(Watchmen Ministry North Idaho) On June 8th, 1789, James Madison first introduced the amendments that would become the bill of rights to the U.S. Constitution. His speech captures the thinking of one of the most important founders. As the primary contributor to the Constitution his insights are incredibly prescient to the time we are in.
The first and most important amendment begins with his views on religion and government. Notice how he positions individual religious freedom before prohibiting the establishment of a state religion: “The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext, infringed.” This tells us how important Madison saw the rights of individuals to practice their religion without the interference of government. The third sentence in this section on the rights of conscience also points back to individual religious liberty.
Many want to point to the establishment clause and use Jefferson’s “Wall of Separation” argument incorrectly to claim that the first amendment prevents the church from being involved in politics. However, Jefferson makes it very clear in his letter to the Danbury Baptists that he believes that a wall of separation is there to protect the Danbury Baptists right to practice their religion without the interference of government. This ties directly to what Madison first introduced and to what was eventually passed in the first amendment. No where in the constitution, nor in any of the amendments does the concept of religion, specifically Christianity, not having an influence on government exist.
Frank Turek puts it best when he says “100% of laws have a set of morals attached to them.” As Christians, do we believe that the morals of post-modern thought (it’s my truth and truth is relative) should be the primary influence in the laws we pass? Heaven forbid such a thing. John Adams wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” We are entering into a dangerous period in American history where a large segment of the population believes that rights come from government, not from God. How this plays out, we do not know. We can only choose to Stand on the inerrant Word of God, which is the only fully reliable source, pray for our country, and be patriots, even when it costs us everything. This is not to say that we should be patriots that incite violence, we need to be patriots who stand for a Biblical Worldview and back it up with prayer, common sense and a love for others, even those who disagree with us. To steal from Dan Wilson’s campaign slogan, Liberty without Compromise. Such a simple phrase and yet so full of significance. Can you achieve liberty without compromising your values, your moral compass, your Biblical values and still represent God well? Absolutely! Too many people think that they can make these compromises and still produce a society that has liberty. Instead, this approach produces enslavement to bad behavior. Lord Acton famously said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He later states that as leaders move closer to absolutism, the morals of the people deteriorate.
Madison goes on to state secondly about the rights of speech: “The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.” Notice how he sees the freedom of the press as one of the great bulwarks of liberty. In most cases, the “mainstream” media on both sides of the political spectrum have abandoned their responsibility to be a bulwark of liberty, preferring to “slant” the news to favor their side of the political spectrum. Those who pick up the mantle of the press need to understand the responsibility of what they have undertaken. This is not something that should be used for your own personal brand or to get more clicks with no responsibility. Keyboard warriors from any part of the political spectrum that abuse this bulwark of liberty actually damage the cause of liberty in this country. They do so by creating a toxic cancel culture that squelches the rights of people to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments.
Madison finishes the first amendment with: “The people shall not be restrained from peaceably assembling and consulting for their common good; nor from applying to the Legislature by petitions, or remonstrances, for redress of their grievances.” Again, we see Madison focused on the individual rights of the people over that of the government. It is important to note that Madison saw the law-making building block as being closest to the people and that was the group to which people should seek redress of their grievances. It also reminds us that Madison saw the legislature as being the most important part of the government over that of the executive branch and the judicial branch. We have town halls coming up. Have all the people been given the opportunity to peaceably address their elected officials, or will it just be a select group of people?
As we recently passed the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s inspirational words, we feel that they are very appropriate for this topic. “Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
Madison started off his discussion on the amendments to the constitution with: “First. That there be prefixed to the Constitution a declaration, that all power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from, the people.” Will we, as liberty-minded people, choose to be worthy of this responsibility?
Watchmen Ministry North Idaho (March 26, 2025)
Madison’s speech is found in: The American Republic: Primary Sources – Bruce Frohnen (editor). 2002. https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/frohnen-the-american-republic-primary-sources
