HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL OF RIGHTS

This week, the Bill of Rights becomes 213 years old. These 461 words were intended to be the backbone for defense of what the Founding Fathers called our "unalienable" rights. And so they were, with only few exceptions, for over 140 years.

Starting with the blatant and unconstitutional socialism of the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, Washington has steadily eroded our rights. So, today, many of these so called "unalienable" rights are but privileges allowed or refused at the whim of a capricious central government, and some have been all but completely usurped by Washington.

Yet, these Amendments are still part of the Constitution. Therefore, they are still officially the basis for our rule of law. Which means, they legally may not be violated by any president, legislator or judge without first amending the Constitution.

Well, that is what was intended, anyway. That is our Constitutional law. The problem, therefore, is to decide what means shall be used to force the central government to behave and obey the Constitution. We the People, after all, were intended to be the sovereigns in this arrangement. Government officials are, believe it or not, but public servants. Our employees.

While we consider appropriate methods for recouping our unalienable rights, we must also recognize the prize for which we are reaching: Freedom and Liberty. The words of our Bill of Rights were designed to be read and understood literally. These Amendments are not part of a wish list. They are, officially, the law of the land -- restrictions all government officials must be ordered to obey.

On September 25, 1789, Congress transmitted to the state legislatures twelve proposed amendments, two of which, having to do with Congressional representation and Congressional pay, were not adopted. The remaining ten amendments became the Bill of Rights.

Eleven States were necessary for ratification because Vermont became a State during the ratification period. Virginia was the eleventh State and agreed to the amendments on December 15, 1791. There is no record in that decade of action by Connecticut, Georgia or Massachusetts. On March 1, 1792, Secretary Jefferson announced the adoption to the Governors of the States.

The official date of ratification of the Bill of Rights is said to be December 15, 1791.

Below is a copy of the Bill of Rights, along with the seldom seen Preamble to the Bill of Rights, as ratified.

Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.

THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.

ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.

AMENDMENT I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

AMENDMENT II: A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

AMENDMENT III: No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

AMENDMENT IV: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

AMENDMENT V: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

AMENDMENT VI: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed; which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

AMENDMENT VII: In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

AMENDMENT VIII: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

AMENDMENT IX: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

AMENDMENT X: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

For insight as to the reasoning for and against the Bill of Rights, see James Madison's discussion of the topic in a letter to Thomas Jefferson dated October 17, 1788.

Also see Representative James Madison's address to the House when he presented the proposed Amendments to the Constitution in 1789.

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams

Let us remember.....

It is now December the 15th. On this date just 213 years ago, a new republic was born. A country that would be the greatest client nation since that of the Roman empire. A great experiment was taking place. An experiment in liberty......
We take many things for granted today, I am guilty of it as many of my acquaintances know. I doubt that many know though of what could cause so great a troubled mind to possess someone to sail across an ocean of danger to a newly and unknown continent. When the founders of our nation arrived they stepped into a new land that was hostile, rugged, and very unforgiving. They sailed for months in rickety old ships that leaked, were drafty, and often disease ridden. They dealt with hunger, thirst, scurvy, and the constant storms that could wipe them out of existence. They had no electricity, heaters, motors, nor any other modern conveniences at hand. Despite all of this they went BOLDLY! They went with courage. They did not worry. These people were some of the greatest and most mature people that lived in the Colonial age. They were believers in God and strong they were in Christ.
There was a divine hand at work for these people. They came from a place where they could not even practice religion freely. They were watched over, they were over-taxed, and had very little liberty whatsoever. They were shackled to serfdom, put into whatever cast the royalty saw fit. That is what these founders faced. They settled this land in the name of the United Kingdom hoping to form their new colonies in freedom. The royalty was not having any of that however. They were again under the truss of tyranny in the new land that they had tamed.
We know about independence. We know that the founders declared themselves apart from Great Britain after the many usurpations and injustices from that government. If we examine the war of independence we will notice that the Americans fought a very one-sided war against a vastly superior force, for the English army and navy were the finest at that particular time. They had courage, they again went boldly against the enemy and met it head on and defeated them. They had faith and trust in God to sustain them and that is a far greater and more powerful weapon than any other in war.
We see a new country after independence has been won. A somewhat disorganized country without central leadership and government. The framers and founders of the United States of America did not worry though. They had Bible Doctrine to help them frame a new government. The law was very simple and the constitution they cobbled together was sound. We have a problem however when the majority of the separate states will not endorse the new central government. The Constitution did not limit the power of a centralized and federal government to most of their satisfaction. Several men noted that if they ratified it as it stood that it would lead to tyranny. It took several more years to get the
Constitution unanimously ratified only after adding 10 original amendments to the constitution, known as the Bill of Rights. The entire document was ratified by the several states December the 15th 1791. The new Federal Government was to be built around the Constitution and the law, it would be run on Divine principles as spelled out in the Constitution. The Constitution came first! The Bill of Rights ENUMERATES! It spells out or makes known what we inherit at birth, we are endowed by our Creator certain inalienable rights. These rights CANNOT be granted by anyone but He who created us and CANNOT be revoked by anyone, ever! It says in the Canon of Scripture, "it is done with the result that it remains forever!" We are granted victory! Victory over everything and our Forefathers understood this perfectly. This is the doctrine that Client Nation U.S.A was founded on.
Now to understand the original intent of the Founders we have to look at the whole thing from their point of view. That is the only way to the discern the intent. We have to then apply that principle to our current situation. These men understood exactly the position of all people born in to this world. We are all equal in the eyes of God. We are all creations from God. We all have been breathed into the breath of lives, personally from God. We are all born with free will to accept or reject any or all these truths. We are above any form of Government that we might create ourselves. We are Governed only by our own consent. We are our very own priest after regeneration in the eyes of God and are Sovereign. This is all spelled out fairly succinctly in the Constitution and also in the Federalist Papers and most other documentation dealing with the newly formed union from that time. To tie it up in a nice little package the only one we are commanded to follow is God, in his supreme grace we are even given the freedom to reject him also.
These men did all of this boldly before God. They understood GRACE! They had NO fear! They had peace and serenity in the soul. They knew what they were doing as they rested in faith in God. They understood Bible Doctrine. They studied the Canon of Scripture as a textbook for life. They didn't run around singing and dancing and feeling good! They worked God's ultimate plan as it was meant to be worked. We are truly blessed 213 years later to have the freedom we enjoy at the hand of God through these faithful people.
These are the immutable facts all should remember on Bill of Rights day! This country was settled on FAITH! That is all, nothing else! FAITH! These men studied to show themselves approved unto God and had the right stuff, Bible Doctrine and faith, in them to accomplish the task. We should set aside this day to celebrate God's undying Grace so more can remember the greatness that was involved when this Republic was born. More need to understand where the Bill of Rights came from, what context. We should all celebrate and understand the courage and foresight of the great men that wrote the words, and exactly what they mean then, now, and forever.

Life Begins at Salvation.
-He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

Always Rebound.
-If we confess [Name] our sins He is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [Unknown or Forgotten sins] {corrected translation} (1 John 1:9)

Study the Word.
-The word of God is quick [Alive] and powerfull, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner [Critic] of thoughts and intents of the heart. {corrected translation} (Heb. 4:12)

-All scripture is God inspired [Breathed] and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be perfect [Mature], thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

-Study to show thyslef approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15)

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Report: Bill of Rights Day 12/11/2004 in Loveland, CO