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THE ORIGINAL STATE CONSTITUTIONS

America's Founding

In reading these original state constitutions the modern reader may be under the misconception that they somehow "established " Christianity as the official religion of the state. That inaccurate understanding of the first amendment to the United States Constitution would come from two things. One would be an genuine ignorance of history. The other would be purposeful miss-education by state run school systems that have long been taken over with leftist propaganda bent on destroying a proper knowledge of the nations past. As a whole these Constitutions are well documented to represent Biblical principles for human relationships and government. The form of government spelled out in them exemplify the evolution of Christian thought and teachings that had been developing since since the fall of the Roman Empire in 1453 A.D. The focus of the comments about these constitutions will not be along those lines though. They will be specifically addressing the fraudulent and dangerous history revisionism taught in the public schools and universities of America regarding:
The 1st amendment to the Bill of Rights: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

All of the restrictions in the first amendment were aimed at the newly formed federal government of the United States. The peoples of the entire world had faced limits on these activities by tyrants, kings and emperors from its very beginning. Restrictions on the ruled by the ruler has always been the status quo. Therefore the representatives of the states and the people feared what always had been would in time arise once more through a powerful central government. In their agreement together to form a central government for the welfare of the states they placed many limitations on it in the hope to deter what always seemed to naturally transpire through evil men. Well, it's been centuries since the nation was formed and the world has seen a birth of liberty, freedom and life that never existed in the earth from it's beginning until the fall of the Roman empire in 1453 A.D. Unfortunately a result of all of these centuries of freedom and liberty has been a vagueness of what the world used to be like. In that ambiguity the first part of the first amendment regarding the establishment of religion has become misconstrued and twisted as to what those who wrote it experienced and meant. A proper understanding of that will alleviate any undo fears about the meaning of these state constitutions and what they would result in if acknowledged by the public as a whole.

The establishment of religion by the state (meaning by the rulers) is as old as written history. It had a purpose. First and foremost it was a tool of the oppressor to separate the oppressed from their creator, the author of freedom. Once the oppressed are separated from the inspiration and influence of heaven the oppressors can and did rule in perpetuity. At first this was done through real idolatry with all of its abominable practices. Kings and emperors established horrific idolatrous practices that were so abusive to mankind that any hope of freedom and an abundant life that so many enjoy today would be impossible to realize. To have freedom, liberty, abundant life, national prosperity a people must have inspiration and guidance from heaven, knowledge of the truth, self control, power, and to sum it up, the golden rule. Without this darkness in the heart if mankind basically gives Satan power over the destinies of men. God's plan was turn this all around, to place the temporal and eternal destiny of individuals in their own hands. To do this necessitated the overthrow of tyranny, the whole idea of kings and emperors and the resulting slavery. It had to start with the individual and not the collective. Through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross individuals found grace, forgiveness and the things necessary to secure at least a personal liberty in their own spirits from the abuses of the world around them. They became capable of self government, that is they voluntarily submitted themselves to the good government of God. Through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Government of God these individuals became so influential that the populations of the oppressed began to realize the nature of the government established pagan idolatry. It became despised and ridiculed. It lost its power to secure the interests of of the ruler over the ruled and as such the kings and emperors of the ancient world dis-established it. That did not mean they were ready to do the right things like give up their rule and free their slaves. No on the contrary. Since this new found light that was invading the world was exposing paganism and idolatry for what it was, absurdity and wickedness. What else could be used to separate individuals from their creator on a personal level other than a government established religion that uses rites, rituals, and ceremonies that are purportedly based on the Gospel story but hide the truth of the Bible itself from the oppressed. It accomplished the same ends. The oppressed were cut of from God on personal level which rendered them easy to control. Thus the imperial "catholic churches" of Europe were birthed and the world was kept in darkness, oppression and slavery for another millennia. Most Americans think of Roman Catholicism when this subject is brought up. Most Europeans realize that there are many of these imperial "universal church's" other than just the one set up by the Roman Empire. In fact some European countries still pay taxes to the established catholic church of their country which may not be Roman.

This is the what the establishment clause of the 1st amendment to the Bill of Rights is referring to. In fact this is what the founders of the nation just won a war against. It was not the first war won against a king or empire with it's established religion. It was one of many victories in a string of wars to overthrow the order of the ancient world in favor of a more just and enlightened world that began with the fall of the Roman Empire in 1453 A.D. This then is the backdrop of these state constitutions and why what is written in them does not constitute the establishment of religion in the sense of what had always constituted it in the past. To put it an even simpler perspective: During the entire period of the Roman Empire from the time of Christ to 1453 AD. During most of that time the scriptures were illegal for the common man to possess. At exactly the same time the empire fell the scriptures began to be mass produced on European printing presses and found their way into the hands of the masses in their own languages. This resulted in wars of attempted extermination of the scripture reading populations by the powers that be. It was also the first time outside of ancient Israel that the powers that be lost those wars and the scripture influenced populations won or at least fought them to a standstill. Herein lies the difference between the establishment of religion as the founders had understood it verses what the founders instituted. The scripture under the darkness of the ancient order was hidden from the people. In the new order of the free world it was the basis of all human understanding and therefore the reading and study of the Bible was not only encouraged by the government but mandated in all public and private schooling. What they are simply doing is acknowledging the truth and the necessity of a population enlightened by the truth for the self rule that is the basis of limited and good human government. These constitutions reflect their writers understanding of the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Government of God being the basis of the freedom, liberty, blessing , abundant life which they now hoped for themselves and their descendants. By way of personal experience, observation and history they knew this to be the only way mankind would be capable of self rule and the institution of human government by the people and for the people. There was debate among them as to the specifics and what role human government could and should play but there was general consensus as to the truth. There were also those among them who were rejecting the whole enterprise because they coveted slaves and the land native Americans possessed. These however had to bide their time to make their move on the new nation. The founders who wanted and expected a full end to all human slavery were far to popular and numerous to defeat in elections. Horrendous compromise had to be made with one southern state for it to sign the Declaration of Independence from Great Briton. Two other southern states declared their intention to go whatever way the one state did. If any of the states had sided with Great Briton against the colonies the war could not be won. South Carolina said it would do just that if the paragraphs in the Declaration of Independence condemning African slavery and the slave trade that was being imposed on the colonies by the King of England were not struck from the document. Many understood that this meant civil war to complete the goals of the revolution at a later date. Here is that section of the Declaration of Independence that South Carolina demanded be removed before they would sign it.

Some may ask at this point why so many in the United States seem so hell bent on obscuring this simple understanding of the establishment clause of the 1st amendment when these state constitutions so testify that it is not what modern state run education says it is. Well very simply for the same reason kings and emperors in the past established religion. To separate people from God and from his light thereby creating a population that is easy to manipulate, In case you hadn't realized it, the federal government has established and funded a "religion" to do just that. A little about that will be added under this at a later date. If you are interested. There is an article on this website that goes into great detail about the Bible's prophecies concerning all of this. It not only foretells who the players are but it gives the dates thousands of years before hand about when all of this freedom, liberty and abundant life would begin to come to pass in this world.

There is also another that shows what the the prophesied government of God would look like.

An excellent online source for 18th century documents:

Yale Law School
Lillian Goldman Law Library

THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA 1776

This constitution like Delaware's is another good example that shows what is not meant by the establishment of religion in the federal constitution's 1st amendment.

THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA 1776

Basically the same as the previous three in that it's a good example of what the founders of the nation did not consider the establishment of religion by the state.

The commonwealth of Virginia 1776

A clear understanding of Biblical Christianity and civil government are contained in Virginia's bill of rights.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA 1778

This is one of the original constitutions where the people of the state believed that their government should have a very active role in the promotion of general non denominational Christianity because it was considered essential for the welfare of the people and the state.

The state of Massachusetts 1780

Called the oldest written functioning constitution in the world and the model for the Constitution of the United States. This constitution drafted by John Adams, Samuel Adams and James Bowdoin by itself should lay to rest the propaganda taught through out public tax payer funded school systems that this nation was not founded by Christians and upon Christian principles. Another amazing aspect of this constitution is that it has had little alteration since it was originally ratified. Therefore unlike the other original constitutions that have had a great deal of alteration this one is easily found while the others in their original form seem "mysteriously" hidden from public view.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE 1792

Written after the federal constitution New Hampshire's constitution expressed the same Christian world view using the same words as the other original constitutions.

Those were the original thirteen colonies of the United States. The rest are states admitted after the war starting with Vermont that declared itself an independent republic during the war and was admitted as the 14th state of the USA after the war. These will be added as time goes by.

THE STATE OF VERMONT 1786

This states constitution affirms a number of times the validity of the Bible as the Word of God and that it is the duty of all citizens to submit to its teachings as their conscience dictates. It requires one to be a professing Christian to hold public office, and appears to be a energetic supporter and ally of the gospel in making the citizens of the state good and wise.

THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE 1787

The Northwest ordinance is one of the most important documents in understanding the thought processes of congress regarding true religion in the founding era of America. Also showing what role they expected it to play in the future of the young nation contrary to a "progressive" Supreme court decree of 1947 that has attempted to ban any expression of religion or religious morality in any public entity.

THE STATE OF KENTUCKY 1792

Kentucky's original constitution was the first that did not seek to perpetuate to future generations the Christianity that was responsible for the Biblically based thought regarding human government that had been developing for the last few centuries. Obviously though that Biblically based frame of government that was still developing is contained in this constitution.

THE STATE OF TENNESSEE 1796

Tennessee's original constitution was somewhere in-between Kentucky's and the original thirteen colonies.

The state of Ohio 1802

That laws shall be passed by the Legislature which shall secure to each and every denomination of religious societies... according to their number of adherents of the profits arising from the land granted by Congress, for the support of religion, agreeably to the

THE STATE OF LOUISIANA 1812

Louisiana's original constitution reflects the abandonment of the the founders vision for the end of tyranny and slavery in the new nation. Other states may not have lived up to it and perhaps never intended to but Louisiana along with many other new states constitutionally reject the ideal and the spirit of the revolution that all men are created equal.

The state of Indiana 1816

That no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience seems to be the guiding principle of this states constitution. That human slavery may never be introduced into this state nor the recognition of slavery in other states. That state trust lands be used for schools and seminaries in accordance with the Northwest Ordinance.

There are over a hundred chapters of Bible prophecy about a growing free world before the book of Daniel ever uttered a word of end time prophecy. A world in which kings and emperors, dictators and warlords, are being brought to nothing. A world in which there is no more legal slavery and the earthly promises of God made to a hundred generations of saints, unfulfilled in their time, could finally begin to come to pass. This simply could not occur in the ancient despotic world where the poor masses had little to no control of their temporal or even their eternal destinies. The prophecies you will read about in this book promised an era of conditional freedom and prosperity for many nations. They promise God’s people who live in these nations will be free from the fear of oppression, and that they will be able to raise their children as they see fit. They promise the nations and peoples most influenced by the Bible and its principles will be the dominant nations in the world, just as they have been for the last 500 years. None of this occurred when the Messiah came, or with the end of the first covenant age and the horrible destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. In fact, it got even worse for true believers after that. It certainly did not occur when European empires and kingdoms began to claim Christianity. This all began to occur in a specific year prophesied in Daniel and Revelation, and for a specific reason. The journey you take through “The Bible’s Prophecies about the Free World” is going to change your life and rock the world around you. Nothing will ever be the same. Order you copy of The Bible's Prophecy About The Free World today! Paperback, hardcover or e-book.

1st Corinthians 2:9.....no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” ESV
Psalm 68:11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

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THE ORIGINAL STATE CONSTITUTIONS

There is also another that shows what the the prophesied government of God would look like.

An excellent online source for 18th century documents:

Yale Law School Lillian Goldman Law Library

This state constitution set up a system of tax collection to pay the salaries of ministers of a local communities choice. Sort of like the public schools systems of the various states today. As a matter of fact most public schooling outside of homeschooling was administered through local churches.

This constitution is a good example of the mindset of the founders of the nation and what they did not mean by the establishment of religion.

This constitution like Delaware's is another good example that shows what is not meant by the establishment of religion in the federal constitution's 1st amendment.

Basically the same as the previous three in that it's a good example of what the founders of the nation did not consider the establishment of religion by the state.

A clear understanding of Biblical Christianity and civil government are contained in Virginia's bill of rights.

The same as the previous constitutions with a little more emphases placed on the abuses of the imperial church of the king of England.

Rhode Island like Connecticut operated under it's original 1663 charter until 1843 when it adopted a new constitution. It is a religious document as all of the founding documents of this era are.

Typical of the constitutions of the day with slightly less religious language. Still the requirement of being a nominal professing Christian to hold public office and a public education set up administered by local communities and their churches.

New Yorks original constitution uses slightly different terminology than the others to lay out the laws their land is to be founded upon. Nevertheless that terminology has always been understood to say the same things the other state constitutions say.