Posted in The Principle Approach: Self-Directed Study

 Welcome to How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted... 

Week 13—Assignment

• Lesson 6
  • How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted—6^th Principle section only
• Supplemental Resources:  
  • T&L pgs. 82-84; 131-133—Outlining The Christian Form of Our Government
  • T&L pgs. 250-261—Key to Expanding the Principles
• Assignments:  None 

This week we are discussing the 6^th principle—How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted.  You may want to review this principle in Week 5 of our “PA Summary”.

Lesson 6—How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted

      “The government of the United States is acknowledged by the wise and good of other nations, to be the most free, impartial, and righteous government of the world; but all agree, that for such a government to be sustained many years, the principles of truth and righteousness, taught in the holy Scriptures, must be practiced.  The rulers must govern in the fear of God, and the people obey the laws.”

Emma Williad, 1843 

          Although Jamestown was the first to establish Christian law in America, “[t]he seed of Christian self-government, born in the first century of Christianity, came to these shores with the tiny settlement of the Mayflower Pilgrims.” [T&L, pg. 250)  “For America the first seed of Christian self-government was the Mayflower Compact of 1620.”  [CHOC, I, pg. 259]

            It is interesting how the Lord removed the Pilgrims (then “Separatists”) from England and transplanted them in Holland for 12 years before their journey to America.  Starting in England and during those years in Holland, they followed the process of comparing all things to God’s Word.  Is it any wonder that this group of incredible believers were able to commence their government based on God’s principles of self-government reflected in His Word…something that Jamestown was a long time in adopting.

This principle reminds us that our republican form of government, planted here by the Pilgrims, requires the people to be self-governed; which can only happen if they are taught the Holy Scriptures—containing those precious seeds of self-government.

          The study of this principle focuses on the man who earned himself the name The Father of the Revolution, Samuel Adams. 

“There were very few whose minds could comprehend the important distinctions…or whose reasoning could discern the approaching events of the controversy.  Mr. Adams, buoyed up by a sense of the justice and righteousness of the colonists’ demands, stood forth first in their defense, and heroically won his title – THE FATHER OF THE REVOLUTION…”  American Eloquence, 1857 [CHOC, I, pg. XIV]

            He identified how this nation’s true security lies in the virtue of her people and rulers.  As described in CHOC, I, pg. 250, “The external threat to our nation will never be so great as the challenge within.”  Samuel Adams showed his insight concerning the need for integrity of the people in order for this nation to stand strong.  If the people lead, the people need to be virtuous.  Samuel Adams stated…

“A general Dissolution of Principles and Manners will more surely overthrow the Liberties of America than the whole Force of the Common Enemy.  While the People are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their Virtue they will be ready to surrender their Liberties to the first external or internal Invader…If Virtue and Knowledge are diffused among the People, they will never be enslaved. This will be their security.” [CHOC, I, pg. 251] 

            Samuel Adams reasoned that, “The absolute rights of Englishmen and all freemen, in or out of civil society, are principally personal security, personal liberty, and private property. [CHOC, I, pg. 254]  Adams’ use of language had been influenced by John Locke, “a great Christian philosopher of an earlier century” [CHOC, I, pg. 252-253]; who had stated that “no one ought to harm another in his Life, Health, Liberty, or Possessions.”  Doesn’t that sound familiar…“the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” contained in the Declaration of Independence.

            One last thought on Samuel Adams that is of interest to those of us who homeschool… 

“Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age, by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls, of inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Deity and universal philanthropy, and, in subordination to these great principles, the love of their country; of instructing them in the art of self-government, without which they never can act a wise part in the government of societies, great or small; in short, of leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system…”

            The principle of How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted is layered with The Noah Plan as follows: 

How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted

Samuel Adams—Christian Patriot

            Now it may seem difficult to impress on the minds of young children the character of one such as Samuel Adams since he was a leader in reasoning.  However, in addition to him being the one to first stand up for the colonists’ rights and being a leader among them, he is right in the middle of the story of Paul Revere in 1775. T&L, pages. 255-257, refers to the story of Paul Revere and his ride to Lexington to spread the alarm.  He rode to the house of Reverend John Clark where both John Hancock and Samuel Adams were staying under guard of eight men.  The colonists had sought to protect them.  Paul Revere sounded the alarm personally to these men and they were hid away during the battle of Lexington.  Unbeknownst to the colonists, the British had issued orders to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock as leaders of the opposition to England. 

Patriotic Letters—Committees of Correspondence

            In order to unite the colonies, in 1772 Samuel Adams had started the Committees of Correspondence.  He wanted each town to express itself and write to other colonies.  He felt that they must “discuss, dispute, and debate the implications of their position.  [CHOC, I, pg. 254]  He felt “education in constitutional principles would result in lawful action—while a lack of such knowledge might result in riot and rebellion.” [CHOC, I, pg. 258] 

The American Colonies Practice Self-Government for 150 Years

            With the first seed of Christian self-government starting onboard the Mayflower with the Mayflower Compact of 1620, for 150 years thereafter the colonists practiced Christian self-government before the War for Independence.  On T&L, pg. 260, there is a list of “Restrictive Acts of the British Crown” starting in 1664 and the self-government response of the Colonists—“Fidelity of Colonists to Principle of Local Self-Government”—through to the ultimate decision to engage in battle at Lexington and Concord in 1775.  The corresponding pages in CHOC, I, are also included. 

Liberty Under Law 

            What is liberty under law?  Liberty is freedom, but without restraint or Christian self-government, there is anarchy.  The Pilgrims, “in fleeing from the despotism of a centralized church did not reject a government of laws.  But they recognized that law must spring from an internal conviction rather than derive its sanction from the force of external control.”

Summary of the “How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted”

            “How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted” is a kin to the planting of seeds of our faith.  Here, the seeds of self-government relate to the application of our faith since self-government is God ruling internally from our hearts.  These seeds are planted internally, first in ourselves, and then in the lives around us.  As the planting of the seeds of our faith will take sprout in the lives of others, so will the planting of the seeds of self-government, ultimately once again producing a government of the self-governed so that, as Samuel Adams stated in 1764, government can truly only exist to ensure our rights.  In this way, we have freedom of the constraints of government regulating our lives and we can truly live in the freedom of liberty as our forefathers envisioned and laid down their lives for their freedom.

Karen