Only in the light of 1726 can America be understood and her future preserved.
"When a nation goes down or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. They lost sight of what had brought them along." - Carl Sandburg
7/27/2020
7/22/2020
RESTORING CIVILITY AND RESPECT TO OUR CULTURE
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good
for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers.
for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Ephesians 4:29
Our culture has become rude, crude, and barbaric. Every day we see slander, defamation, and innuendo used to try and silence and damage political and ideological opponents.
Sadly, this same spirit and attitude has seeped into the church. We are seeing “Christians” throw the “f” bomb and angrily demean those with whom they disagree. I recently received an email from a person who disagreed with an article I had written. I was willing to engage with him in dialogue, but I found him so rude, crude, and arrogant that after 2-3 emails, I ended the conversation.
Jesus Addresses the Problem
This sort of uncivil and disrespectful attitude was addressed by Jesus in a very stunning manner in Matthew 5:21-22. He said,
You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, “You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire.
Raca is an Aramaic word that carried a meaning like “blockhead” or “idiot” and signified a vain, empty, worthless fellow. “Fool” is a translation of the Greek word morē and is the word from which we get our English word “moron.” It also meant “empty, useless, and worthless.” Some biblical scholars believe that morē is the Greek translation of the Aramaic raca and that Jesus used it as an intensive to buttress the same meaning conveyed by raca.
Expressing such a rude and disrespectful attitude toward another human being is no small thing. Such an attitude, Jesus said, puts one in danger of hell fire.
Begins in the Heart
This teaching by Jesus on civility and respect has a direct parallel to how He taught about adultery. He begins with an act that is disallowed in the Old Testament and then raises the bar to a new level by going to the attitude of the heart and identifying that as the place where the sin begins. In Matthew 5:27-28 he said,
You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery,” but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Just as adultery begins in the heart, so does murder. And just as those who look on a woman to lust for her are guilty, so those who raca their fellow human beings and would destroy their reputations and livelihood with demeaning labels and epithets are guilty of murder in their heart and are in danger of hell fire.
The Source of Our Worth
By tying disrespect with the Old Testament command against murder, Jesus demonstrated that the reason for respect is that we are made in the image and likeness of our Creator (Genesis 1:26-27). The command against murder in Genesis 9:6 is tied to mankind being made in the image and likeness of God. It reads, Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.
It is the image of God in humanity that gives us our incredible worth. Being made in the image and likeness of God is said of no other created being, not even angels. Our incredible value is highlighted by the fact that no redemption was provided for the angels that fell, but God Himself provided redemption for fallen humanity whom He had created in His own image and likeness.
To express a raca attitude toward a fellow human being is like standing in front of a painting in the presence of the painter and going, “Blaaah!” You are not just disrespecting the painting; you are disrespecting the painter. And so it is with those who express a raca spirit toward their fellow human beings in the presence of their Creator.The drawing to the left is of Dirk Willems an Anabaptist preacher who was condemned as a heretic by the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands and placed under arrest. He escaped and crossed a frozen pond, which did not break because he had lost so much weight in prison. However, the guard who was chasing him fell through the ice and began to cry out for help. Dirk turned back and rescued him. The guard then returned him to his prison cell where he was held until he was burned at the stake on May 16, 1569.
Why did Dirk do this? Because he and his fellow Anabaptists believed that all people, even their captors, bore the image of the Creator. They knew the image had been marred by the fall and sin, but not erased. Every human being, therefore, is of great value and this was the basis on which Dirk rescued his captor and persecutor.
Tracing the Loss of Cultural Respect
I think there is no question that this raca spirit has come into our culture as a result of the widespread rejection of the Biblical truth of creation. If we are all products of a chance, evolutionary process then we have no more intrinsic value than any mammal, or even a bug for that matter. Therefore, so what if I demean and ridicule you!
I suspect that it would be difficult to find a pro-abortionist who believes that human beings bear the image of their Creator. If we are all products of time and chance and that “thing” in the womb is just a clump of cells and flesh—a fetus—then it is easy to justify eliminating that clump of flesh when it poses an inconvenience.
And if we are all mere accidents floating through space on this planet with no transcendent meaning to our lives, then why not ridicule, mock, and slander those who are not like us and with whom we disagree. On the other hand, if I understand that each person bears the image and likeness of our Creator and was worth the Son of God coming to earth to suffer and die for, then I must have a different attitude toward that person.
By the way, the truth of the image of God in humanity was the basis on which slavery was ultimately outlawed in America. Abolition arose on the premise that (1) all people are equal by virtue of creation, for all bear the image and likeness of their Creator and (2) all people are equal in redemption for Christ died and rose again for all people.
Yes, as documented in my latest book, 1726, it was the above Biblical paradigm that ignited the Abolition movement in America and eventually brought about the end of slavery on this continent. This paradigm, if applied, can have a great impact in our generation as well.
What Would Happen?
What would happen if we all began to show respect to one another in everyday life and on social media? We can express our opinions, even passionately, without demeaning our opponents in a raca manner.
What would happen if politicians began showing respect to their political opponents, even while vehemently disagreeing?
What would happen if politicians began showing respect to their political opponents, even while vehemently disagreeing?
What would happen if parents taught their children to respect the police and comply with their requests? What would happen if police treated the people they stop, and even arrest, with respect along with any necessary firmness?
Bible-believing
Christians should be leading the
way in showing such respect to one another, and to all people, including non-believers and those with whom we disagree. Ephesians 4:29-32 can be our guide. It reads,
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let
everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be encouragement
to those who hear them . . . Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh
words, and slander, as well all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind
to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through
Christ has forgiven you (NLT).
We must also join to together in crying out to God for another Great Awakening to visit this land. Only a great, national spiritual awakening will save America and restore the respect that is owed every human being who is created in the image and likeness of their Creator.
#Remembering1726
#Remembering1726
Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt is an author and ordained minister with a heart for authentic spiritual awakening. His latest book, 1726: The Year that Defined America, documents how the Great Awakening of 1726-70 had a direct bearing on the founding of America and the abolition of slavery on this continent. His books are available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.
7/16/2020
WHY MARXISTS ARE OUT TO DESTROY AMERICA'S HISTORY
 |
| Protesters in Portland, OR burn an American flag on the toppled statue of George Washington |
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#Remembering1726
Nations derive their sense of identity from their history. If you want to radically transform a nation you must deal with its history. Alexander Solzhenitsyn spent eight years in a Soviet labor camp and observed the Marxist/communist approach to transforming Russian society. He wrote, “To destroy a people, you must first sever their roots” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 6).
This assault on America’s history is the prelude for imposing socialism, communism, and Marxism. Demonizing and destroying a people’s history makes those people vulnerable to being molded into something very different. Karl Marx was referring to this when he wrote, “People without a heritage are easily persuaded.”
Preserving America’s true history is critical, for as George Orwell said in his classic book, 1984, “Whoever controls the past, controls the future.” And commenting on the demise of nations in world history, Carl Sandburg, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, said,
When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. They lost sight of what had brought them along (Hyatt, 1726: The Yearthat Defined America, 11).
America’s Founders at the Forefront of Ending Slavery
The most common reason given for tearing down statues of America's founders is that they were racists and slaveholders. This, however, is a specious argument, especially when it is set in the context of the day. The truth is that there was a powerful 18th century anti-slavery movement in America and by 1776 virtually every founder had taken a stand against slavery.
Yes, at a time when slavery was accepted and practiced in most of the world, America was experiencing a powerful movement against it. The brilliant black scholar, Dr. Thomas Sowell, has noted this, saying,
Slavery was just not an issue, not even among intellectuals, much less among political leaders, until the 18th century–and then it was an issue only in Western civilization. Among those who turned against slavery in the 18th century were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and other American leaders. You could research all of 18th century Africa or Asia or the Middle East without finding any comparable rejection of slavery there (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 90).
The late historians, Elizabeth Fox-Genovese and Eugene Genovese observed, “Perception of slavery as morally unacceptable — as sinful — did not become widespread until the second half of the eighteenth century.”
In my book, 1726, I have shown that this sudden movement against slavery was a result of the Great Awakening that ebbed and flowed between 1726-70. In this Christian Awakening entire communities repented and turned to God. In his Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin described the transformation that came over his hometown of Philadelphia in 1739. He wrote,
It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious so that one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 79).
That blacks and whites were brought together by this Awakening is made clear by George Whitefield’s account of the same revival. After preaching his farewell sermon to a massive crowd gathered in front of the Philadelphia courthouse, Whitefield noted in his Journal, “Near 50 Negroes came to give me thanks for what God had done for their souls.” Whitefield considered this an answer to prayer, saying, “I have been much drawn in prayer for them, and have seen them wrought upon by the word preached” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 70).
From Evangelism to Social Transformation
At the beginning of the Awakening in 1726, outreach to the black populace was evangelistic in nature and not characterized by opposition to slavery. Those early preachers, such as Whitefield, Gilbert Tennant, and Jonathan Edwards, saw their primary purpose to be in getting people ready for the next world, not necessarily improving their lot in this one. In their thinking, a slave on his way to heaven was far better off than a king on his way to hell.
Nonetheless, their insistence on sharing the Gospel with all people and their willingness to share Christian fellowship with blacks, both slave and free, breached racial and cultural barriers in Colonial America. To cite another example, Samuel Davies (1723-1761) gave special attention to blacks, both slave and free, during his time of ministry in Virginia and found them especially responsive to the Gospel message. In 1757, he wrote,
What little success I have lately had, has been chiefly among the extremes of Gentlemen and Negroes. Indeed, God has been remarkably working among the latter. I have baptized 150 adults; and at the last sacramental solemnity, I had the pleasure of seeing the table graced with 60 black faces (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 70).
The inclusive Gospel message they preached, and their compassionate treatment of blacks, created a climate conducive to the anti-slavery sentiments that would burst forth through those who would come after them.
Second Generation Awakening Preachers Attack Slavery
Indeed, the revivalists who came after Edwards and Whitefield carried the message of their predecessors to its logical conclusion. If we are all creatures of the same Creator and if Christ died that all might be saved, then how can slavery ever be justified?
Samuel Hopkins (1721–1803), who had been personally tutored by Jonathan Edwards, pastored for a time in Newport, Rhode Island, an important hub in the transatlantic slave trade. His response to what he saw in Newport was like Paul’s response to the idols in Athens. Paul’s spirit was “provoked” by the idols of the Athenians, and Hopkins was offended and outraged by the "violation of God’s will” he saw in Newport. He declared, “This whole country have their hands full of blood this day.”
Hopkins began preaching passionately against slavery and in 1774, after the First Continental Congress had convened in Philadelphia, he sent a pamphlet to every member of the Congress asking how they could complain about “enslavement” to England and overlook the “enslavement” of so many blacks in the Colonies. Many joined his abolitionist crusade and they spread their anti-slavery Gospel message up and down the eastern seaboard.
Yes, at a time when slavery was accepted and practiced throughout the world, it suddenly became anathema in America. When compared with world history, the unique characteristics of slavery in America were the brevity of its existence and the moral outrage against it. This can only be explained by 1726 and the Great Awakening that began that year.
1726 Impacts America’s Founders
The spiritual power of the Awakening and the moral arguments it produced against slavery were overwhelming. In fact, by the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787, virtually every Founder had taken a public stand against slavery. Virtually all agreed with John Adams, who declared,
Every measure of prudence ought to be assumed for the eventual total extirpation of slavery from the United States. I have throughout my whole life held the practice of slavery in abhorrence (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 101).
Benjamin Rush, a Philadelphia physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence, helped found the first Abolition Society in America in his hometown of Philadelphia. He called on the pastors and ministers of America to take a public stand against slavery, saying, “Slavery is a Hydra sin and includes in it every violation of the precepts of the Laws and the Gospels” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 100-01)).
Two years before the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin freed his two slaves and began to advocate for abolition. He joined the Abolition of Society of Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Rush, and later served as its president.
Confronted with the inconsistency of a Christian testimony and owning slaves, George Washington set in motion a compassionate program to completely rid Mt. Vernon of slavery. Those slaves who wanted to leave were free to do so and those who chose to stay were paid wages. He also set in motion an educational program to prepare the children of slaves for freedom. Concerning the abolition of slavery, Washington wrote,
Not only do I pray for it, on the score of human dignity, but I can clearly foresee that nothing but the rooting out of slavery can perpetuate the existence of our union by consolidating it in a common bond of principle (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 103).
In the words of Dr. Sowell, “You could research all of 18th century Africa or Asia or the Middle East without finding any comparable rejection of slavery there.” This moral rejection of slavery was the fruit of 1726 and the Great Awakening that began that year.
Deciding that slavery was wrong, however, was easier than deciding what to do with two million people from another continent and culture who were unprepared for freedom. Dr. Sowell has said,
It is clear from the private correspondence of Washington, Jefferson, and many others that their moral rejection of slavery was unambiguous, but the practical question of what to do now had them baffled. That would remain so for more than half a century,
1726 Was America’s Key for Ending Slavery
The cancerous tentacles of slavery had become so entangled with southern economics and culture, it was obvious that it would take drastic and painful measures to excise it from the nation. America would require a rare moral resolve to endure the painful surgery that would be required.
America found that moral resolve in the spiritual awakenings that had come to define her, beginning in 1726. As a result of 1726, spiritual awakening became embedded in America's national DNA and succeeding generations would turn to God in times of distress.
As a result, a Second Great Awakening (1800-30) erupted, and out of it, a new movement of abolition burst forth. Then, the Great Prayer Awakening of 1857-58 gripped the nation and provided the final spiritual and moral resolve necessary to carry the nation through a bloody Civil War and the final abolition of slavery.
Yes, it took great moral resolve to sacrifice almost one million of her citizens to end slavery. This number includes 700,000 soldiers who died plus civilian casualties and the thousands who were maimed and injured. On top of this was the incredible loss of property and wealth.
America’s population at the time was only 31 million. If the numbers are adjusted to correspond with today’s population it would be like sacrificing 10 million citizens for a contemporary moral cause. We see the magnitude of the sacrifice when we remember that less than 3,000 Americans died at 9/11.
A nation that would make such a sacrifice to end slavery is not racist. Yes, there are racists in America, but the nation has proven itself to be racially inclusive. For this we can thank God and the history of spiritual awakening that began in1726 and came to define her.
We Must Preserve Our Heritage
Yes, America has a heritage of which every American, regardless of race or skin color, can be proud. America’s founders were not perfect. They were, however, people of integrity who through much sacrifice, toil, and prayer brought into existence the most free and prosperous nation in human history.
As testimony to this, is the fact that in the past 50 years over two-million sub-Saharan Africans have immigrated to America because they believed they would find here freedom and opportunity not available in their country of birth.
This could only happen because America’s founders were at the forefront of the battle to end slavery at a time it was practiced throughout the world. This could only happen because Abraham Lincoln and a succeeding generation were willing to make an almost unimaginable sacrifice to abolish slavery and defend individual liberty for all.
Yes, America’s future is bound up in her past. Her past is not perfect, but it is noble. That is why we must take a proactive stand against the Marxist attempt to demonize and destroy her history. We do this by educating ourselves and others, and praying for another Great Awakening to sweep across our land.
#1726
As testimony to this, is the fact that in the past 50 years over two-million sub-Saharan Africans have immigrated to America because they believed they would find here freedom and opportunity not available in their country of birth.
This could only happen because America’s founders were at the forefront of the battle to end slavery at a time it was practiced throughout the world. This could only happen because Abraham Lincoln and a succeeding generation were willing to make an almost unimaginable sacrifice to abolish slavery and defend individual liberty for all.
Yes, America’s future is bound up in her past. Her past is not perfect, but it is noble. That is why we must take a proactive stand against the Marxist attempt to demonize and destroy her history. We do this by educating ourselves and others, and praying for another Great Awakening to sweep across our land.
#1726
7/13/2020
I AM CONVINCED WE CAN SEE GOD'S SALVATION FOR AMERICA THIS YEAR
Despite the societal turmoil and a pandemic that continues to plague the nation, I believe that America can see God’s salvation this fall. This confidence was birthed in my heart as I studied and taught on the words of Moses to the people of Israel as they faced the impassable Red Sea and saw Pharaoh’s army rushing toward then from the rear.
The people reacted in fear and anger. They were fearful of being slaughtered or captured by the Egyptians and they were angry at Moses and blamed him for getting them in that distressing situation. They castigated Moses, saying, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness . . . it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness (Ex. 14:11-12).
Moses did not react to their fear and anger. He was living and functioning from an inner core conviction and faith that transcended anything that might be happening on the outside. We too must learn to live from the inside out. Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today. (Ex. 14:13).
The Hebrew word for “stand” in this verse is yatsab and it means “to stay” or “to remain firm.” The Hebrew word for “still” is nasah and it literally means “to start on a journey” or “to go forward.” Moses literally tells the people to “REMAIN FIRM IN GOING FORWARD.”
Moses assures them that if they will remain firm in their original commitment to leave Egypt and follow the LORD, then they will see the salvation of the LORD that very day. “Salvation” is translated from the Hebrew word yeshuwah, from which comes the name of our Messiah—Yeshua (Jesus). It carries the meaning of “deliverance,” “victory,” “prosperity,” and “well-being.”
In other words, if they will get past their fear and anger, and move forward in faith, they will see God intervene on their behalf. They will see His salvation—His yeshuwah.
Like Israel at that time, there is much today to distract us, anger us, and make us afraid. Nonetheless, I am convinced that we can see His salvation on our behalf if we will remain firm in going forward in our Christian commitment to be His witnesses in the earth and letting our light shine.
Darkness is the absence of light and there is darkness in the land because Christians have hidden their light, putting it under a basket or shade, as Jesus warned in Matthew 5:15.
This is tragic for only Christians have a message that can change hearts and lives. Cause-driven movments, such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, may stir passions, but they can never change lives. Only the Gospel can change hearts and cause people to love their neighbor and treat one another with justice and mercy.
That Christians are not letting their light shine was was highlighted to me recently when I walked into the office of the mayor of a North Texas city, handed him a copy of my book, and explained that it documents the role of prayer and faith in our nation’s founding.
This is tragic for only Christians have a message that can change hearts and lives. Cause-driven movments, such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, may stir passions, but they can never change lives. Only the Gospel can change hearts and cause people to love their neighbor and treat one another with justice and mercy.
That Christians are not letting their light shine was was highlighted to me recently when I walked into the office of the mayor of a North Texas city, handed him a copy of my book, and explained that it documents the role of prayer and faith in our nation’s founding.
He thanked me for the book and then asked a question that stunned me. He asked, “What has happened to the Christians in America?” I was silent and he posed another question, “Do you think the Christians will rise up again?” I replied, “Yes, they are coming out of the closet.” He replied, “I sure hope so.”
I realized that this mayor, and many like him, are feeling the pressure from the loud voices of left-wing activists who want to undermine the Christian values on which this nation was founded. They wonder, “Where are the Christians? Why aren’t we hearing their voices?”
It is thus time for Chritians everywhere to shake off the fear and boldly go forward in our call to be His witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). We don't need a new Christian program or better entertainment. We don't need to organize a protest against this or that group or cause. Instead of cursing the darkness, we must let our light shine. The light will dispel the darkness.
We must let our light shine on the internet, at Walmart, at school board meetings, city council meetings, etc. If we will firmly go forward in our Christian faith, not hedging or compromising in any way, God will intervene on our behalf. He will roll back our Red Sea and deal with our enemies. He will intervene and we will see His salvation!
Dr. Eddie Hyatt is the author of 1726: The Year that Defined America and the founder of the "1726 Project," which is dedicated to making known America's birth out of a great spiritual awakening, and calling on Christians to pray for another such awakening. His books are available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.7/10/2020
THE MARXIST CRUSADE TO DESTROY AMERICA'S HISTORY
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Nations derive their sense of identity from their history. If you want to radically transform a nation you must deal with its history. Alexander Solzhenitsyn spent eight years in a Soviet labor camp and observed the Marxist/communist approach to transforming Russian society. He wrote, “To destroy a people, you must first sever their roots” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 6).
This assault on America’s history is the prelude for implementing socialism, communism, and Marxism. Demonizing and destroying a people’s history makes those people vulnerable to being molded into something very different. Karl Marx was referring to this reality when he wrote, “People without a heritage are easily persuaded.”
Preserving America’s true history is critical, for as George Orwell said in his classic book, 1984, “Whoever controls the past, controls the future.” And commenting on the demise of nations in world history, Carl Sandburg, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, said,
When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. They lost sight of what had brought them along (Hyatt, 1726: The Yearthat Defined America, 11).
America’s Founders at the Forefront of Ending Slavery
The most common reason given for tearing down statues of America's founders is that they were racists and slaveholders. This, however, is a specious argument, especially when it is set in the context of the day. The truth is that there was a powerful 18th century anti-slavery movement in America and by 1776 virtually every founder had taken a stand against slavery.
Yes, at a time when slavery was accepted and practiced in most of the world, America was experiencing a powerful movement against it. The brilliant black scholar, Dr. Thomas Sowell, has noted this, saying,
Slavery was just not an issue, not even among intellectuals, much less among political leaders, until the 18th century–and then it was an issue only in Western civilization. Among those who turned against slavery in the 18th century were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and other American leaders. You could research all of 18th century Africa or Asia or the Middle East without finding any comparable rejection of slavery there (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 90).
The late historians, Elizabeth Fox-Genovese and Eugene Genovese observed, “Perception of slavery as morally unacceptable — as sinful — did not become widespread until the second half of the eighteenth century.”
In my book, 1726, I have shown that this sudden movement against slavery was a result of the Great Awakening that ebbed and flowed between 1726-70. In this Christian Awakening entire communities repented and turned to God. In his Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin described the transformation that came over his hometown of Philadelphia in 1739. He wrote,
It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious so that one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 79).
That blacks and whites were brought together by this Awakening is made clear by George Whitefield’s account of the same revival. After preaching his farewell sermon to a massive crowd gathered in front of the Philadelphia courthouse, Whitefield noted in his Journal, “Near 50 Negroes came to give me thanks for what God had done for their souls.” Whitefield considered this an answer to prayer, saying, “I have been much drawn in prayer for them, and have seen them wrought upon by the word preached” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 70).
From Evangelism to Social Transformation
At the beginning of the Awakening in 1726, outreach to the black populace was evangelistic in nature and not characterized by opposition to slavery. Those early preachers, such as Whitefield, Gilbert Tennant, and Jonathan Edwards, saw their primary purpose to be in getting people ready for the next world, not necessarily improving their lot in this one. In their thinking, a slave on his way to heaven was far better off than a king on his way to hell.
Nonetheless, their insistence on sharing the Gospel with all people and their willingness to share Christian fellowship with blacks, both slave and free, breached racial and cultural barriers in Colonial America. To cite another example, Samuel Davies (1723-1761) gave special attention to blacks, both slave and free, during his time of ministry in Virginia and found them especially responsive to the Gospel message. In 1757, he wrote,
What little success I have lately had, has been chiefly among the extremes of Gentlemen and Negroes. Indeed, God has been remarkably working among the latter. I have baptized 150 adults; and at the last sacramental solemnity, I had the pleasure of seeing the table graced with 60 black faces (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 70).
The inclusive Gospel message they preached, and their compassionate treatment of blacks, created a climate conducive to the anti-slavery sentiments that would burst forth through those who would come after them.
Second Generation Awakening Preachers Attack Slavery
Indeed, the revivalists who came after Edwards and Whitefield carried the message of their predecessors to its logical conclusion. If we are all creatures of the same Creator and if Christ died that all might be saved, then how can slavery ever be justified?
Samuel Hopkins (1721–1803), who had been personally tutored by Jonathan Edwards, pastored for a time in Newport, Rhode Island, an important hub in the transatlantic slave trade. His response to what he saw in Newport was like Paul’s response to the idols in Athens. Paul’s spirit was “provoked” by the idols of the Athenians, and Hopkins was offended and outraged by the "violation of God’s will” he saw in Newport. He declared, “This whole country have their hands full of blood this day.”
Hopkins began preaching passionately against slavery and in 1774, after the First Continental Congress had convened in Philadelphia, he sent a pamphlet to every member of the Congress asking how they could complain about “enslavement” to England and overlook the “enslavement” of so many blacks in the Colonies. Many joined his abolitionist crusade and they spread their anti-slavery Gospel message up and down the eastern seaboard.
Yes, at a time when slavery was accepted and practiced throughout the world, it suddenly became anathema in America. When compared with world history, the unique characteristics of slavery in America were the brevity of its existence and the moral outrage against it. This can only be explained by 1726 and the Great Awakening that began that year.
1726 Impacts America’s Founders
The spiritual power of the Awakening and the moral arguments it produced against slavery were overwhelming. In fact, by the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787, virtually every Founder had taken a public stand against slavery. Virtually all agreed with John Adams, who declared,
Every measure of prudence ought to be assumed for the eventual total extirpation of slavery from the United States. I have throughout my whole life held the practice of slavery in abhorrence (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 101).
Benjamin Rush, a Philadelphia physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence, helped found the first Abolition Society in America in his hometown of Philadelphia. He called on the pastors and ministers of America to take a public stand against slavery, saying, “Slavery is a Hydra sin and includes in it every violation of the precepts of the Laws and the Gospels” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 100-01)).
Two years before the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin freed his two slaves and began to advocate for abolition. He joined the Abolition of Society of Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Rush, and later served as its president.
Confronted with the inconsistency of a Christian testimony and owning slaves, George Washington set in motion a compassionate program to completely rid Mt. Vernon of slavery. Those slaves who wanted to leave were free to do so and those who chose to stay were paid wages. He also set in motion an educational program to prepare the children of slaves for freedom. Concerning the abolition of slavery, Washington wrote,
Not only do I pray for it, on the score of human dignity, but I can clearly foresee that nothing but the rooting out of slavery can perpetuate the existence of our union by consolidating it in a common bond of principle (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 103).
In the words of Dr. Sowell, “You could research all of 18th century Africa or Asia or the Middle East without finding any comparable rejection of slavery there.” This moral rejection of slavery was the fruit of 1726 and the Great Awakening that began that year.
Deciding that slavery was wrong, however, was easier than deciding what to do with two million people from another continent and culture who were unprepared for freedom. Dr. Sowell has said,
It is clear from the private correspondence of Washington, Jefferson, and many others that their moral rejection of slavery was unambiguous, but the practical question of what to do now had them baffled. That would remain so for more than half a century,
1726 Was America’s Key for Ending Slavery
The cancerous tentacles of slavery had become so entangled with southern economics and culture, it was obvious that it would take drastic and painful measures to excise it from the nation. America would require a rare moral resolve to endure the painful surgery that would be required.
America found that moral resolve in the spiritual awakenings that had come to define her, beginning in 1726. As a result of 1726, spiritual awakening became embedded in America's national DNA and succeeding generations would turn to God in times of distress.
As a result, a Second Great Awakening (1800-30) erupted, and out of it, a new movement of abolition burst forth. Then, the Great Prayer Awakening of 1857-58 gripped the nation and provided the final spiritual and moral resolve necessary to carry the nation through a bloody Civil War and the final abolition of slavery.
Yes, it took great moral resolve to sacrifice almost one million of her citizens to end slavery. This number includes 700,000 soldiers who died plus civilian casualties and the thousands who were maimed and injured. On top of this was the incredible loss of property and wealth.
America’s population at the time was only 31 million. If the numbers are adjusted to correspond with today’s population it would be like sacrificing 10 million citizens for a contemporary moral cause. We see the magnitude of the sacrifice when we remember that less than 3,000 Americans died at 9/11.
A nation that would make such a sacrifice to end slavery is not racist. Yes, there are racists in America, but the nation has proven itself to be racially inclusive. For this we can thank God and the history of spiritual awakening that began in1726 and came to define her.
We Must Preserve Our Heritage
Yes, America has a heritage of which every American, regardless of race or skin color, can be proud. America’s founders were not perfect. They were, however, people of integrity who through much sacrifice, toil, and prayer brought into existence the most free and prosperous nation in human history.
As testimony to this, is the fact that in the past 50 years over two-million sub-Saharan Africans have immigrated to America because they believed they would find here freedom and opportunity not available in their country of birth.
This could only happen because America’s founders were at the forefront of the battle to end slavery at a time it was practiced throughout the world. This could only happen because Abraham Lincoln and a succeeding generation were willing to make an almost unimaginable sacrifice to abolish slavery and defend individual liberty for all.
Yes, America’s future is bound up in her past. Her past is not perfect, but it is noble. That is why we must take a proactive stand against the Marxist attempt to demonize and destroy her history. We do this by educating ourselves and others, and praying for another Great Awakening to sweep across our land.
#Remembering1726
As testimony to this, is the fact that in the past 50 years over two-million sub-Saharan Africans have immigrated to America because they believed they would find here freedom and opportunity not available in their country of birth.
This could only happen because America’s founders were at the forefront of the battle to end slavery at a time it was practiced throughout the world. This could only happen because Abraham Lincoln and a succeeding generation were willing to make an almost unimaginable sacrifice to abolish slavery and defend individual liberty for all.
Yes, America’s future is bound up in her past. Her past is not perfect, but it is noble. That is why we must take a proactive stand against the Marxist attempt to demonize and destroy her history. We do this by educating ourselves and others, and praying for another Great Awakening to sweep across our land.
#Remembering1726
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