The movement to prohibit an establishment of religion was to prevent government sponsorship of a particular church denomination, not to prevent the influence of true religion upon civil government.
“True religion:—A sacred reverence of the Deity:—The love of virtue and goodness, are as necessary to make good subjects, as good Rulers." - Rev. John Tucker, 1771
"What leads legislators into this error, is confounding sins and crimes together—making no difference between moral evil and state rebellion" - Rev. John Leland, 1794.
Human Laws can’t control the Mind. The Rights of Conscience, are unalienable; inseparable from our Nature; they ought not, they cannot possibly be given up to Society. - Rev. Abraham Williams, 1762
"I cannot help hoping, and even believing, that Providence has designed this continent to be the asylum of liberty and true religion" - Rev. Samuel West, 1776.
Rev. Jacob Duché: “liberty, . . . is of heavenly extraction, that divine virtue is her illustrious parent, that from eternity to eternity they have been and must be inseparable companions."
“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift from God?” - Thomas Jefferson
Americans honored and glorified GOD publicly because they recognized He was the one true Living GOD, who gave them Life and Liberty. And if they ever forgot Him, they would lose their liberty also.
