the sum of good government
DESCRIPTION
Thomas Jefferson noted that in order for good government to exist, five key principles must be adhered to. This is the first of a five part series discussing those five elements.TRANSCRIPT
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MMyyCCaallll22RRiissee
TThhee CCaallll Faith ~ Family ~ Freedom
Inside This Issue:
The Sum of Good Government
When added together, Thomas Jefferson believed these five principles
summed up the greatest government of all. Part 1 of 5
September 2010
““SSeelleecctt ccaappaabbllee
mmeenn ffrroomm aallll
tthhee ppeeooppllee””
MMyyCCaallll22RRiissee www.mycall2rise.com
The Call is a publication of SnowWhite Media, Troy G. White, founder/author. Any reproduction
of the content contained within without the express written consent of SnowWhite Media and/or
the authors is strictly prohibited and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
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of five distinct and infallible qualities. Nearly a century
later, those same qualities were still forefront as The
United States was on the brink of internal disaster in
civil war. Abraham Lincoln, the nineteenth century
preserver of our nation, followed the precedent of our
eighteenth century fathers from Valley Forge to Gettys-
burg, and those remarkable qualities formed the foun-
dation America has been built upon. However, as we
find ourselves infants of the 21st century, it seems those
bedrock principles used to forge “the world’s best hope”
are now lost in a sea of bureaucracy and social
equivalency.
So, what were those cornerstone principles that allowed
America to rise in economic, industrial, social and
military strength throughout the world? And, can those
same principles be applied in today’s “one-world” pol-
itical climate? If history is any indication, what worked
then in a remarkably similar state of affairs can, and
will, work today; but, only if applied and given the
opportunity. These principles can be found in the words
of Thomas Jefferson as he gave his first inaugural
address to the nation.
[A]cknowledging and adoring an
overruling Providence, …with all these
blessings, what more is necessary to
make us a happy and a prosperous
people? Still one thing more, fellow-
citizens—a wise and frugal
Government, which shall restrain men
from injuring one another, shall leave
them otherwise free to regulate their
own pursuits of industry and
improvement, and shall not take from
the mouth of labor the bread it has
earned. This is the sum of good
government…
I
Foremost in the heart of Jefferson was the fact that our
nation must “acknowledge” and adore God as the author
and sustainer of our existence. Throughout our nation’s
history, our leaders, including the overwhelming
majority of those who helped frame our foundational
documents as the cornerstone of our republic, saw the
importance of this simple truth. God’s grace was, is and
always will be the only reason for our prosperity.
President John Adams declared,
[T]he safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and
essentially depend on the protection and blessing of
Almighty God; and the national acknowledgment of
this truth is not only an indispensable duty which the
people owe to Him, but a duty whose natural influence
is favorable to the promotion of that morality and piety,
without which social happiness cannot exist, nor the
blessings of a free government be enjoyed;
As President Lincoln found himself engulfed in the
trenches of Civil War, he, too, recognized the hand of
God in the affairs of our nation.
The Sum of Good Government
by: Troy G. White
O ver 200 years ago the leaders of our young
republic believed good government consisted
of then
Thomas Jefferson
PRINCIPLE ONE:
Acknowledgement and Adoration of God
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Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this
mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if
God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by
the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of
unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of
blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another
drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand
years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the
Lord are true and righteous altogether."
Whether she stands on the right side with, or falls
against, God’s will, Lincoln understood that America
must acknowledge and adore the existence of “an
overruling Providence.” This trend continued into the
20th
century.
In 1952 President Truman followed the example of our
former statesmen and established one day a year as a
“National Day of Prayer.” President Ronald Reagan, in
1988, made it specific to the first Thursday in May each
year. During both of these times, America found herself
rising from major historical events that tested the
perseverance and will of all Americans. Precedent had
shown an acknowledgment of Almighty God was not
only prudent, but necessary. Standing upon the
experiences and leadership of those who had come
before, both Truman and Reagan led America toward
Providence.
Today America is in desperate need of that kind of
leadership. We are at war on multiple fronts, stemming
from the most disastrous and deadly attack on American
soil less than a decade ago. Our economy is limping
along while Americans are desperately seeking
employment. As more and more companies are being
bailed out of bankruptcy and disaster by virtue of
taxpayer funds, our citizens are left to wonder how they
can stay afloat despite swimming upstream against
raging currents of higher taxes, increased debt and a
never ending sea of government control. In the past,
Americans have found leadership from their president as
he called upon us all to seek God and His Kingdom.
Not so today. Our current president simply declares that
America is “no longer a Christian nation,” and, as the
first “National Day of Prayer” of his administration
approached, President Barack Obama chose to cancel
the annual ceremony at the White House out of fear of
offending others. This is a stark contrast to our previous
leaders and strikes at the core of our nation’s foundation.
This is not just a Christian issue. Non-Christian leaders
have often heralded the Biblical principles our founding
documents adhere to because they provide the necessary
and proper ingredients for America’s “melting pot” and
“world’s best hope” identity. Few would argue how
different The United States of America would be today
if not for our reliance upon God’s grace and our long
history of dependence upon His guidance. Many would
say our existence as a nation would even be in question.
I would have to agree.
Despite these unquestionable truths and historical facts,
there are some Christians who have chosen to question
my (and others like me) faith in God because of my
views on this issue. Their opinion is that Christians,
especially me, should simply sit quiet on the sidelines in
solemn prayer and fasting and let the rest of society fend
for itself. In other words, keep your religion in your
church and leave the politics to the “professionals.” If
we truly believe in God, then we should not worry about
what is going on around us. It will all work out.
Well, the latter is true…it will all work out, for some.
However, let me pose a question for my detractors.
How much different would our society…world,
even…be if Christians just sat quietly and huddled
amongst themselves? What if Dr. Martin Luther King
decided that the whole civil rights movement was not
his fight? Civil rights was just a political issue, right?
Was his faith lacking because he chose to stand up for
what he believed in? What if America was not founded
upon the Biblical truths that “all men are created equal”
and all are born with the rights of “life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness?” Would you want to live here? In
all honesty, Christians who believe we should remain
quiet on the political front only do so when they
disagree with whatever view is being expressed. If the
issue mattered to them, they would be, and have been,
shouting from the rooftops.
It’s simply a matter of historical perspective. As a
college advisor I hear students say all the time they
“hate” history or that they just are not good in the
subject. My response is simple: it is history…it never
changes! It never changes, and America’s history is
clear. We are a nation built upon sound Christian
principles. Our forefathers realized the supreme
importance of this, though they came from a variety of
different churches, and some from no churches at all.
Despite those religious differences, America’s leaders
have always seen the requisite of God’s providential
hand in our national affairs. Thomas Jefferson
ascertained that the “sum of good government” began
with the acknowledgment of God, not just in the church,
but in all realms of society, especially government. It
begins at the top.
Unfortunately, today, the top disagrees.
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In two months we have a
clear choice in who
represents us in Austin.
Traditional conservative
values have long since
been neglected from our
current representative in
House District 3,
comprised of Lamar,
Titus, Red River,
Hopkins, Franklin and
Delta counties. It’s time
for our voice to be heard.
Erwin Cain has a long-
standing history of
fighting for conservative
principles in East Texas.
While our current
representative runs away
to Oklahoma, Erwin
promises to stand and
fight.
Vote Erwin Cain on
November 2nd, for HD3.
For more information,
please visit…
www.erwincain.com.
STAND UP FOR EAST TEXAS VALUES √ Defend Pro-Life and Traditional Marriage √ Protect our Right to Keep and Bear Arms √ Protect Private Property Rights √ Crack Down on Illegal Immigration √ Pass Voter ID Bill to Preserve Election Integrity √ Improve Education STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY √ Reduce Taxes and Spending √ Fight Costly Federal Mandates √ Promote Jobs and Economic Development for East Texas
"Like many others, I’ve watched in shock at the incredible overreaching of the federal government into our rights and our wallets. That same liberal philosophy is knocking at the door of our state legislature. East Texans deserve to have a committed conservative who will never shift with the prevailing political winds. With your support, I'll be that voice."
Erwin Cain
EErrwwiinn CCaaiinn ffoorr TTeexxaass HHoouussee,, DDiissttrriicctt 33