The Witness of Patrick Henry By Chris Pinto<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 
What happened with the Treaty of Tripoli may be indicative of the suspicions of underhanded dealings among the founders.  While we are often given the impression that angels practically came down and sat on Washington's shoulders, as he and the other revolutionaries set forth a divinely inspired document – not all Americans were so deceived.  Patrick Henry, for example, refused to take part in the first Constitutional Convention, because he did not trust what was going on.  Henry seemed to think that what they were doing was subversive.  We read:
 
"… he declined to serve at the Constitutional Convention in
Philadelphia.  The public reason he gave for not attending was, as
he so eloquently put it, 'I smell a rat!' … He stood in direct opposition to ratification (of the Constitution) because he felt that the document created too strong a central government which would inevitably usurp the powers of the states.  Henry contended, to adopt the new Constitution was akin to a new revolution."  (Patrick Henry: America's
Radical Dissenter, by Thomas Jewett)
 
To the surprise of many believers today, Patrick Henry (along with Samuel Adams apparently) believed the U.S. Constitution, as it was written, would ruin the country. 
At the Virginia Ratifying Convention on June 5, 1788, Henry said:
 
"The question turns, sir, on that poor little thing, the
expression, We, the people, instead of the states, of America.
I need not take much pains to show that the principles of
this system are extremely pernicious, impolitic, and dangerous….
Here is a resolution as radical as that which separated us
from Great Britain. It is radical in this transition; our rights
and privileges are endangered, and the sovereignty of the
states will be relinquished …"
 
This is worth considering, since so many Christians today look upon the Constitution as practically an extension of the Bible.  Yet Henry recognized that the focus on the People collectively would ultimately put all citizens beneath the power of a single Federal Government, which is exactly what happened after the Civil War with the drafting of the 14th Amendment.  This amendment changed the citizenship of all Americans to federal citizens first, and state citizens second.  Prior to this amendment, it had been the other way around.  It would be not unlike changing our national citizenship, making us citizens of the United Nations first, and then American citizens second.  While our purpose here is not to investigate this fully, one can see what the dangerous implications of such an amendment would be.
 
The Federal Octopus
 
The concept of an ever-growing federal power was spoken of by George Mason (a lesser known Revolutionary hero), and is recorded in Patrick Henry's biography.  According to the account, Mason said:
 
"There are many gentlemen in the United States who think
it right that we should have one great, national, consolidated
government, and that it is better to bring it about slowly
and imperceptibly rather than all at once …" (Patrick Henry;
life, correspondence, and speeches, Volume II, p. 357
by William Wirt Henry)
 
If one reads the full account as recorded by Wirt Henry, it becomes clear that George Mason, who relates this to James Madison and Patrick Henry, is speaking about men who are conspiring to seize control of the country.  He even compares them to a cat leaping upon a rat.  The truth of this warning has surely been unfolding for the last two hundred years.  Currently, it is at the heart of the reason why the government of the United States has been able to push Christianity out of nearly all federally funded institutions.  Again, we must ask: was this the plan from the beginning?
 
Was Patrick Henry a Christian?
 
It may be that Patrick Henry died as a Christian man – this writer certainly hopes so.  If one researches quotes concerning him, it is clear he was not the most knowledgeable about the Bible, which he openly admitted.  Some of the quotes from him are odd, if he was a Christian.  For example, he said, "I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience."  Why not the lamp of the Word of God?  His lament over not spending much time in Bible study might be an explanation.  In the account of his life as recorded by his grandson and biographer, we read:
 
"One of his neighbors going to see him found him reading the
Bible.  Holding it up in his hand, he said: 'This book is worth all
the books that ever were printed, and it has been my misfortune
that I have never found time to read it with the proper attention
and feeling till lately.  I trust in the mercy of Heaven that it is
not yet too late."  It was his habit to seat himself in his dining room
every morning directly after rising, and read his Bible …"
 (Patrick Henry; life, correspondence, and speeches, Volume II,
by William Wirt Henry, p. 519)
 
It is clear that Patrick Henry was a church going man who did not shun partaking in Communion, which becomes significant when one considers that men like Washington refused to do so.  Henry also acknowledged and condemned the deism of the other revolutionaries.  He said:
 
 
 
"The view which the rising greatness of our country presents
to my eye is greatly tarnished by the general prevalence of deism;
which with me, is but another name for vice and depravity. 
I am, however, much consoled by reflecting, that the religion of
Christ has, from its first appearance in the world, been attacked
in vain by all the wits, philosophers, and wise ones aided by every
power of man, and its triumph has been complete." (Ibid, p. 570)
 
Furthermore, Henry specifically refuted the charge that he was to be counted among the deists, and went out of his way to declare that he was a Christian man.  He said:
 
"Amongst other strange things said of me, I hear it is said
by the deists that I am one of their number; and, indeed, that
some good people think I am no Christian. This thought gives
me much more pain than the appellation of tory; because
I think religion of infinitely higher importance than politics;
and I find much cause to reproach myself that I have lived so
long and have given no decided and public proofs of my being
a Christian.  But, indeed, my dear child, this is a character
which I prize far above all this world has, or can boast." 
(Patrick Henry; life, correspondence, and speeches, Volume II,
by William Wirt Henry, p. 570)
 
It is very interesting that after the Revolution, Patrick Henry refused to be involved in U.S. politics.  We read that:
 
"… there was a disposition to present the name of Mr. Henry
for the Vice-Presidency, but he had taken no part in politics since
1791 … It is very certain that he was unwilling that his name
should be used in connection with the office … After the
presidential electors had been chosen he was informed that
… others of the Electoral College, professed a willingness to
vote for him as President, but not for Jefferson, and he declined
the honor …" (Ibid, pp. 571-572)
 
Why would Henry refuse to run for President?  Was it because he knew that those who were running the new American government were infidels and that the nature of the system was anti-Christ and corrupt? Is it also possible that he chose to pursue the things of God, which he had neglected before, and this gave him the zeal to keep from being entangled "with the affairs of this life"…? (1 Timothy 2:4)  
 
Seeking the Truth
 
Patrick Henry gave us words to consider as we hash through the pages of America's history, trying to discern what happened, and how we are brought to this point.  His words are a powerful medicine for professing Christians who rabidly (and often blindly) defend the founding fathers, disregarding all evidence to the contrary of their invented and fraudulent histories.  A true American patriot, Patrick Henry said:
 
"It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope.
We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to
the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts...
For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing
to know the whole truth, to know the worst, and to provide
for it."  (Patrick Henry, American Patriot)