Pastor's Page

The document only has 1321 words, it takes just eight minutes to read, and God is mentioned four times, twice at the beginning and twice at the end. Who were the men who were willing to sign? Of the 56 men who signed it two were in their twenties, sixteen were in their thirties, twenty in their forties, eleven in their fifties, six in their sixties, and one, Benjamin Franklin, over 70. All but two were married. Each had an average of 6 children. 24 were lawyers, 9 were merchants, 14 were farmers, 4 were doctors, and one was a preacher.

Individuals like George Washington and John Adams honored God and revered Biblical principles. Many of the founding fathers were Christians. In fact of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, nearly half held seminary or Bible school degrees. They were unapologetic about their faith in God and it provided our country with a firm foundation. And in that great document delivered on July the 4th, 1776, we read of a belief that all people have rights given by the Creator.

We’re not talking about low life, drifters, and rebels. We’re talking about educated, civilized men who were willing to sacrifice everything for a cause that they believed in. And history shows us that they paid the price for that bravery. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration, few were long to survive. Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured.

These were men of means; these were rich men, most of them, who enjoyed much ease and luxury in personal living. Not hungry men – prosperous men, wealthy land owners, substantially secure in their prosperity. But they considered liberty – this is as much I shall say of it – they had learned that liberty is so much more important than security, that they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. And they fulfilled their pledge – they paid the price, and freedom was born.