He was a farmer and surveyor, and was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774-1777, representing Pennsylvania. Morton was put in a very unique position during the debate on independence. The congress had declared that there must be a unanimous vote in favor of independence or the vote would be considered to have failed. Each colony sent representatives to vote in favor of or against the motion. Each colony received one vote, based upon the majority of their representatives.

Pennsylvania had seven representatives that had been sent to Congress. Of them, two were not present at the time of the vote for independence on July 2, 1776 – Robert Morris and John Dickinson. Dickinson was the leader of the opposition to independence, so he certainly would have voted ‘no.’ Morris is a signer of the Declaration, but was actually against the motion, thinking that they needed to give it more time. He probably would have voted ‘no.’

However, they were not present on the day of the vote. The remaining Pennsylvania delegates were divided. Charles Humphreys and Thomas Willing voted against the resolution. Benjamin Franklin and James Wilson supported it. Deadlocked at two apiece, Morton became the deciding vote that would move the colony of Pennsylvania into the ‘yea’ column or squelch the entire resolution. He did not take this lightly. An ardent patriot, Morton believed in the cause of freedom from the chains of the Mother Country. Yet, he also realized that many of his constituents were Quakers, who opposed any military action. After deliberating, he chose to vote in favor on independence.

This choice, as you can well imagine, was not an easy one. He must have felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. What if things went bad? What if the British swept through America and took vengeance on all “traitors”? This vote could be the cause of much pain for his friends and family. It was up to him whether the motion for independence should pass or fail – that’s a huge responsibility for one man to bear.

And this major responsibility took its toll on Mr. Morton. Many of his friends turned their backs on him, which greatly affected him. The “mental anxiety which he experienced in so novel and solemn a situation, and the great responsibility which he had incurred in case the measure should be attended with disastrous results, preyed upon his peace, and is confidently said to have accelerated, if it did not cause, his dissolution.”

A few months later, in April 1777, Mr. Morton died of a violent inflammatory fever. His last words were for his estranged friends. He wanted a message sent to them that the action for which they blamed him was, “the most glorious service I ever rendered my country.” Although he never saw them himself, we have John Morton to thank for the freedoms we enjoy today.

John Morton pledged his life.

So like John Morton, let’s stay on the narrow path,

Larry

P.S. Next week we will discuss the amazing story of John Hart!

Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina is one of the lesser known founding fathers, probably because of his short and tragic life. Thrown into a prominent role rather suddenly, he was gone just as quickly. Historian B.J. Lossing said of Lynch: “Like a brilliant meteor, he beamed with splendor for a short period, and suddenly vanished forever.”

No discussion of this founder would be complete without mention of his father by the same name. Thomas Lynch Sr. was elected to the 1st and 2nd Continental Congress and was then appointed to be a domestic advisor to George Washington in 1775. He made a great impression upon other leaders, such as John Adams and Ben Franklin. Lynch Sr.’s prominent position paved the road for his son.

Thomas Jr., our subject here, was born August 5, 1749. Before the age of 13 he went to England to attend school and later studied law there. He returned to America in 1772 at the age of 23 and wanted to begin a political career. He attended a town meeting in Charleston in 1773 to consider the injuries Great Britain was inflicting on the colonies. This was a major turning point in his life, as he addressed the assembly with patriotic eloquence and won the hearts of the people. This led to him being elected to the First Provincial Congress in 1774.

He was appointed captain of the first provincial regiment in South Carolina in 1775. He made a recruiting excursion into North Carolina, to raise the company he was to command. While on this excursion, due to the harsh conditions and being exposed to the weather, he contracted a terrible illness, either swamp fever, malaria, or some other disease. He never fully recovered from this illness.

In 1776, his father became ill while serving on the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and resigned from the position. Thomas Jr. was elected to replace his father and went to Philadelphia to assume that amazing responsibility and to care for his father. He supported the proposition of independence and signed the document as the 52nd signer. At the age of 26, he was the second youngest signer of the declaration, only three months older than Edward Rutledge.

Sadly though, signing the Declaration was the final act of his political life. With both his and his father’s health declining, they traveled slowly for home. At Annapolis, his father suffered another stroke, and died. With a sad heart, the son returned home.

With his health continuing to decline, his physicians recommended a change of climate, so in 1779 Thomas and his wife set sail for the West Indies. They were never heard from again, presumably due to a ship wreck.

He died at the age of 30 with no children.

Lynch’s story is short and rather sad. He made a choice, and it cost him his life. He didn’t die dramatically at the hands of the enemy, but there is no doubt that his stance for independence cost him his life.

Thomas Lynch Jr. pledged his life to this new nation.

So, if you could participate in just one historically significantly event in your life, what would it be?

Post your answer!

And, stay on the narrow path,

Larry

The (somewhat) dry facts: Richard Stockton of New Jersey was a successful attorney and farmer. He graduated in the first class of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) at the age of 18. He had a very successful law practice and became a Supreme Court Judge in New Jersey in 1774 at the age of 44. He owned 6,000 acres and amassed a considerable fortune. He, like many of the other founding fathers, was prospering under their current system. Yet, he sacrificed all for the cause of liberty.

The more exciting part: The original New Jersey delegates to the Second Continental Congress were against independence and were recalled. Five new delegates were elected, including Stockton. They arrived rather dramatically on July 1, 1776 when the motion was being reconsidered. They were present when John Adams made his famed speech summing up his desire for independence (“All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope, in this life, I am now ready here to stake upon it”). Stockton gladly voted in favor of independence, moving New Jersey from the ‘no’ column to the ‘yea’ column. This was crucial, since a unanimous vote was required by the assembly.

Now, the amazingly sad part: The British army spent a lot of time in New Jersey during the early part of the war, chasing Washington. And while they were there they destroyed as much of the “traitors” property as they could. As a signer, Stockton and his family were in grave jeopardy. He was able to move his wife and six children to a place of safety, but he was captured by the British after being given up by those loyal to the Crown. Stockton was taken to a prison in New York and was treated horribly. When news of his starvation and exposure to extreme cold reached the Continental Congress, they pressed Brittan’s General Howe to end this cruel treatment. Stockton was later released in a prisoner exchange, but his health was so shattered that he never recovered. Meanwhile, his estate was devastated. The British destroyed the contents of this house and burned his library, one of the best in the country. His valuable farmland laid in waste and Stockton, once a very wealthy man, was forced to ask temporary aid from his friends. Richard Stockton pledged his fortune.

Richard Stockton died on February 28, 1781, before ever seeing American independence. His last words to his children begged them to remember that “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” Richard Stockton pledged his life.

Now, will you ever forget this amazing man? I trust that you will not. I trust that you will think of him (and others like him) when enjoying the freedoms we have in America.

And, I trust that you will stay on the narrow path,

Larry

P.S. To read more about Stockton and the other signers, I highly recommend For You They Signed!

“I was determined to see how they all looked,
as they signed what might be their death warrant”

~~~ William Ellery, signer of the Declaration ~~~

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration. In doing so, they pledged their life, their fortune, and their sacred honor.

We all know that Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration. Yet, did you know that he was very upset that it was not his original version that was adopted? The other members of congress made changes to the document, deleting some things that seemed too harsh and adding other things. One line that the signers required be added to the end of the document was the phrase, “with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.” So, the final line now reads:

‘And, for the support of this declaration,
with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,
we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.’

They were unable and unwilling to make this large commitment without stating that they fully trusted in God Almighty for protection. The Declaration of Independence was truly also a declaration of dependence on God.

There is no doubt that each of the men who voted in favor of independence knew the potential ramifications of their actions. We must remember that these men who we consider to be brilliant patriots were the worst of traitors to the British. Once the Declaration had been placed on parchment, the representatives gathered. As each of the men approached Mr. Hancock’s desk to attach their signature on the document, a solemn hush prevailed in the room. As Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, a small man of barely four feet in height, approached the desk to sign the Declaration, Benjamin Harrison from Virginia, a large man, said “when the hanging scene comes to be exhibited, I shall have all the advantage over you. It will be over with me in a minute, but you will be kicking in the air for an hour after I am gone.”

As the members of Congress were preparing to sign the Declaration, Mr. Hancock stated, “We must be unanimous; there must be no pulling different ways; we must all hang together.” “Yes” Benjamin Franklin replied, “we must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” Thomas Jefferson prayed that the principles of the document these men signed at the risk of being “exalted on a high gallows” would be eternal. Yes, there can be no doubt – these men knew the risk they were undertaking. They understood the potential loss of life for them and their families. But they were willing to take that risk. They were willing to suffer and die for their cause. But, did any of them actually have to follow through with their pledge? Well, of the 56 men who signed the Declaration, nine died before the war was completed and never saw a free America.

In the coming posts we will look at some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and see how they willingly followed through with the pledge they made to give their life in support of the Declaration.

Look for the next post in one week. We will discuss a man that you may have never even have heard of – Richard Stockton. His story is amazing!

Until then, stay on the narrow path,

Larry

“We demand our rights!” has been a familiar battle cry of protesters outside of Congress or City Halls throughout the country, throughout the years. We all love to think about and talk about our rights. As a matter of fact, the phrase most often quoted from the Declaration of Independence is:

‘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;
that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’

Now I love the fact that this country acknowledges these God-given rights. It is fully appropriate for us to honor the rights that God has established. However, it saddens me to see us shift the source of our rights from God-given to government-given. I also detest that these basic rights have been expanded to include additional things, like our “right” to have a good job, home ownership, a nice car, and a thousand other things that simply are not truly “rights.” We, as a nation, have come to expect our government to provide everything for us – hence, our entitlement society.

There have been a gazillion books and articles written about our rights as citizens of the United States of America. I promise not to make this a gazillion and one. Rather, I want to focus this series of articles on the final line of the Declaration – the quote at the top of the page. This series of articles will be entitled, “They Pledged.”

In this series, we will look at the pledges contained in the Declaration. Then we will look at specific signers who followed through with these pledges. It’s easy for us to determine if the signers of the Declaration really meant that they were pledging their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honors; all we have to do it to follow the lives of these 56 men until their deaths. Did any of them sacrifice their life so that you and I could have our right to life? Did any of them sacrifice their fortune so that we could experience our right to liberty? Did they sacrifice their sacred honor so that we could pursue happiness in the way we choose? Hang with me through this series, because we will answer each of these questions.

Look for another post in one week entitled, They Pledged Their Lives.

Until then, stay on the narrow path,

Larry

“Resolved, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states: that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connections between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

So, if the founders voted for independence on July 2nd, why do we officially celebrate Independence Day on July 4th? Well, that was the day that Congress approved the Declaration of Independence itself. The Declaration had already been written, in anticipation of the resolution passing. Once the resolution was passed, the specifics of the Declaration were debated and formally passed on the 4th.

John Adams predicted that July 2nd would be the day we celebrate, but the Declaration document was what put teeth to the resolution that was passed. The Declaration eloquently expressed, in detail, the reasons that America was breaking away from Britain. It makes perfect sense for us to set aside July 4th as our Independence Day.

So, enjoy today as Independence Day, and then celebrate again on the 4th!

And, this weekend as always …

Stay on the narrow path,

Larry

On his 29th birthday, May 29, 1765, young Patrick Henry gave one of his most famous speeches. Having just become a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses nine days prior, Henry introduced what we now know of as the Virginia Resolutions. He introduced these resolutions by making a very famous speech. The fiery Henry concluded the speech with these lines:
“Caesar has his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third …” He was interrupted with cries of “Treason, Treason!” Undaunted, Henry went on — “and George the Third may profit by their example! If this be treason, make the most of it!”

Patrick Henry was an amazing man: He received his education from his father and his uncle; he failed as a farmer and twice as a business owner; and got married at the age of 18. Young Patrick seemed as if he was drifting with no real purpose in life. Then, at the age of 23 he decided that he wanted to become a lawyer. After studying for a mere six weeks, he passed the bar and became an attorney. At this, Henry found his calling. He studied and discussed politics and was elected to the House of Burgesses in 1765, just before his 29th birthday.

Well, you probably know the rest of his amazing life. He is known as the Fiery Orator of the Revolution. His “Give Me Liberty” speech on March 23, 1775 fanned the flames of the American Revolution. Henry later served on the committee in the Virginia Convention of 1776 that drafted the first constitution for the state. He was elected governor the same year and was reelected in 1777 and 1778, and then again in 1784. He greatly opposed the new Federal Constitution, fearing that it gave the federal government too much power and left too little power to the states (hmmm, looks like maybe he was right!). Once the Constitution was ratified he greatly favored the Bill of Rights, which he worked to get enacted. He declined a series of offers for high positions with the new federal government, including Secretary of State, mainly due to ill health and family responsibilities (he had 17 children!).

He died in 1799 at the age of 63, just a few months before the death of another Virginian, George Washington.

We owe much to Patrick Henry and men like him. He gave of himself for his country and was willing to die for the cause of liberty. Let’s honor him, and others like him, on his birthday and throughout this Memorial Day weekend.

Let’s honor him by staying on the narrow path,

Larry

]]> http://www.ancientpathsweb.com/i-demand-my-rights/feed/ 0 http://www.ancientpathsweb.com/i-demand-my-rights/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AncientPathsChristianBookstoreBlog/~3/cUcClTSeniM/ http://www.ancientpathsweb.com/happy-tax-day/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:03:17 +0000 Larry Pruett http://www.ancientpathsweb.com/?p=2385 Wait … tax day is April 15th, right?

Well, actually today is!  On this day in 1913 the 16th Amendment was ratified, providing for a federal income tax.  There had been a temporary tax enacted in the 1860′s to pay for the Civil War, but it was ended when the bills were paid.

How in the world did the government run for all of those years without a federal income tax?

On Facebook, the winner was Fruit Bearer; the winner from the blog was Carol T.; and the winner who responded to the newsletter was Mrs. Aly.

However, everyone who participated was a winner!  All of those who answered correctly, but whose name was not drawn, received a coupon worth 50% off of Washington’s Prayers.

This contest was our way of honoring George Washington’s birthday and a great way to announce this new release, Washington’s Prayers. Please take a look at this reprint of the 1907 classic — I think you will like what you see!

Here’s the link to the page with all the information about the book:  Washington’s Prayers