Rather than writing a new constitution for it's
state during or after the war of independence the State of Connecticut
choose to continue to operate under its original constitution written in
1639. There is no mention of this colony being subject to Great Briton
or the King of England because it was not. The King of England had
signed off on this constitution shortly after it was written and it had
been an independent nation for over a century. In reading this one gets the idea that a
group of very committed Christians had migrated to a new country that
had no government structure and were deciding how best to run their
civil affairs. Naturally just as with any committed Christians today
they would choose to run their affairs according to and with the use of
scripture. Well that was in fact the exact scenario. It would be disturbing
to
those who have been taught since childhood in the public school systems
all the way up to the university level just how much they have been lied
to concerning the founding of this nation. Here we have a constitutional
convention going on that sounds more like the a meeting of the campus
Bible club. Every reference of everything they are doing revolving
around some Bible verse or communion with the God of the Bible and with
unanimous agreement of the citizens. If what they were taught was
correct, that this nation was founded upon a principle of the separation
of church and state how could the state itself be founded with a big
Bible study and prayer meeting? Did not these people come to this
country to escape religious persecution and to found a secular
government by people who rejected Christianity? Furthermore how could
the civil government of this state continue to operate for forty years
after the writing of the 1st amendment to the federal constitution if it
prohibited all governments from recognizing or favoring one "religion"
over another or allowing religious principle to guide government policy?
What about the Hindus the atheists, the Buddhists the Muslims?
Aren't these religions and non religions every bit as legitimate as
Christianity and does this not make them second class citizens in the
eyes of government? Well, the point of putting these original state
constitutions on this website is to show that Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists
and especially atheists had no part in the founding this nation.
Furthermore that the freedoms Hindu's Muslims, Buddhists and especially
atheists now enjoy in this nation were given to them by Christians. On
top of this; That if any argument can be made that atheists or any of
the worlds pseudo religions were present and took part in this struggle
they did so under the influence of specifically Christian thought that
came from the Bible itself. Let it be asked. Where in the world has
freedom, liberty and true human rights sprung up of it's own accord in
Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and especially atheistic nations? It hasn't and
the freedoms that exist in the nations today where Christians are not
predominate are emulating the freedoms and the rights of nations that
created theirs through their Christianity. This website is dedicated to
teaching others what the prophesied Government of God would create in
the earth through the Gospel of Jesus Christ after the age of the
Gentiles ended with the fall of the Roman Empire in 1453 A.D. Mankind
did not create these freedoms, liberty and rule of law that exist in
many parts of the earth on it's own. If it could have it would have in
the many millennia that went before us.
Fundamental Agreement, or Original Constitution
of the Colony of New Haven, June 4, 1639
THE 4th day of the 4th
month, called June, 1639, all the free planters assembled together in a
general meeting, to consult about settling
civil government, according to GOD, and the
nomination of persons that might be found, by consent of all, fittest in
all respects for the foundation work of a church, which was intended to
be gathered in Quinipiack. After solemn invocation of the name of GOD,
in prayer for the presence and help of his spirit and grace, in those
weighty businesses, they were reminded of the business where about they
met, (viz.) for the establishment of such civil order as might be most
pleasing unto GOD, and for the choosing the fittest men for the
foundation work of a church to be gathered. For the better enabling them
to discern the mind of GOD, and to agree accordingly concerning the
establishment of civil order, Mr. John Davenport propounded divers
queries to them publicly, praying them to consider seriously in the
presence and fear of GOD, the weight of the business they met about, and
not to be rash or slight in giving their votes to things they understood
not; but to digest fully and thoroughly what should be propounded to
them, and without respect to men, as they should be satisfied and
persuaded in their own minds, to give their answers in such sort as they
would be willing should stand upon record for posterity.
This being earnestly pressed by Mr. Davenport, Mr. Robert Newman was
entreated to write, in characters, and to read distinctly and audibly in
the hearing of all the people, what was propounded and accorded on, that
it might appear, that all consented to matters propounded, according to
words written by him.
Query I. WHETHER the scriptures do hold forth a perfect rule for the
direction and government of all men in all duties which they are to
perform to GOD and men, as well in families and commonwealth, as in
matters of the church ? This was assented unto by all, no man
dissenting, as was expressed by holding up of hands. Afterwards it was
read over to them, that they might see in what words their vote was
expressed. They again expressed their consent by holding up their hands,
no man dissenting.
Query II. WHEREAS there was a covenant solemnly made by the whole
assembly of free planters of this plantation, the first day of
extraordinary humiliation, which we had after we came together, that as
in matters that concern the gathering and ordering of a church, so
likewise in all public officers which concern civil order, as choice of
magistrates and officers, making and repealing laws, dividing allotments
of inheritance, and all things of like nature, we would all of us be
ordered by those rules which the scripture holds forth to US; this
covenant was called a plantation covenant, to distinguish it from a
church covenant. which could not at that time be made a church not being
then gathered, but was deferred till a church might be gathered,
according to GOD. It was demanded whether all the free planters do hold
themselves bound by that covenant, in all businesses of that nature
which are expressed in the covenant, to submit themselves to be ordered
by the rules held forth in the scripture t
THIS also was assented unto by all, and no man gainsayed it; and they
did testify the same by holding up their hands, both when it was first
propounded, and confirmed the same by holding up their hands when it was
read unto them in public. John Clark being absent, when the covenant was
made, doth now manifest his consent to it. Also Richard Beach, Andrew
Law, Goodman Banister, Arthur Halbridge, John Potter, Robert Hill, John
Brocket, and John Johnson, these persons, being not admitted planters
when the covenant was made, do now express their consent to it.
Query III. THOSE who have desired to be received as free planters, and
are settled in the plantation, with a purpose, resolution and desire,
that they may be admitted into church fellowship, according to CHRIST,
as soon as GOD shall fit them "hereunto, were desired to express it by
holding up hands. According all did express this to be their desire and
purpose by holding up their hands twice (viz.) at the proposal of it,
and after when these written words were read unto them.
Query IV. All the free planters were called upon to express, whether
they held themselves bound to establish such civil order as might best
conduce to the securing of the purity and peace of the ordinance to
themselves and their posterity according to GOD In answer hereunto they
expressed by holding up their hands twice as before, that they held
themselves bound to establish such civil order as might best conduce to
the ends aforesaid.
THEN Mr. Davenport declared unto them, by the scripture, what kind of
persons might best be trusted with matters of government; and by sundry
arguments from scripture proved that such men as were described in Exod.
xviii. 2, Dent. 1. 13, with Dent. xvii. A, and 1 Cor. vi. 1, 6, 7,
ought to be entrusted by them, seeing they were free to cast themselves
into that mold and form of commonwealth which appeared best for them in
reference to the securing. the peace and peaceable improvement of all
CHRIST his ordinances in the church according to GOD, whereunto they
have bound themselves, as hath been acknowledged.
HAVING thus said he sat down praying the company freely to consider,
whether they would have it voted at this time or not. After some space
of silence, Mr. Theophilus Eaton answered it might be voted, and some
others also spoke to the same purpose, none at all opposing it. Then it
was propounded to vote.
Query V. WHETHER free burgesses shall be chosen out of the church
members, they that are in the foundation work of the church being
actually free burgesses, and to choose to themselves out of the like
estate of church fellowship, and the power of choosing magistrates and
officers from among themselves, and the power of making and repealing
laws, according to the word, and the dividing of inheritances, and
deciding of differences that may arise, and all the businesses of like
nature are to be transacted by those free burgesses. This was put to
vote and agreed unto by lifting up of hands twice, as in the former it
was done. Then one man stood up and expressed his dissenting from the
rest in part; yet granting, 1. That magistrates should be men fearing
GOD. 2. That the church is the company where, ordinarily, such men may
be expected. 3. That they that choose them ought to be men fearing GOD;
only at this he stuck, that free planters ought not to give this power
out of their hands. Another stood up and answered, that nothing was
done, but with their consent. The former answered, that all the free
planters ought to resume this power into their own hands again, if
things were not orderly carried. Mr. Theophilus Eaton answered, that in
all places they choose committees in like manner. The companies in
London choose the liveries by whom the public magistrates are chosen. In
this the rest are not wronged, because they expect, in time, to be of
the livery themselves, and to have the same power. Some others intreated
the former to give his arguments and reasons whereupon he dissented. He
refused to do it, and said, they might not rationally demand it, seeing
he let the vote pass on freely and did not speak till after it was past,
because he would not hinder what they agreed upon. Then Mr. Davenport,
after a short relation of some former passages between them two about
this question, prayed the company that nothing might be concluded by
them on this weighty question, but what themselves were persuaded to be
agreeing with the mind of GOD, and they had heard what had been said
since the voting; he entreated them again to consider of it, and put it
again to vote as before. Again all of them, by holding up their hands,
did show their consent as before. And some of them confessed that,
whereas they did waver before they came to the assembly, they were now
fully convinced, that it is the mind of GOD.
One of them said that in
the morning before he came reading Deut. xvii. 15, he was convinced at
home. Another said, that he came doubting to the assembly, but he
blessed GOD, by what had been said, he was now fully satisfied, that the
choice of burgesses out of church members and to entrust those with the
power before spoken of is according to the mind of GOD revealed in the
scriptures. All having spoken their apprehensions it was agreed upon,
and Mr. Robert Newman was desired to write it as an order whereunto
every one, that hereafter should be admitted here as planters, should
submit, and testify the same by subscribing their names to the order:
Namely, that church members only shall be free burgesses, and that they
only shall choose magistrates and officers among themselves, to have
power of transacting all the public civil affairs of this plantation; of
making and repealing laws, dividing of inheritances, deciding of
differences that may arise, and doing all things and businesses of like
nature.
THIS being thus settled, as a fundamental agreement concerning civil
government, Mr. Davenport proceeded to propound something to
consideration about the gathering of a church' and to prevent the
blemishing of the first beginnings of the church work, Mr. Davenport
advised, that the names of such as were to be admitted might be publicly
propounded, to the end that they who were most approved might be chosen;
for the town being cast into several private meetings, wherein they that
lived nearest together gave their accounts one to another of GOD'S
gracious world upon them, and prayed together and conferred to their
mutual edification, sundry of them had knowledge one of another, and in
every meeting some one was more approved of all than any other; for this
reason and to prevent scandals, the whole company was entreated to
consider whom they found fittest to nominate for this work.
Query VI. WHETHER are you all willing and do agree in this, that twelve
men be chosen, that their fitness for the foundation work may be tried;
however there may be more named yet it may be in their power who are
chosen to reduce them to twelve, and that it be in the power of those
twelve to choose out of themselves seven, that shall be most approved of
by the major part, to begin the church.
THIS was agreed upon by consent of all, as was expressed by holding up
of hands, and that so many as should be thought fit for the foundation
work of the church, shall be propounded by the plantation, and written
down and pass without exception, unless they had given public scandal or
offence. Yet so as in case of public scandal or offense, every one
should have liberty to propound their exception, at that time, publicly
against any man, that should be nominated, when all their names should
be writ down. But if the offence were private, that mens names might be
tendered, so many as were offended were entreated to deal with the
offender privately, and if he gave not satisfaction to bring the matter
to the twelve, that they might consider of it impartially and in the
fear of GOD.
Other pertinent documents.
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