Protestantism

There are some who say that the Founding Fathers were virtually all Deists. And there are others who say that they were all Christians. Here are three signers of the Declaration of Independence - the signing of which we in America celebrate on July 4 - who leave little doubt as to their faith.

In his will, Samuel Adams, widely regarded as the "Father of the American Revolution," wrote: “I ... recommend my Soul to that Almighty Being who gave it, and my body I commit to the dust, relying upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins."

Roger Sherman, who signed both the Declaration and the Constitution, wrote: “I believe that there is one only living and true God, existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. . . . that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are a revelation from God. . . . that God did send His own Son to become man, die in the room and stead of sinners, and thus to lay a foundation for the offer of pardon and salvation to all mankind so as all may be saved who are willing to accept the Gospel offer.”

And then there's signer Benjamin Rush, a close friend of both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams and one of the earliest pioneers for abolition and women's rights, who said: “My only hope of salvation is in the infinite, transcendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His Son upon the cross. Nothing but His blood will wash away my sins. I rely exclusively upon it. Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!”





Happy Fourth of July!