Welcome to a firm foundation presented by Princeton ministries with Dr/ Ken Smith. This is Carol Smith, Ken’s wife. Please enjoy

Our God and father. We ask now that the words of my mouth, the meditations of our hearts, would be acceptable in your sight, for we ask it in Jesus name. From all over the world, people are interested. And many people are coming by the tens of thousands to live in the United States of America. And one of the reasons for this massive migration of people is because of the freedoms that are here in this nation. Freedoms politically, freedoms religiously, freedoms related to business, freedoms related to the individual. And so often we simply know the results that we live in such a society. But all you have to do is travel very briefly around the world to go to another country, and you will find that many of the freedoms that you and I take for granted are not there now.

We take it for granted. The question where did the freedoms come from? And what was the foundational belief of people who came to this nation, who, in fact established the very institutions which you and I are the beneficiaries of? There is freedom’s holy light that seems to be emblazoned across this nation. Where did it come from? Now, in order to go through the embers of this holy light, we find it very difficult today to look in our newspapers, our magazines, to understand the source of the freedoms that we have. However, today in the United States of America, there are over 95 million people who, every Sunday, are to be found in the churches of America. And on any one Sunday, there are more people on that Sunday in the churches than are to be found in all of the arenas that gather together.

sports, baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey. If you were to gather all of the attendance of all of those events in the course of one year, they are not as great as the number of people who go to church on Sunday in America. So there is, within our own setting, some clues to the source of the freedom of America. But I’m afraid that if you were to restrict yourself today alone, you would not be able to find the true source of the freedoms that you and I enjoy. In order to do that, we have to go back to the purposes of those who initially came, who set up the various constitutions and bylaws, those who established the first charters, to see what was their purpose in establishing this unique nation? Well, we get a hint.

If were to look at the boat of Christopher Columbus as he set sail for the far east, not knowing that in between was the country of America and what was on the bow of the ship of Columbus. Well, it was a cross that he had erected, a cross of Christ, even his name. Christopher the Christ bearer says in his own diary that the purpose that he put together that expedition was to bring the blessed truth of Jesus Christ to those ends of the world that had yet to hear of Christ. A name that is set in our history books. A man by the name of Sir Walter Raleigh. Most of us just think of a cigarette when we think of Sir Walter Raleigh. But in fact, he was responsible for the first colonial grant that was made in America, the year 1584.

And he was also authorized to go to this foreign land. And this, I quote, was his purpose, that he establish a government, that it not be against the true Christian religion, unquote. And so Sir Walter Raleigh came. But it would be until 1607, before a settlement would develop, and the city of Jamestown that first place of landing. And at Jamestown in 1607, having landed at Cape Henry, what was the first act that was performed by those colonists? Did they call a political meeting? Did they call a school board together? The first act performed by those settlers at Jamestown, a prayer meeting. And just a few years later, a very familiar event, that of the pilgrims stepping out on the rock at Plymouth Rock.

Well, the pilgrims had made a very difficult journey across the ocean, and in the providence of God, they arrived at a safe harbor on Sunday. And so what did those seasick pilgrims do? Did they rush to shore to get their feet on ground? What they did, they said, today is the Sabbath, and we ought not to labour on this day. And so, rather than land on Sunday, they conducted public worship aboard the Mayflower. And on Monday, November 11, 1620, that little group of Puritans came off of the Mayflower, having signed the Mayflower compact, which begins this, in the name of God. Amen. We whose names are underwritten, having undertaken for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony.

And as they stepped aboard out of that ship to that rock at Plymouth, what was the first act that was accomplished by those pilgrims? William Bradford, who kept a diary of that event, says, being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, we fell upon our knees and blessed the God of heaven. And then we find the formation of Massachusetts, the charter which established the purposes of that colony. And after several provisions in the charter of Massachusetts, we find this phrase that we desire to win and incite the natives of the country to their knowledge and obedience of the only true God and savior of mankind and the Christian faith, which is, they said, our royal intention to bring conversion to those in the land of Massachusetts. The first settlers in Rhode Island organized the local government.

And the provisions of that initial charter of purpose say, we whose names are underwritten, do hear solemnly in the presence of Jehovah, incorporate ourselves into the body politic, and as he shall help, we will submit our persons, lives, and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the king of kings and Lord of lords. And in those early days, as the nation was trying to organize, there was an initial attempt at bringing together a union, a federation of states. And that first attempt was called the New England Confederation.

And the purpose, as they discussed their reasons for coming to New England, and I quote, whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the same purpose, you might ask, what was the purpose that these people came by the boatloads and they established themselves in Rhode Island, in Massachusetts and New York and Vermont and New Hampshire. What was the one purpose upon which they were unanimously, purposefully together? They tell us the one end, that purpose, namely, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy the liberties of the gospel in piety and in peace. And it comes as no coincidence that the famous words of the Declaration of Independence were penned, that we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.

And it was out of that declaration of independence that a group came together whose purpose was to establish a constitution, the laws of the land, the general principles by which this nation would function. And it began in. In a very sad state. There was great division, there was great confusion, until an old man with speckles at the end of his nose stood and looked out and said, I have lived, sir, a long time. The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this, that God governs in the affairs of men. We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that accept the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. And I also believe that without his concern, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.

And this old man asked that constitutional meeting begin with prayer. And from that day to this, the Congress of America begins with. And who was this old man who spoke? It was Benjamin Franklin, who was the initiator prayer of a chaplain in our congress. And in 1777, during the American Revolution, the government of America, through the Congress, approved an act. And what was that act? That we gather together 20,000 copies of the Bible. And we place those Bibles in the hands of our soldiers and of our people. And on numerous occasions in those early years of the foundation of this nation congress in 1781, recommended to the people of the United States that they read the Bible. By 1884, of all of the universities and colleges that were established in the United States, 1884, 83% of all colleges were church related.

Less than 7% were state supported. And what was the consequence of that 83%? Why, they were producing ministers and missionaries. They were producing those who would go with a Christian understanding, and they would go out into the world as Christians who had been educated within a Christian worldview. Why, even Washington, at his inauguration, said it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent prayers to that almighty being who rules over the universe, who presides over the council of nations. And if you were to look at all of the inaugural speeches of all of the presidents of the United States, you will find reference to God. You will find reference to an almighty being.

If you were to look at all of the state constitutions, you will find in all of them that they call upon the name of God to bless their Endeavor. If you were to go today to listen at the House of Representatives and as the chairman directed the affairs of that house, you will find over his seat these words, in God we trust, you will find every session of Congress today opening with prayer in the White House. John Adams had this inscribed over the fireplace, I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on the White House and on all those who shall hereafter inhabit it. If you were to walk in the Washington monument, as you walk upon the stairs, you will find etched into the walls these words. Search the scriptures. Holiness to the Lord in God we trust.
And if you were to take a helicopter and to go on the exterior of that monument, and you are to look down upon the key, the top pinnacle of the Washington monument, you will find inscribed upon that pinnacle these. Praise be to God. If you were to look the Supreme Court of our land, you will find. In 1892, conclusion, after looking through the documents, the evidence, the Supreme Court of our land said, this is a religious people. This is a Christian nation. Meaning simply that the purpose of those initial fathers was to have the overview of Christian principles to be the ground rules by which this nation would function. In 1931, Justice George Sutherland reiterated that America is a Christian nation. As late as 1952, Justice William O. Douglas affirmed, I quote, we are a religious people, and our institutions presuppose a supreme being.

But if you were to ask, is the result of freedom that you and I enjoy simply the result of the pilgrims, the Puritans, those who came with noble purposes? Is that, in fact, the source of the freedom that you and I enjoy? I think to. To answer that question, we must go even further back into history, for there is, in fact, one person who historians declare is, in fact, the ember from which the fan of the spirit of God caused multiple hundreds of thousands to enjoy the freedoms that you and I have today. If I were to ask you from history, what single person is responsible for the freedoms that we enjoy? Some might say George Washington, others might think Jonathan Edwards. But let me suggest a name. John Calvin. You say John Calvin. Who was he? Wasn’t he just a minister?

No, as a matter of fact, he was not even ordained as a minister. He was a layman. And you might think that why you’re a Presbyterian. And the correct answer to that question is supposed to be John Calvin. No. The reason that I give John Calvin as the source of the freedoms for which you and I enjoy today is not simply my opinion. It is, in fact, the opinion of historians through the ages. There was a time in the history of America where you could not study about America without knowing the life in Geneva and John Calvin. But it is as though many of the truths that we have just looked at have been expunged from our history books. To browse through a history book today and to look and understand what was the source that brought all of this about?

You will hear very little mention of spiritual things. You will not hear about prayer meetings. You will not hear about the preaching of the word of God. You will not hear about missions. You will not hear about the noble purpose of conversion. Why, you would think that the purpose of establishing this nation was purely and simply economics and exploration. Yet the very thrust behind those who I have been mentioning was a Christian purpose. Well, D. Aubigny, who is one of the greatest French historians, says this. The pilgrims who left their own country, landing in barren soil on New England, were the direct and legitimate sons of John Calvin. Doctor Ew Smith says, these revolutionary principles of freedom, liberty, self government, were brought to America by the hands of Calvinists.

Von Ranck, who is perhaps one of the most famous of the German historians, says that John Calvin, and I quote, was the virtual founder of America. This opinion is shared also by Bancroft. Bancroft, who was perhaps the greatest historian that America has ever produced. Bancroft said John Calvin was the founder of America. And he adds this, he who will not Honor the memory and respect the influence of Calvin knows but little of the origin of American liberty. You might think that John Calvin only influenced Presbyterians, but if you were to be a bird flying from church to church two or 300 years ago, you would find that not only were Presbyterians Calvinists in their theology, but so were the Episcopalians.

So were the Baptists, the Congregationalists, the Puritans, the pilgrims, all of them devoted Calvinists, the Huguenots, the French Christians of France, all of them Calvinists. As a matter of fact, everyone aboard the Mayflower, a Calvinist. Notice, we’re not talking about a Presbyterian. We’re talking about a Calvinist. And what was a Calvinist? A Calvinist was a person who took the word of God seriously, who saw that God was in control of his entire creation, that God was sovereign in the affairs of nations and of individuals. Those who bore the name Calvinists were the ones who went and talked about grace. It is by grace that you are saved through faith. That was the message from Geneva. It was that message that incited new the protestant church.

And at a period in history, theologically, there was little, if any difference between Baptists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, congregationalist, pilgrims, Puritans, Huguenots, the Reformed Church of Germany, the Reformed Church of Switzerland. All of them theologically saw themselves as Calvinists. And it was that hardy group of people who went and established churches and went to the far flung corners of the world. It was, in fact, from Geneva as Jehovah. John Calvin studied the scriptures that he came to the conclusion first that the church ought to be a representative government. And so from Geneva, the idea of elders was established, that the congregation would vote and think about those who would be responsible, and they would place them as their representative leaders.

Well, it was that very model that was used to establish the nation of the United States, and, I might add, England and other countries in Europe. They took the model from the church and elected representative leaders, but they also knew that man is sinful. And so they did not simply leave kings to run the business themselves, but they placed checks and balances. And that is the reason that we have an executive, a legislative, a judicial branch of our government. And what was the form from which the representative governments of this world took their example was from the church in Geneva. If were to look at education, one of the great blessings of America and other free countries is free education, public school. Well, has this always existed? As a matter of fact, no.

As a matter of fact, the first incident that we find in history of the free school system is to be found in Geneva, John Calvin. And it is said, wherever Calvinism has gone, it has brought with it the school. Public school began at the academy in Geneva. And literally tens of thousands of people came from Europe to this free school in Geneva. They learned the blessed truths of the scripture. It was at that school that John Knox was educated and returned to Scotland to begin a fire that has never gone out. In the United States, the first universities that were established, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, all were begun by Calvinists.

And so these words were penned treads the sceptic’s puny hands while near her school the church spire stands nor fears the blinded bigots rule while near her church spire stands a school Bancroft tells us we boast of our public schools. Calvin was the father of popular education, the inventor of the system of the free school. It was Calvin’s belief that a true Christian faith must be an intelligent faith. And so the teaching of the scripture became primary within those churches that called themselves Calvinists. But also the blessing that we enjoy of free enterprise in this nation. Where did that come from? From what source? Why is it that we are able to own private land? Why is it that you own property? For centuries, that was an unknown principle. Why? Because the church believed to lend money was committing the sin of usury. Usury?

The lending of money. The church declared that to lend any money at interest was usury. But Calvin studied the scripture, and it was from the ten Commandments. Interestingly enough, thou shalt not steal. That Calvin came to the conclusion, in order for me to be stolen from must mean that I own something. How can I own something if I am not able to get the money to own things? And so from that small city of Geneva developed the idea of private ownership. And in Geneva, for the first time, a bank was established where a farmer could go and for 5% interest rate, borrow money that he might own his own farm. And why did Calvin want men and women to own their own things?

Because he believed that the scriptures taught the tithes, that men and women are to give one 10th of what they own to the Lord. And if they are not able to own things, then we ought to create a world in which they are able to own things. And so the banks were established out of Geneva, and capitalism and free enterprise that we are the beneficiaries of. Calvin taught that there is a sovereign God who rules his creation, who causes the heart of the king to rise or to fall. That it is God who is sovereignly concerned about you and me. It is God who works all things out for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose. It is by grace that we trust this living God through Jesus Christ.

Calvin gave a notice that when he died, there was to be no pomp, no ceremony, no monuments. And when he died, they in fact followed that request. Today, if you go to find the stone of Calvin, it’s in a large cemetery. And through that cemetery, as you walk, you will see great notable generals in marble on great steeds. But if you look for the monument to Calvin, there is no great marble stone, as a matter of fact, in the grass, simply a small stone with these initials, JC. You see, Calvin’s monument even reminds us of the one to whom he was totally committed, Jesus Christ. Calvin, unlike many in the history of the world, believed that the Bible is God’s word. And he wrote a book called the Institutes, which was one of the most well read books until recent times.

Bb Warfield of Princeton said, after three and a half centuries, the Institutes of Calvin retains its unquestionable pre-eminence as the greatest and most influential of all theological writings. For in the institutes of Calvin, he has systematically taken together God’s word to help understand and to make comment. And that book influenced people, families, kings and nations as they read about Jesus Christ. And if ever in the history of man, were to look to one who is totally committed to the Bible, who sought to have his life in total obedience to that word, it was Calvin. Calvin would be the first to say that. Do not give me the credit for the freedoms that you enjoy, for any liberty that you and I have today is not the result of pilgrims, puritans or John Calvin. It is the result of God’s word.

And where God’s word has been preached, the scriptures say there is liberty and the holy light of freedom. As we would look at our nation and enjoy the freedom of free education, of worship, of a political system that would allow us the freedom of an individual as we would look at the freedom of religion that we would remember. They come not from some unknown source, but they come from a long heritage of men and women who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ, who were devoted to his word. You and I today stand in a long line of those who have received these freedoms.

And may it be that freedom’s holy light might not die in your heart, that those embers might not rest and be smothered, but that by the breath of the Holy Spirit of God, those embers would be brought to a flame, and that your life would represent the things of Christ at liberty and freedom, the knowledge that our sins have been forgiven. That there is a place, heaven, where we will spend eternity, that the name of Christ might be honoured by your life and by mine, that freedom’s holy light might shine. Let us pray. Our God and our Father, we come this day as people who have received great blessing. So often we take it for granted. We do not consider the cost. We do not consider the lives of men and women that have been given that we might enjoy this freedom.

And, Father, as we have remembered this list, men and women who have come with the purpose of living obediently under the word of God. That, Father, we too might be part of that heritage, that there would be another generation following ours, that would know that we loved Christ and we sought to be obedient to him and humbly submit ourselves to him. We ask that freedom’s holy light would be stirred in our breast, that we would be consumed by the freedom and liberty that comes from Christ, Lord, that as we would be set ablaze for Christ, that the world might come and watch us burn. To his name we pray. Amen.

Thank you for listening to a firm foundation presented by Princeton Ministries. This programming is supported by you, the listener. You may go to our website, princetonministries.org, or send your donation to Princeton Ministries Post Office box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 08543. That’s Princeton Ministries Post Office box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 08543. The Lord bless you, and Doctor Smith looks forward to hearing from you.