Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Founding Father Henry Marchant, Faithful Christian

Our founders are accused today of being mostly atheists and deists. Some were, but there were a small minority. We continue today by looking at Founder Henry Marchant. He was a member of the Continental Congress and a ratifier of the U.S. Constitution. In a letter to his daughter, Sarah, on September 9, 1777, he said:

Go on my Dear thus improving, and add daily one Virtue to another. And may God grant that his Grace may really affect your Heart with suitable Impressions of His Goodness. Remember that God made You, that God keeps you alive, and preserves you from all Harm, and gives You all the Powers and the Capacity whereby you are able to read of Him, and of Jesus Christ your Saviour and Redeemer, and to do every other needful Business of Life. And while you look around you and see the great Priveleges and Advantages you have above what other Children have, of learning to read and write, of being taught the meaning of the Great Truths of the Bible, you must remember not to be proud on that Account, but to bless God, and be thankful and endeavour in your turn to assist others with the knowledge you may gain.
...
Let us all be thankful to God for giving us such a Plenty of the Fruits of the Earth.

You can find the complete letter on the Library of Congress website. It is in the document:
Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 7 May 1, 1777 - September 18, 1777 --Henry Marchant to Nicholas and John Brown
(Just search for "Henry Marchant to Nicholas and John Brown" to find it)

1 comment:

LoriBeth said...

WOW! I never hear of him or his letter but that's amazing! Keep up the good work!