger and the Shark”€

David:

And, if I have if my AR 15 has 30 shots in the mag and yours has 20, then I’m more right than you are.

Rick:

It depends on how good of a shot you are.

David:

Now, that’s true too.

Rick:

But, I get your point. That’s exactly right. I mean now there’s no fixed–.

David:

John Quincy Adams said that at that point, you have “€œthe law of the tiger and the shark.”€ That’s where gangs rule or guys with the biggest fist. You have to have fixed moral laws that nobody can transgress; you don’t cross these laws.

“€œJust powers from the Consent of the Governed”€

The fifth thing you have from the Declaration says: “€œGovernments instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Now, what you get with this is what we call “€œthe consent of the government”€ or the “€œwill of the majority.”€ This is there is nothing in the Constitution that ever allows anything smaller than a majority to win a vote.

Unless you’re in the US Senate today; and, because of the filibuster, 40 beats 60 every time. The Founding Fathers opposed that; that’s why they did not allow filibusters. It was the rule of majority.

The “€œConsent of the Governed”€ Doesn’t Overrule Basic Truths.

Now, this is point number five, and it comes only after you’ve said, “€œThere are inalienable rights,”€ and only after you’ve said, “€œThere is a fixed moral law.”€ We don’t get to vote on whether rape will or won’t be a crime because that’s part of the fixed laws of nature and nature’s God.

We don’t get to vote on whether you’re going to lose your right to keep and bear arms because that’s an inalienable right; the right to defend yourself is a God-given right. God gave it to you, not the government. We can’t vote that we’re going to take that away from you.

So, the consent of the governed is good when you talk about if we want the sidewalk to be four feet wide or five feet wide or six feet wide. Do we want the speed limit to be 45 or 55?

Rick:

Or if you”€™re in Texas, 85.

Davd:

That’s what we can do on the consent of the governed; but, we cannot vote on inalienable rights fixed moral laws. That’s the principles in the Declaration. And the six principle is–

Rick:

The consent of the governed doesn’t overrule those basic truths.

David:

Government exist to protect those truths. And, with those truths, we can have a civilized culture and move forward.

Rick:

It doesn’t mean we just put our finger to the wind, and whatever is popular at the time changes those fixed points.

David:

Now, we can put our finger to the wind on sidewalks size and speed limits; but, we can’t put our finger to the wind on moral laws and on inalienable rights.

“€œ…Alter or Abolish it and Institute a New Government”€

Rick:

That’s a great point.

David:

“€œThat whenever any form of Government becomes destructive this ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and institute a new Government.”€ Destructive of what ends? If you get a government does not do the first five things.

If you get a government that says that there is no Creator, or that the Creator does not give you certain guaranteed rights, government does. “€œWe don’t exist to protect those rights; and by the way, there is no moral law. There is no right and wrong except what we tell you to do. And, there’s no consent of the governed; we will decide what you do.”€

If you get a government that want to pull the first five things, it says, “€œIt is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and institutes a new government.”€ That is the sixth principle of government. We have a lot of changes that have gone on in our constitutional government today, and they didn’t happen by the people.

The president by fiat of one pen decides he’s going to change the government. The Supreme Court decides We need to make policy;; we don’t like that legislative body across there. You cannot have the branches going in and redefining their roles.

Rick:

That”€™s violating the first is violating the first five principles.

David:

The only way that we get the success, prosperity, freedom, liberty, everything we enjoy is those first five principles. And, because government comes from the people, if those first five principles, which are our needs are not met, then we can start this thing over or we can pass Constitutional amendments, 27 of them. We can change our government.

But, it always comes back to us. You can’t have any branch change itself.

Our Revolution is with Ballots Instead of with Bullets.

Rick:

And the great thing for us, we can actually do that in a peaceable means in our nation.

David:

Oh yeah, absolutely.

Rick:

We’ve been given the tools to alter or abolish the government.

David:

We don’t have to have revolutions to do this.

Rick:

Yeah, our revolution is with ballots instead of with bullets.

SPEAKER: M2

So, that’s the revolution we need because at this point in American history, based on national statistics, only one out of three Americans vote in presidential elections. Only one out of 4 vote in non-presidential elections; which means, since it takes a majority, with only one out of three voting in presidential elections, that means that half of that one out of three chooses a president; which is about 18 percent or 17.

Rick:

Wow.

David:

Which means five out of six Americans are not choosing the president right now; and, seven out of eight Americans are not choosing their governors.

Rick:

But they’re living with the consequences,and it”€™s impacting their lives.

David:

If you want to have a revolution, show up at the ballot box and say, “€œI’ve had it; I’m not going to be part of that five out of six that don’t vote for my president anymore. I’m going to vote for my president.”€

The Six Principles of the Declaration

And, when we decide to do that, we can have an easy revolution. So, the six principles that are very simple here is: one, there is Divine Creator; two, inalienable rights come from God; three, government exists to protect those rights; four, there is a fixed moral law; five, you have the consent of the governed below the moral law and inalienable rights; and six, if we don’t get these five things, we can change until we do.

Constitution Comedy

Hey, all your patriots out there that would like to see more Americans study the Constitution and understand the source of their freedom. How do you get people to pay attention to patriotism, the Constitution, the importance of being good citizens. Well, the answer is two words: Brad Stine. You make it fun, you make it fun to learn.

My friends, this is Rick Green from WallBuilders live, and Brad and I are bringing the comedy and constitution tour to you. We’re doing a live stream across the nation on March 23rd, 2019. Visit ConstitutionCoach.com, and you can sign up to bring this program to your church. You can stream it into your home or your local club. However you’d like to bring it. It’s an opportunity for you to bring the Comedy Constitution to your community, which will fire people up to study the Constitution. It’ll educate, entertain, equip, and inspire folks to accept protect and purposely pass the torch of freedom. Check it out today at ConstitutionCoach.com.

John Locke’s Treatises of Government

Rick:

Mentions where some of this comes from. Back in Philadelphia we talked about that Richard Henry Lee mentioned that John Locke’s Treatises of Government had a huge impact on Jefferson. This is the coolest thing you’ve ever given me. Actually, I have to admit you loaned it to me; but, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

David:

You’re right.

Rick:

I”€™ve had it for about ten years now; so, I’m claiming it.

David:

Let”€™s hear you go argue that in court.

Rick:

Allright, this is John Locke’s Treatises of Government. This is, I believe, a 1784  a 1774 version, if I remember right. So, this is Locke.

David:

It”€™s a 1774 version.

Rick:

Oh, you got me beat, right there. So, tell us more about Locke though; because, I hear a lot of people say a lot of negative things about him and that if he was such an influence on the Founders, that means they weren’t religious guys and they didn’t believe in God.

David:

Well, one of the things you know for sure about Locke–and political science statistics have documented–that he was one of the three most frequently-cited individuals in the Founding Era. The Founding Era goes from 1760 to 1805. In that Era, we”€™re establishing and operating our first constitutional government; he’s one of the top three guys.

John Locke

Rick:

If we want to really understand the document itself, we need to know a little bit about the guys–or a lot about the guys–

David:

He is the guy in the 17060s and 1770s; he is quoted most often because that’s the age where we did the Declaration. Richard Henry Lee, you mentioned. He said that they “€œcopied”€ the Declaration from those two Treatises of Government. Now, that’s why in American public schools prior to 50 years ago, in government class you would have read those two treatises because how can you study government and not know where it came from?

You will not read this today. And as  your version there is an inch thick. Mine is three-quarters of an inch thick. The book  is less than 400 pages long.

This book cites the Bible over 1500 times to show the proper operation civil government.

Rick:

Now, let me do the math here. That’s got to be what? Three or four times a page.

David:

Three or four times a page.

Rick:

You can’t go a page without reading the Bible; and yet, we’re told that these guys didn’t respect the Bible.

The Commonplace Book to the Bible

David:

And, we’re told John Locke is a great deist, that he was one of the leading deists.

Weird thing about Locke as a deist: I wonder why he did this little book right here. This is called The Commonplace Book to the Bible.

You open this up and it’s “€œThe Scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated.”€ Now, wait a minute. What”€™s a deist doing showing us that the Bible applies to every aspect of life?

Rick:

Yeah, I mean “€œpractically demonstrated;”€ so, he’s saying “€œThis is how you use the Bible.”€ David:

This is how you use the Bible in everything–

Rick:

A deist today would not do that.

David:

No way. And so, Locke talks to the reader about how applicable this is.

And, what he has done is taken all these verses from the Bible and put them in categories. So: “€œThe Duty of a Believer with Respect to Humility, The Duties arising from Religion Relating to Husband and Wife, Religious Duties Toward God and Affliction and Persecution.”€ I mean, take any categories and put the Bible verses together.

Why would a deist do that?

Rick:

Yeah, if you thought it was some watchmaker God that steps back and has nothing to do with us, you wouldn’t be applying God’s Word to your marriage and everything.

More than 1500 Verses Dealing with Government

David:

And see, that”€™s the thing; because, he is the guy who had such a great impact. Because he had such a big impact and because he is so religious, “€œOh no, he is he’s a deist; you don’t need to read his works in government class anymore.”€ To show you how far we’ve come in our thinking, even as people of faith, I was recently with a group of about 500 pastors and I said, “€œHow many Bible verses can you guys think of that deal with government?”€ Less than 10 in the room. I said, “€œHere’s a little book right here with more than 1500.”€

Rick:

Wow.

David:

And, he does say “€œIt is the Scriptures practically demonstrate the sufficiency the Scriptures; the Bible applies to everything.”€ And the Founders knew that. As a matter of fact, that’s why if you look at the Declaration of Independence, those rights set forth in the Declaration, historians have documented that every single right set forth in the Declaration of Independence had been preached from the American pulpit prior to 1763. The Declaration of Independence is nothing more than to–listen to the sermons we’ve been hearing in Church.

From the Pulpit to Our Government Documents

Rick:

So they weren’t; the Church was not applying government principles to our life. The Church was applying the Bible, and that got reflected in our government principles. So, if it was getting taught from the pulpit, it showed up in our government documents.

Clinton Rossiter and John Wise

David:

This guy right here is John Wise. John Wise, historians like Clinton Rossiter–and actually, at Cornell University, he was such a great historian, an award-winning historian, that they have an endowed a chair history, the Clinton Rossiter Chair of History. He was a great historian.

And, he went back and said, “€œThe American thinking it was so different. No other nation did what we did. France, Spain, Portugal, Italy didn”€™t do it. No other nations.”€

Rick:

The had to be wondering why we would do something different.

David:

And, his question was What were the six greatest intellectual forces in shaping the thinking of the Founders? He went through and identified six of the greatest; and, four of the six were preachers, and he was one of them. This guy right here.

Now these are his sermons from 1710 and 1717. And you’ll find that 1680–now, he’s a preacher in Massachusetts. You’ll find that by 1680, he had looked through the Bible and he preaches a sermon [that says,] “€œWhile looking at government in the Bible, it is very clear that God”€™s preferred form of government is the consent of the governed.”€

I think I’ve heard that phrase before. He looks through here, and says–

Rick:

This is when?

David:

This was the 1680s.

100 Before

Rick:

So, this 100 before.

David:

Yes,  1680s.

Rick:

And, he’s already talking about consent of the governed. Okay.

David:

And, 100 before he says, “€œThere is a Creator, and He’s created all men equal given them all the same set of rights.”€

Rick:

Wow.

David:

This is in 1680s; and, he goes and said, “€œWhen you look what the Bible says about taxation, it is very clear that taxation without representation is tyranny.”€

Rick:

No kidding?

David:

Right here.

Rick:

So, this is–I mean, when we say, “€œSeeds of liberty,”€ he was literally planting 100 hundred years before what would bear fruit in our founding documents.

David:

That’s it. Let me show how significant this was; because, he did this in the 1680s. Tell me what the date of publication of that is right down there.

Rick:

Oh, I have to read Roman numerals. This is gonna be difficult. This is 17–

David:

Seventy-two.

Rick:

I was going to say “€œ52.”€ Okay. So, the Founders then, in their era—

Sons of  Liberty

David:

You know who the Sons of  Liberty are?
Rick:
Yeah.

David:

All right. Who were the great Sons of  Liberty?

Rick:

So, that was Sam Adam who started it.

David:

Sam Adams and John Hancock and James Otis and all those guys. They’re the ones who printed this and distributed it across America so that Americans would know how to think going into this conflict.

Rick:

Okay, so wait. These are sermons preached 100 years before the Declaration. The Founders themselves reprinted his sermons–

David:

The Sons of Liberty

Re-educate a Generation

Rick:

–to help educate their generation.

David:

To get them thinking on right principles.

Rick:

This gives me great hope; because, that means if they did it, if they could do this 200-and-whatever-years ago: reprint, re-educate, bring these things back to life, then we can do the same thing today.

David:

Absolutely.

Rick:

We bring these documents and educate a generation. They come back to these principles. We bring them.

David:

Remember that principle number one of the Declaration: there is a Creator. And, if you don’t recognize the Creator, then you”€™ve got trouble. Now, this is the other thing we get today: “€œThe Founding Fathers were atheist, agnostic, deist;”€ really?

Let me let me take something right here. This is. You tell me; what’s the name at the bottom of this thing?

Rick:

George Washington.

Washington”€™s Call to Prayer

David:

George Washington. This is his first-ever “€œCall to Prayer”€ in America, of the federal government. That is Washington.

Rick:

{It says} “€œ1789.”€

David:

This is going to be October 17, 1789. He calls the entire nation to honor God. Now, why would Washington do that?

He gives the answer right here in this first paragraph. Let me just put it up. I”€™ll show you what’s in this first paragraph.

Washington is now calling the nation to honor God. Why would he do it? He says, “€œIt’s the duty,”€ and notice the word “€œduty.”€

Duty

That’s a word that is a big, important word. We don’t talk about it much today. The military still gets it; a lot of the rural people know what “€œduty”€ means.

I built houses for a long time. Hundreds of thousands of dollars changed hands. Yet, we never signed a contract.

I’d walk into the bank. We would talk about the terms and shake hands on it. Neither one of us would break that contract–that you have a duty to keep your word.

I don’t need it on paper; I’ve got a duty.

Rick:

Today you hear “€œduty,”€ and people think, “€œ Oh, responsibility; ooh, I don”€™t want that.”€

David:

Yes. “€œDuty”€ in his day is “€œa legally-binding, contractual obligation.”€ In 1913, the definition “€œduty”€ was reduced to “€œa responsibility.”€ And, today’s dictionary says: “€œIt is that which one ought to do.”€ Well, that’s not the same.

Rick:

That sounds like a choice instead of “€œthis is what you do.”€

David:

So, what he”€™s saying is, “€œIt’s a legally-binding, contractual obligation of–,”€ of who? “€œOf nations. Legally-binding, contractual obligation of nations to do four things concerning God.”€

Number one: “€œto acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God.”€ Number two: “€œto obey His will.”€ Number three: “€œto be grateful for His benefits.”€ Number four: “€œhumbly to implore His protection and favor.”€

The Nation Must Honor and Recognize God.

And, that’s what nations are supposed to do, not individuals. So, they believed this philosophy that you have to honor and recognize God.

Rick:

But, this is just the father of the country.

David:

“€œHe’s one of the great deist Founding Fathers,”€ which is what we’re told in school.

Rick:
He’s obligating the nation.

David:

He’s obligated nation, not individuals, the nation.

Rick:

So, all this stuff about official acts and keeping your religion at home and “€œYou can talk about God; but, don’t even have a public day of prayer.”€ Remember when our Governor Rick Perry couldn’t even pray with people in Houston.

David:

Yeah.

Rick:
Because he’s governor, he’s not allowed to pray with people because it’s official. Exactly what we want is official prayer.

Constitution Alive

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the United States Constitution but just felt like, man, the classes are boring or it’s just that old language from 200 years ago or I don’t know where to start? People want to know. But it gets frustrating because you don’t know where to look for truth about the Constitution either.

Well, we’ve got a special program for you available now called Constitution Alive with David Barton and Rick Green. It’s actually a teaching done on the Constitution at Independence Hall in the very room where the Constitution was framed. We take you both to Philadelphia, the Cradle of Liberty and Independence Hall and to the WallBuilders”€™ library where David Barton brings the history to life to teach the original intent of our Founding Fathers.

We call it the QuickStart guide to the Constitution because in just a few hours through these videos you will learn the Citizen’s Guide to America’s Constitution.  You’ll learn what you need to do to help save our Constitutional Republic. It’s fun! It’s entertaining! And it’s going to inspire you to do your part to preserve freedom for future generations. It’s called Constitution Alive with David Barton and Rick Green. You can find out more information on our website now at WallBuilders.com.

Many Signers”€™ Official “€œCalls to Prayer”€

David:

See that? What’s that?

Rick:

A Proclamation for Thanksgiving.

David:

It’s handwritten. It’s done by a guy named John Langdon. Oh, he’s a governor.

Oh wait a minute. He’s a signer of the Constitution.

Rick:

Yeah, yeah.

David:

So, what do you mean a governor can’t have prayer? Here’s a governor who’s a signer of the Constitution.

Rick:

There you go.

David:

So, the signer of the Constitution thought it was the right thing. You’ve also got Samuel Huntington; there’s a signer of the Declaration.

He’s a call to prayer. He’s now governor of his state. He calls the people to prayer.

Rick:

And so, it’s an unofficial act of the governor.

David:

Here’s one from Oliver Wolcott, another signer the Declaration, another governor of his state calling people to prayer. Here’s one from John Langdon, a governor of his state. That was handwritten.

This is this called “€œa barnside”€ because they would nail these up to trees or they”€™d nail them up on the side of barns. Evidently somebody nailed it up, and you see the part missing.

And, here you’ve got John Hancock. I mean, here’s his. Even behind us, we have all these things.

More From the Governors

If I go to this one right here and pull this one out. You’ll recognize the guy there. Who’s at the bottom?

Rick:

We’re back to the Sons of Liberty. So, here’s Sam Adams when he’s governor.

David:

When he’s governor.

Rick:

Okay, so, this kind of ties it together for me. Adams reprints; he and others reprint John Wise. So, there’s the principles from a pastor 100 years earlier.

Now he’s in an official capacity, and he’s basically reiterating those exact same principles from John Wise.

You Have to Have Something Higher than Government

David:

Exactly. And, that’s the first principle of American [governing] is you have to have something higher than government. God is higher and gives us a certain set of rights. And government, you cannot touch those rights.

Now we have limited government, and we tell it that it exists primarily to protect the rights that God told. So, we have a right to free speech, self-defense, to sanctity of our home, to justice, to trial by jury.

Government, you have to protect those rights. All the things that they listed out as rights.

Constitution Alive! The Seeds of Liberty

Rick:

But, if you take the first principle out, all of that falls apart. If you take God out–so, these are the seeds of liberty. This is what produced this most incredible nation in the history of the world.

So, if we go back to the seeds, we can bear the same fruit that we’ve had.

David:

That”€™s right. Once you understand this, now we can talk about the Constitution; because, now you’ll understand the Constitution.

Rick:

Allright, well, we’re going to step back and get a 30,000 feet view of the Constitution in our next section, kind of a broad overview of the entire Constitution when we return here on Constitutional Alive! With David Barton and Rick Green.

Rick (in studio):

Well, friends, that was Constitution Alive! with David Barton and Rick Green. It was Section 2 out of the full 12-hour program. And, today of course, was the final segment of our four programs this week where we had to break up that Chapter Two for you in order to get it all in.

We hope you enjoyed it. We hope you’ll check it out at ConstitutionAlive.com for the entire program on DVD and the workbook. And, we also encourage you to share it in your Sunday school class or bring friends into your home and open it up so you can teach them on the Constitution as well.

More information is there at ConstitutionAlive.com. If you’d like to share just this particular chapter that we’ve had this week here on WallBuilders Live, all four programs from this week are available right now at WallBuildersLive.com. Thank you for listening to WallBuilders Live with David Bach and Rick Green.