The Commonwealth by David Barton
It was doubted whether M’Creery’s estate could legally be left to an alien unless it could be proven that he had become a citizen of the United States before his death. The case was settled when a certificate was produced showing that he had indeed become a naturalized American citizen through an oath taken before Judge Samuel Chase. Chase not only was a signer of the Declaration of Independence but was also nominated by President George Washington as a Justice for the United States Supreme Court.
Below is an excerpt from the document Chase executed in the naturalization of M’Creery; notice especially the requirement for naturalization: I, Samuel Chase, Chief Judge of the State of Maryland, do hereby certify all whom it may concern that personally appeared before me Thomas M’Creery and did repeat and subscribe a declaration of his belief in the Christian Religion and take the oath required by the Act of Assembly of this State entitled “An Act for Naturalization.” Runkel v. Winemiller, 1799 Supreme Court of Maryland
This case involved a conflict between a minister of a German Reformed Christian Church and the church from which he had been dismissed. The Judge who delivered the ruling noted that the court’s decision had been unanimous. What was it upon which all the Judges concurred? Religion is of general and public concern and on its support depends, in great measure, the peace and good order of government, the safety and happiness of the people. By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty.
The Commonwealth v. Sharpless, 1815 Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This case, and two following it, deal with “morality;” and although many today assert that “you can’t legislate morality,” such charges are utter nonsense. Every law that exists is the legislation of morality. As signer of the Declaration John Witherspoon explained: Consider all morality in general as conformity to a law. Consequently, it is never a matter of if morality can be legislated, only whose morality will be legislated. The Founders believed the Bible to be the perfect example of moral legislation and the source of what they called “the moral law.” For nearly 150 years, the Courts relied on that moral law as the basis for our civil laws a fact clearly illustrated in the following three cases.
David Barton – The Biblical model of worship, staying with the Broadway theme is this. The pastor is the director, the members of the congregation are the actors and God is the audience.