This was a major event, attended by both religious and civic leaders. After the sermon was delivered, it was then printed and distributed throughout the colony. This tradition spread and continued for over 200 years. In 1860, the noted lawyer and historian John Wingate Thornton wrote:

The annual "Election Sermon"—a perpetual memorial, continued down through the generations from century to century—still bears witness that our fathers ever began their civil year and its responsibilities with an appeal to Heaven, and recognized Christian morality as the only basis of good laws (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots, 47).

Yes, in early America, it was considered a duty of Christian ministers to bring Christian values to bear upon politics and civic elections. The Johnson Amendment, passed in 1954, that prohibits nonprofits, including churches, from "participating" or "intervening" in elections, is completely out of sync with America's founding generation.

One of the nation's most prominent founders, John Witherspoon, was a man of deep faith and an ordained minister from Scotland. As a "dissenting Protestant," he spent time in prison for refusing to compromise his faith. A brilliant scholar, he was eventually released and emigrated to America where he become president of the College of New Jersey.

In America, he also became a member of the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and he helped draft the Articles of Confederation. It was Witherspoon who authored the many calls for prayer and fasting that were published by the Congresses during the Revolutionary War.

Witherspoon and every other Founding Father would have considered it preposterous to think that he, a minister of the Gospel, could not bring his moral values to bear on an election. He wrote, "God, grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable, and that unjust attempts to destroy the one, may in the issue tend to the support and establishment of both" (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots, 154).

Yes, the founders wanted ministers of the Gospel to bring their message to bear upon the nation. This is why George Washington, after becoming commander in chief, appointed Christian chaplains throughout his army. This is why chaplains were appointed to Congress and continued the tradition, established by the Continental Congresses, of beginning each day's proceedings with prayer. The early chaplains also conducted Sunday services in the House Chamber every other week.

John Marshall, who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1801-1835, made the Supreme Court facilities available to a local congregation for their Sunday gatherings. So, on Sunday morning, the singing of Christian hymns and the preaching of God's Word could be heard ringing through the chambers of both the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court. This was neither surprising nor offensive to anyone, for it fit perfectly within the mindset of the founding generation.

Washington and all the founders knew that the success of the Constitutional Republic they had formed hinged on the moral character of its citizens and their ability to govern themselves according to Christian values. This is why President John Adams, in a 1798 address to the officers of the Massachusetts Militia, declared:

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion ... Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious [Christian] people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other" (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots, 173).

The Founding Fathers did not believe there could be liberty apart from virtue or freedom apart from morality. They were convinced that only Christianity offered the moral and intellectual underpinnings that would preserve the nation they had brought into existence.

They refused to "officially" endorse any particular creed or denomination, but they absolutely wanted ministers of the Gospel to be free to declare Gospel truth. As William Novak says, "The founders did not believe the constitutional government they were erecting could survive without Hebrew-Christian faith."

Preaching an "Election Sermon" is the prerogative—and perhaps duty—of every minister and pastor in America, not promoting a political party, but bringing the truth of God to bear on the issues of the day. Even with the Johnson Amendment in place, you have a First Amendment right, not only to preach the Gospel but to express your personal opinion from the pulpit or any other location. In the meantime, the Johnson Amendment should be removed, as it is totally out of sync with traditional American values of faith and freedom. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

This Sunday, May 17, Franklin Graham and Cissie Graham Lynch Join Rededicate 250 to Give Thanks to God and Seek His Forgiveness and Mercy for America

An American Shabbat

The Bible, America 250, and Restoring 'What Really Matters'

'We Are in a Spiritual War': Sean Feucht Issues Urgent Warning [Video]

Cuba Falling: There's a Lot Going On Right Now. This Could Be the Breaking Point

Senate Votes 99-0 to Cut Off its Pay during Shutdowns

SCOTUS Allows Abortion Drug 'Status Quo' to Stand as Litigation Continues

Supreme Court UNANIMOUSLY Rules Freight Brokers Can Be Sued for Negligently Hiring Illegal Alien and Foreign Truckers in Major 9-0 Decision

Trump Departs China after 'Great' 2-Day Talks With Xi

CIA Whistleblower Presents Damning Picture of Biden Administration Cover-up of COVID Origins

Message from Franklin Graham for America

Australia Calls the Nations to Pray for 72 Hours for the USA at this Historic Time of Rededication to God

Premier Danielle Smith Vows to Appeal Alberta Court Decision Overruling Separatist Petition

Texas Student EXPOSES Woke High School's War on Conservative Kids, SILENCING Republicans While Openly Promoting Sharia Law and Islam

Trump Admin Blocks AI Company from Recruiting Foreigners for Hiring Over American Workers

HHS Launches Brilliant MAHA Action Plan to Curb Psychiatric Overprescribing

JD Vance's Explosive Fraud Crackdown Is About to Make Some Blue-State Governors Very Nervous

Trump Turns Iran into China's Problem and Forces Xi to Choose Between Iran's Regime and Stability

[WATCH] American Idol Winner Glorifies God in Victory: 'At the Cross, at the Cross, I Surrender My Life'

A Christian King and Fulani Muslim Chiefs Build Bridges of Peace: Exclusive from Nigeria