Greetings, Article V Patriots! Today marks the 287th anniversary of one of the greatest documents in world history: the United States Constitution!
On this day 287 years ago, 38 men put their names in ink on the piece of legislation they’d spent 4 long, grueling months drafting, debating, re-drafting, and nearly coming to blows over, all in a hot, non-air conditioned brick building in the middle of summer! Why did they go through this? Because they knew that the future of America depended on the formation of a functional, just, representative, and above all, limited government!
We must always remember that the Constitution was drafted not to limit the power of the People, but the power of government.
We must also remember that the whole thing almost came crashing down! Back in 1787, even after having been through a revolution together, the United States wasn’t nearly as united as it is now. It was more like the Begrudgingly Getting Along States of America. This attitude was reflected in the Constitutional Convention, the body that came together to form a new federal government when it became clear the Articles of Confederation weren’t going to cut it.
While uninformed or deceptive sources of today like to claim that this Convention was a rogue legislative body that was only meant to rewrite the flawed Articles, in reality, the states themselves not only called for this assemblage to be had, but also gave the delegates full authority to forge whatever government was necessary for the good of the nation. The original Constitutional Convention included men of great character and honor, who held to their duty even unto death. Men such as George Washington, president of the Convention and later of the nation, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, who would never have dreamed of forsaking their oaths of office and “going rogue.”
The Convention had full authority to draft a new Constitution, and each of the 38 men brought their expertise in government, history, culture, and faith to the table in Independence Hall. With such keen minds and patriotic passion, disagreement was inevitable. And disagree they did, to the point where the Convention almost dissolved. At the height of the disagreements, Benjamin Franklin, by now in his mid-80’s and a highly respected figure, stood up and spoke to the assembly:
“In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection. -- Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered… And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance.
I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.
I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.”
Read his short but powerful speech here!
It was at this point that the delegates became more united, attending church together and having daily prayers every morning before sessions. From this unity came the U.S. Constitution, including Article V, and later the Bill of Rights, documents that do not grant our freedom in America, but rather recognize them as GOD-given, inalienable, and to be upheld by government.
Today, many of these rights are being infringed upon by both our state and federal governments, but thanks to those 38 men, we have the tools at hand to put Washington D.C. back in its place and restore the Constitution to its original intent. Today, let’s celebrate that fact! The fact that we still have a nation to fight for! The fact that GOD gave such wisdom to the Constitutional Convention that they foresaw such a threat, and prepared for it! And the fact that even in the face of great adversity, apathy, and tyranny, there is still hope for liberty!
