Influence of the Bible on America, part 4

Rick Green

This is the Intersection of Faith and Culture. It's Wall Builders. We take on the hot topics of the day here and we always do that from a biblical, historical and constitutional perspective. And today we're actually finishing up a series, a four-part series on the influence of the Bible in America. We've never aired this series on WallBuilders, even though we've had it on the website for a while. It's a powerful program. A lot of people have watched it on different television series, but I encourage you to go check out the whole series at the website, wallbuilders.com. But today we're going to finish up playing the audio of that series. This is day four. So if you've just tuned in and you've missed all the other programs, you might have been expecting a Good News Friday today, which is normally what we do on Fridays, but this is going to be the conclusion of that four-part series. All of those pieces are available right now at our website, so check that out at wallbuilders.com. Let's jump right in where we left off yesterday with Influence of the Bible in America.

Speaker

Webster has left us the standard of the English language which will guide all successive ages. Noah Webster grew up with his country, and he molded the intellectual character of her people. Not a man has sprung from her soil on whom he has not laid his hand. His principles of language have tinged every sentence that is now, or will ever be uttered by an American tongue.

David Barton

That's quite a profound influence. Webster's Dictionary truly had a huge impact on Americans and on American language. But what does Webster's Dictionary have to do with the influence of the Bible in America? The answer is the Bible had a direct impact, first on Noah Webster in the writing of that dictionary and then in the dictionary itself. Okay, most can accept that the Bible might have had an impact on Noah Webster in the writing of that dictionary and then in the dictionary itself. Okay, most can accept that the Bible might have had an impact on Noah Webster. But how in the world would the Bible have had a direct impact on his dictionary? Let me explain. In his dictionary, in order to show the context of the words he was defining, Webster would provide examples of how that word was used in a sentence in order to give its connotation or denotation. Significantly, a high percentage of the examples Webster provided in his dictionary were verses from the Bible. Consider, for example, the word man. Webster defined man as man.

Speaker

1. Mankind, the human race, the whole species of human beings, beings distinguished from all other animals by the powers of reason and speech, as well as by their shape and dignified aspect.

David Barton

Webster then provided sample sentences showing how the word man was used. And what examples did he provide? Bible verses, For example.

Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground. Man born of woman is of a few days and full of trouble. My Spirit will not contend with man forever. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. It is written man does not live on bread alone.

And he used other verses as well. Consider another word Webster defined the word heart.

Webster defined heart as heart, the seat of the affections and passions as of love, joy, grief, enmity, courage, pleasure, etc.

Again, webster provided a number of examples to show the meaning of the word heart, using a collage of scriptures.

The heart is deceitful above all things. Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart is evil. Continually we read of an honest and good heart and an evil heart of unbelief. A willing heart, a heavy heart, sorrow of heart, a hard heart, a proud heart, a pure heart. The heart faints in adversity or under discouragement. That is courage failed, the heart is deceived and enlarged, reproved, lifted up, fixed, established, moved, ect. 

This same pattern was followed throughout Webster's entire dictionary. Interestingly, later editions of Webster's great dictionary like this one, from four decades after the original, contained in the front of the dictionary the account of Webster's personal conversion to Christ and of his subsequent spiritual growth. Unfortunately, the heavy reliance on the Bible that was part of Webster's early dictionaries has been removed from modern Webster's dictionaries today. Why? Why remove religious content? There might be many reasons, but regardless of the specific reason, webster's modern dictionary serves as a clear example of expunging God from yet another facet of the lives and consciousness of everyday Americans, thus helping convince us that religion is appropriate in church or in private, but that it should be absent from public spheres such as law, government, education or dictionaries. Yet, notwithstanding the removal of biblical principles and references from the modern Webster's dictionaries, Webster's original Bible-centered dictionary had a direct and a positive impact on millions of Americans for dozens of years. Just as Noah Webster had interwoven the Bible and the dictionary together in 1828, five years later he published another work where he again interwove the two together. This 1833 work, entitled A Revision of the Authorized Version of the English Bible, was America's first modern language Bible. In this Bible, Webster took what he had learned from his labors on the dictionary and he applied it here. He updated outmoded words in order to help them convey their original meanings. Yet Webster was very cautious with this work. He was so committed to the authority and the accuracy of the scriptures that in the front of this Bible he lists exactly which words he updated, so that everyone would know exactly what he had done and that he had not tampered with or altered any of God's message to man found in the scriptures. For example, where the Bible had used the ancient word fetch, Webster substituted the modern word bring. Both meant the same thing, but he used the modern word instead of the ancient. He also used 60 instead of the obsolete three score. He used perhaps rather than peradventure. He used cow in place of kind, and so forth. So through this modern language Bible and then through Webster's dictionary, the Bible influenced generations and literally tens of millions of Americans.

Let's move ahead to the year 1844. A significant case was decided at the US Supreme Court that year, a case argued by the famous Daniel Webster, known as the Defender of the Constitution. Daniel Webster was part of the second generation of American statesmen. He was a young man during the American Revolution and he grew up on the speeches of Presidents George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Following his own entry into politics, Caniel Webster became a leading national figure. He served almost a decade in the US House, nearly two decades in the US Senate and he was a Secretary of State for three different presidents. He was also considered the greatest attorney in his generation and he personally argued and won numerous cases before the US Supreme Court.

The 1844 Supreme Court case in which he was involved dealt with a government-run school in Philadelphia that forbade ministers from the campus. It was rightly believed that this provision was an attempt to prevent religious instruction at the school. Interestingly, attorneys on both sides of the case. They found that anti-religious provision to be odious. When that case reached the court, what from others might have been nothing more than a dry legal argument from Webster's lips became an emotional appeal on the importance of preserving religious instruction at the school. Webster spent three days arguing his side of the case and on the third day his arguments were taken from the Bible His arguments from that third day. They were quickly published and distributed across the nation. Here's that copy. It's titled Mr. Webster's Speech in Defense of the Christian Ministry and in Favor of the Religious Instruction of the Young, delivered in the Supreme Court of the United States February 10, 1844.

In his argument that day, Webster told the court when little children were brought into the presence of the Son of God, his disciples proposed to send them away. But Jesus said suffer little children to come unto me, unto me. And that injunction is of perpetual obligation. It addresses itself today with the same earnestness and the same authority which attended its first utterance to the Christian world. It is of force everywhere and at all times. It extends to the ends of the earth. It will reach to the end of time, always and everywhere, sounding in the ears of men with an authority which nothing can supersede. Suffer little children, to come unto me.

Webster continued a similar line of reasoning throughout his arguments for that day. He opposed any plan of education that excluded religious instruction, any plan that forbade children to quote come unto him. End quote at school. How did the US Supreme Court rule in that case?

In a unanimous decision written by famous Justice Joseph Story, a father of American jurisprudence, who was placed on the court by President James Madison, the Supreme Court declared why may not the Bible, and especially the New Testament, without note or comment, be read and taught as a divine revelation in the school, its general precepts expounded and its glorious principles of morality inculcated? Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the New Testament? Where are benevolence, the love of truth, sobriety and industry so powerfully and irresistibly inculcated as in the sacred volume?

Speaker 3: 10:24

This unanimous Supreme Court decision affirming the use of the Bible in schools is a far cry from the position held by today's court. Nevertheless, the decision of the US Supreme Court in 1844 was meant to preserve the Bible as an integral part of American education. By the way, daniel Webster's persuasive powers of argumentation served him not only in cases before the Supreme Court, but also when debating bills in Congress, significantly. Webster, a great orator, believed that for anyone to become a great orator he must read the Word of God out loud. In fact, daniel Webster practiced his own oratory by reading the Bible out loud, and there are wonderful accounts of visitors traveling to the US Capitol just to stand outside Daniel Webster's office and listen to him read the Bible out loud. Let's move forward to 1848, the year in which this little work was published.

This is a work penned by John Quincy Adams, who had been not only a US president but also a member of Congress, both as a US senator and a US representative. This work is called Letters of John Quincy Adams to His Son on the Bible and His Teachings. It contains Adams' writings to his 10-year-old son, George Washington Adams, a son he named after his own close personal friend, George Washington At the time John Quincy Adams wrote these letters, he was serving as a diplomat in St Petersburg, Russia. He wrote these letters to his son not only recommending the diligent study of the Bible, but also showing him how to get the most out of his Bible study. 37 years after John Quincy Adams had written these letters to his son, and in the year following his own death, those letters were published in this book so that Adams' wise counsel about the Bible might be available to all of America's sons and daughters. Here are some of the advice offered by John Quincy Adams.

The first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention is the Bible. I have myself, for many years, made it a practice to read the Bible once every year. I have always endeavored to read it with the same spirit and with the same temper of mind which I now recommend to you, that is, with the intention and desire that it may contribute to my advance in wisdom and virtue.

In other words, John Quincy Adams didn't read the Bible just for inspiration or devotion. He read it with the intent of gaining wisdom and virtue, with the intent of finding specific things from the scriptures that could be applied to daily life. His recommendation was wise Always look for applications when reading the Bible. Always look for practical things that can be applied in everyday life. This little book by John Quincy Adams is filled with other excellent recommendations as well, and this work is still available today. It's available in modern reprints and it's well worth reading by every citizen. But why was this book considered suitable for America's youth a century and a half ago, as the book's publishers explained?

It is no slight testimonial to the verity and worth of Christianity that in all ages, since its promulgation, the great mass of those who have risen to eminence by their profound wisdom, integrity and philanthropy have recognized and reverenced in Jesus of Nazareth the Son of the living God.

Rick Green

All right, folks, hang on. We've got one break today. Stay with us. You're listening to the WallBuilders Show.

Tim Barton

Hey guys, it's Tim Barton and I want to let you know about an opportunity coming up for pastors and ministry leaders. We are doing our annual pastor's briefing in Washington DC and we do this every year. We do one in the spring, we do one in the fall. This spring it's April 16th and 17th. This fall it is September 10th and 11th. This is one of the most significant things we do to encourage and challenge pastors in this culture we live in it's in Washington DC and 11th. This is one of the most significant things we do to encourage and challenge pastors in this culture. We live in it's in Washington DC and Tuesday night we do an after hours tour of the US Capitol where we introduce pastors and ministry leaders to the history of the nation. The following day we have congressmen come and they give a briefing on what they're doing and how God is challenging and motivating and using them. And, frankly, most pastors, most ministry leaders, they don't know the rich spiritual heritage of the nation or what God is still doing moving in the hearts and lives of leaders in this nation. I would encourage you if you're a pastor, ministry leader, you need to come to this. It's one of the best things we do at WallBuilders. To find out more, go to wallbuilders.com and look for the pastor's briefing, or go to wallbuilders.com and look for the pastor's briefing.

Rick Green

Welcome back to the WallBuilders Show Thanks for staying with us today. The final conclusion of the Influence of the Bible in America.  

David Barton

History proves that those who have studied the Bible and embraced its teachings have risen to the greatest heights and levels of accomplishment. Let's now move ahead to 1892, the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. That momentous event was celebrated with a huge international festival in Chicago. Many trades and professions were represented at that festival, including that of educators. In fact, the Kansas Teachers Association prepared this work as a review of the history of education in America following the discovery of the New World by Columbus.

This historical overview first observed that American education was quote nurtured in the lap of the church end quote. It then noted that as the nation grew and the number of inhabitants in America increased that quote the church reluctantly relinquished her claim upon the elementary schools end quote. Yet despite the fact that the jurisdictional authority over education had been partially shifted and was being shared by the church with the state, the philosophy of education remained unchanged. In fact, the state superintendent of public instruction forcefully cautioned against any change in the philosophy of education remained unchanged. In fact, the state superintendent of public instruction forcefully cautioned against any change in the philosophy of education.

He bluntly warned If the study of the Bible is to be excluded from all state schools, if the inculcation of the principles of Christianity is to have no place in the daily program, if the worship of God is to form no part of the general exercises of these public elementary schools, then the good of the state would be better served by restoring all schools to church control.

Notice, Government educational leaders believe that if public education ever became so secular that, one, it did not teach the Bible. Two, it did not inculcate the principles of Christianity. And three, it did not incorporate the daily worship of God. They believed that in such a case the nation would be better off if the state gave all of his schools back to the church.

America's educational system was long. The envy of the world and the Bible was the basis of that remarkable system. In fact, if we jump ahead to 1947, we find yet another system was long. The envy of the world and the Bible was the basis of that remarkable system. In fact, if we jump ahead to 1947, we find yet another confirmation of how integral was the Bible to American education. That confirmation is seen in these two textbooks used in Dallas public schools a Bible study course of the Old Testament and a Bible study course of the New Testament. Both were credit courses for graduation used until 1974, and these texts were also used in major school districts across the nation, including Indianapolis, st Louis, little Rock and others. Lesson one in the New Testament course begins by having students read John, chapter 1, and then answer questions such as when was Christ before he was born on earth?

What title does John apply to Christ in this chapter? For what purpose was John sent by God Name? Five things the angel told Mary concerning her child Jesus. What does the word Jesus mean?

There are hundreds of similar questions throughout the course. At the end of each lesson is memory work, For example in Lesson 1,.

Memorize the preexistence of Christ. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.

The Bible truly was an integral part of American education was made. The Bible truly was an integral part of American education. By the way, these two Bible study books are still available today. We've reprinted them and they're excellent for use by individuals or by home schools or Christian schools or churches or Sunday schools or whatever. We've covered many significant examples to show the profound influence that the Bible had on America in areas from law to government, to politics, to education, to science, to fine arts, to medicine, to economics, to literature, to virtually every other sphere. Indisputably, the Bible was not merely a book. It was the book of influence in American history.

I want to close with three separate quotes from three of our founding fathers. The first comes from John Jay. Recall that he was appointed by George Washington as the original Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. He was also a President of Congress during the Revolution and he's considered one of the three men most responsible for us having the Constitution today. That is, he was one of three individuals who, through his writings in the Federalist Papers, convinced America to ratify the Constitution. What did John Jay have to say about the Bible?

He declared the Bible is the best of all books, for it is the Word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue, therefore, to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts.

Good advice for us today. The second quote comes from John Adams. John Adams is one of the most distinguished of the founding fathers, signing the Declaration of Independence and then the peace treaty with Great Britain that established America as an independent nation. He was also one of only two individuals who signed the Bill of Rights and he became the nation's first vice president and its second president. John Adams was a prominent lawmaker in America and a distinguished attorney.

What was John Adams' view of the influence of the Bible on a society? He gave his answer by describing what would happen if an imaginary, hypothetical nation were to adopt the Bible as its guidebook, he predicted. John Adams believed that any nation that took the Bible and not only read it but also applied it and lived by it would become a genuine paradise. He believed the Bible could make that much of a difference in a nation. Noah Webster supplies the final quote and it comes from this work, the History of the United States, a very popular history and government text written by Webster in 1832 for the use of our schools. In this school book, webster did not hesitate to acknowledge the important role that the Bible had played in the establishment of America.

He told students the brief exposition of the Constitution of the United States will unfold to young persons the principles of Republican government, and our citizens should early understand that the genuine source of correct Republican principles is the Bible.

Speaker 3: 21:37

But Noah Webster reminded students not just of the biblical origins of the Constitution and the principles on which our government was formed, but also of how important it was to America that our citizens should follow the precepts of the Bible. He told them.

Speaker 2: 21:51

The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all of our civil constitutions and laws.

Speaker 3: 21:59

All of the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, in other words, according to Noah Webster not only was the Bible the basis of government in America, but if we would just get into the Bible, obey it and live by it, we would have a society free from vice, crime, ambition, oppression and injustice. These powerful quotes from John Jay, john Adams and Noah Webster, as well as those from so many other distinguished Americans, affirm the impact on and the importance of the Bible to our nation. In summary, the historical records demonstrate that no single source has had a greater influence on America than the Bible. It directly affected our system of government law, education, our free enterprise system, our social services and so many other aspects of our uniquely American culture. The Bible has been the foundation of so many positive aspects of American life and society, and its influence continues to bless our society even today. But Psalms 11.3 raises an appropriate question.

Speaker 4: 23:15

When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do.

Speaker 3: 23:20

The foundation is the most important part of any structure, and a foundation must not only be protected and preserved but it must also be maintained.

Speaker 3: 23:29

For if a foundation is destroyed, what prospect remains for the rest of the structure but eventual collapse? This is certainly true for America's foundation, and to protect, preserve and maintain her foundation is a responsibility we must all accept.

Speaker 3: 23:45

Each of us can preserve America's biblical foundation in two important ways. First, we can preserve it through what we do in our own lives, that is, individually. We can read God's Word and study it, not just devotionally but practically. We can study it with an eye towards learning biblical principles and applying them into our lives on an everyday basis. And we can also make sure that our entire family studies and applies biblical principles. Then we can strive to ensure that our church and our neighborhood embraces biblical principles.

You see, instilling and embracing biblical principles in individual lives will help preserve America's foundations. Therefore, the first way of preserving America's foundations occurs from the bottom up, rising upward from individuals in every home and community. But the second way to preserve America's foundation is from the top down, that is, not just in the individual citizenry but also in our collective public policies and the way we can do this is by electing the office policymaking individuals who fulfill the requirements for the elected office that were first set forth in Exodus 18:21, which instructs us but select capable men from all the people, men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain.

These are the biblical qualifications for office holders, and adhering to these standards will help preserve our foundations. But other verses also provide additional important instructions for a nation's preservation. For example, Proverbs 14:34 declares that righteousness exalts a nation.

Yet Proverbs 14:34 is not a verse independent from Exodus 18:21. Those two verses are actually closely related. That is, America can't be exalted without righteous policies, but she can't have righteous policies without righteous leaders to make righteous policies. And America won't have righteous leaders unless righteous citizens are willing to vote for leaders according to the biblical guidelines set forth in Exodus 18:21.

Rick Green

All right, folks. Thanks so much for listening today. I know you enjoyed the influence of the Bible in America, and all of that information now should motivate you to read through the Bible every year so that you can take that wisdom and influence the next generation and our generation with that wisdom and just help us to restore the Bible at the forefront of our culture here in America. If you missed the earlier programs, everything's available at wallbuilders.com. In fact, I encourage you to get the video of this series because the graphics are incredible. It's just a great. It's really well done and it'll have a great influence on you and then you can influence your community with these important things. It's time, folks. The culture's falling apart and we can either curl up in the fetal position and give up, or we can start picking up the pieces that have been crumbling and rebuilding, and we want to rebuild on the rock. We want to rebuild on the foundation that made America great in the first place. Thanks for being a part of it. Thanks for listening to the WallBuilders Show.