Categories: Historical Documents

Tennessee 1995

STATE OF TENNESSEE

PROCLAMATION

BY THE GOVERNOR

WHEREAS, the Pilgrims, in the Mayflower Compact (1620), stated their purpose as, “…having undertaken, for the glorie of God, and advancement of the Christian faith….in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick, for our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of the ends aforesaid;…”; and

WHEREAS, on June 21, 1776, John Adams wrote, “Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.”; and

WHEREAS, our Declaration of Independence declares, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”; and

WHEREAS, on June 28, 1787, at the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin, quoting from Psalm 127:1, warned, “We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘except the Lord build he House they labour in vain that build it.’”; and

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States of America, in Article 1 Section 7, recognizes Sunday as a day of rest and worship; and is dated “the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven”, thus measuring time from the birth of Jesus Christ (Anno Domini).; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Jefferson, while President of the United States, was also made president of the school board for Washington, D.C. public schools and authored its original plan of education in which he placed the Bible and Watt’s Hymnal as two primary reading text.; and

WHEREAS, Thanksgiving week is an appropriate time to center attention on thanks to Almighty God for the “Blessings of Liberty”, to ask His help in reinsuring “domestic Tranquility”, and to recognize our national need to reaffirm our “reliance on the protection of divine Providence” in keeping America a free and independent Nation,

NOW THEREFORE, I, Don Sundquist, Governor of the State of Tennessee, do hereby proclaim November 19 through November 25, 1995, as AMERICA’S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK in Tennessee, and do urge all Tennesseans to acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate, each in their own way, America’s Christian heritage.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the State of Tennessee to be affixed at Nashville on this 15th day of November, 1995.

Don Sundquist

Governor

Riley C. Darnell

Secretary of State

North Carolina 1995

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

JAMES B. HUNT JR.

GOVERNOR

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK

1995

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of North Carolina desires to recognize and commemorate the Christian Heritage of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, the Christian Heritage of our nation is recognized in the accomplishments of such renowned individuals as Christopher Columbus, William Bradford, George Washington, John Hancock, Abigail Adams, Noah Webster, Abraham Lincoln and Woodrow Wilson; and

WHEREAS, it is important that our children learn the complete history of our nation, including the historical Christian Heritage, from the establishment of our nation to the present date; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of our great state and nation may be fully educated about the Christian Heritage of our nation through the voluntary exercise of their constitutional right to the freedom of educational choice; and

WHEREAS, the Christian faith has been historically documented as a foundational influence on the inception, formation, structure and culture of our nation;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES B. HUNT JR., Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim November 19-26, 1995, as “Christian Heritage Week” in North Carolina and commend this observance to all our citizens.

JAMES B. HUNT JR.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capital in Raleigh this fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and nineteenth.

Louisiana 1995

STATE OF LOUISIANA

EDWIN W. EDWARDS

GOVERNOR

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, throughout the history of our country, prayer has been recognized by our leaders in times of war and peace as a vital part of maintaining a strong national character, and necessary to procure the blessings of a just and benevolent God upon our government and people; and

WHEREAS, the first national Thanksgiving Proclamation was put forth by Samuel Adams as a “National Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer” and was observed by Washington’s army in the snowy fields of Valley Forge; and

WHEREAS, the observance of prayer encourages Americans to affirm our nation’s spiritual roots, to acknowledge dependence on God and to enlist prayer for local, state and national leaders; and

WHEREAS, it is certainly fitting and proper that we in Louisiana observe a time when all in our communities may acknowledge our many blessings and express gratitude to God for them while recognizing the need for strengthening religious and moral values in our land; and

WHEREAS, it is important that we remember the need to stand in the grace of God every day and we should acknowledge the need to pray for our leaders in government; and

WHEREAS, a time should be set aside to focus on the wisdom of God in the heritage of the United States and the intention of our founding fathers that the counsel of God be always deeply rooted in our makeup and progress as a nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDWIN W. EDWARDS, Governor of the State of Louisiana, do hereby proclaim November 19 through November 25, 1995 as CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK in the State of Louisiana, and encourage all citizens to acknowledge and appreciate the religious heritage of our great state and nation.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the City of Baton Rouge, on this The 20th day of March A.D. 1995.

Attest By

The Governor

EDWIN W. EDWARDS

Governor of Louisiana

Fox McKeithen

Secretary of State

Arkansas 1995

STATE OF ARKANSAS

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

PROCLAMATION

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME—GREETINGS:

WHEREAS, The Preamble to the Constitution of the State of Arkansas states that “We the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government, for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and secure the same to ourselves and posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”; and

WHEREAS, Benjamin Franklin, at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 stated: “It is impossible to build an empire without our Father’s aid. I believe the sacred writings which say that ‘Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it’” (Psalm 127:1); and

WHEREAS, George Washington enunciated, “animated alone by the pure spirit of Christianity, and conducting ourselves as the faithful subjects of our free government, we may enjoy every temporal and spiritual felicity”; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, wrote “Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed the conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?”; and

WHEREAS, James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution, advocated “the diffusion of the light of Christianity in our nation” in his Memorial and Remonstrance; and

WHEREAS, Patrick Henry quoted Proverbs 14:34 for our nation: “Righteousness alone can exalt a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people”; and

WHEREAS, George Mason, in his Virginia Declaration of Rights, forerunner to our U.S. Bill of Rights, affirmed: “That it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love and charity towards each other”; and

WHEREAS,these, and many other truly great men and women of America, giants in the structuring of American history, were Christian statesmen of caliber and integrity who did not hesitate to express their faith;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mike Huckabee, Acting Governor of the State of Arkansas, do proclaim April 23rdthroughApril 29th, 1995, as:

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK

in the state of Arkansas.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed at the Capitol in Little Rock on this 30thday of January in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-five.

Mike Huckabee
Acting Governor

Sharon Priest
Secretary of State

Connecticut 1995

State of Connecticut

By His Excellency JOHN G. ROWLAND, Governor: an

Official Statement

WHEREAS, this nation has been richly blessed by The Lord God Whose Divine Providence our founding fathers sought as they established these United States of America as a free and independent nation; and

WHEREAS, as John Quincy Adams stated, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was that it connected in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity”; and

WHEREAS, the Christian heritage of our nation is recognized in the writings and accomplishments of such renowned individuals as Christopher Columbus, William Bradford, George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, James Madison, Patrick Henry, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and countless others, and in the constitutions of the several sovereign states, and innumerable public documents and utterances; and

WHEREAS, the history of Christian faith and traditions of our people is reflected in countless practices of the institutions and officials of our government, such as prayer and Scripture reading preceding each and every session of Congress, from its inception until this day; and

WHEREAS, the importance of our Christian heritage to the institutions, values and vision of our nation is immeasurable, and teaching our children about the wisdom and  spiritual values of our historical Christian heritage is vital to the preservation of the Republic and the longevity of the nation;

WHEREAS, it is entirely appropriate to recognize the Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving for God’s Providence as a special time and reason for celebrating our nation’s Christian heritage; now

THEREFORE, I, John G. Rowland,, Governor of the State of Connecticut, do hereby officially designate November 19 – 25, 1995 as Christian Heritage Week in the State of Connecticut.

John G. Rowland
Governor

Illinois 1995

STATE OF ILLINOIS

 

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, religious holidays, festivals, and celebrations add to the cultural mosaic of our state; and

WHEREAS, churches are a functional part of the communities in our state, often providing charitable assistance to our citizens; and

WHEREAS, Thanksgiving week is an appropriate time to center attention on the religious heritage of our state and nation;

THEREFORE, I, Jim Edgar, Governor of the State of Illinois, proclaim November 19-25, 1995, as CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK in Illinois.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and  caused the Great Seal of the State of Illinois to be affixed.

Done at the Capitol in the City of Springfield this thirty-first day of February, in the Year of Our Lord one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five, and of the State of Illinois the one hundred and seventy-seventh.

JIM EDGAR

GOVERNOR

GEORGE H. RYAN

SECRETARY OF STATE

Indiana 1995

STATE OF INDIANA

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

INDIANAPOLIS

PROCLAMATION

Executive Order

To All To Whom These Presents May Come, Greeting:

WHEREAS, religious holidays, festivals and celebrations add to the cultural mosaic of our state; and

WHEREAS, churches are a functional part of the many communities in our state, often providing charitable assistance to those in need; and

WHEREAS, Thanksgiving week is a fitting time to center attention on the religious heritage of our state;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, EVAN BAYH, Governor of the State of Indiana, do hereby proclaim November 21 – 27, 1995 as

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK

in the State of Indiana.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Indiana at the Capitol in Indianapolis on this 14th day of November, 1995.

BY THE GOVERNOR:

Evan Bayh

Governor of Indiana

ATTEST:

Sue Anne Gilroy

Secretary of State

New Jersey 1995

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, during 1995, we reflect on the goals set forth in past years to understand and recapture our Christian Heritage and to reestablish our original freedom of religious concepts; and

WHEREAS, we are reminded of the words of James Madison, who in 1778 stated, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future…upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to sustain ourselves, according to the Ten Commandments of God”; and

WHEREAS, George Washington stated, “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection, aid, and favors”; and

WHEREAS, we also remember the words in the Declaration of Independence, when the Framers noted, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor”; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, do hereby proclaim NOVEMBER 19 TO NOVEMBER 25, 1995 as CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK in New Jersey, and encourage our citizens to join in remembering that individual faith is in the power that inspires men of good will to lay foundations and to pursue noble goals for themselves and for their country.

GIVEN, under my hand and the Great Seal of the State of New Jersey, this thirty-first day of October in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five and of the Independence of the United States, the two hundred and nineteenth.

BY THE GOVERNOR:

CHRISTINE WHITMAN

GOVERNOR

LONNA R. HOOKS, SECRETARY OF STATE

Mississippi 1995 (issued November)

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

Office of the Governor

A Proclamation

By

Governor Kirk Fordice

Whereas, the State of Mississippi is richly blessed in natural beauty and superb resources, reflecting God’s miracle of creation; and

Whereas, the writings of the Founding Fathers of this nation, as well as the writings and speeches of those who have led our nation in times of war and of peace, clearly demonstrate a consistent and fervent belief in God and in the blessings that accrue from Christian beliefs and ideals; and

Whereas, the Declaration of Independence declares: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” and the Declaration of Independence closes: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor”; and

Whereas, it has been noted that in his farewell address, George Washington advised: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” And, John Quincy Adams observed, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity” (Letter from Plymouth Rock, September 1990); and

Whereas, it is fitting that we recognize the supreme importance our Founding Fathers placed upon Christianity, as well as the central role this ancient religion has played in the history of our nation and world; and

Whereas, the bible tells us, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14):

Now, therefore, I, Kirk Fordice, Governor of the State of Mississippi, hereby proclaim the week of Thanksgiving, November 19 through November 25, 1995, AMERICA’S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK in the State of Mississippi and encourage our citizens to partake and participate in this time of joy with appropriate celebrations, ceremonies, and prayer. May God bless this state, and may God bless the United States of America.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Mississippi to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Jackson, November 16, 1995, in the two hundred and twentieth year of the United States of America.

 KIRK FORDICE

 GOVERNOR

West Virginia 1995

Proclamation

by

Gaston Caperton

Governor of the State of West Virginia

WHEREAS,  West Virginia is richly blessed in natural beauty and natural resources, reflecting God’s miracle of creation; and,

WHEREAS,  the, Bill of Rights to the Constitution of West Virginia and the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of religious speech and worship to all citizens of he Mountain State; and,

WHEREAS, for many West Virginians, life in the one-room schoolhouse  began with a daily Pledge of Allegiance, prayer and Bible reading; and,

WHEREAS, Psalm 17:1 warns, Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain; and,

WHEREAS, steadfast faith sustained our Mountaineer forefathers’ survival through years of hardship, isolation and suffering; and,

WHEREAS, Thanksgiving week is an appropriate time to center attention on thanks to Almighty God for His great and good Providence and for the Christian faith, which is a foundation of American history;

Now, Therefore, Be it Resolved that I, Gaston Caperton, Governor of the State of West Virginia, do hereby proclaim November 19, 1995  – November 25, 1995, as:

Christian Heritage Week

in West Virginia  and encourage all citizens to acknowledge, appreciate  the religious heritage of our great state and nation.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of West Virginia to be affixed.

Done at the Capitol, City of Charleston, State of West Virginia, this the Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-five and in the One Hundred Thirty-second year of the State.

                                                                                                         Gaston Caperton

                                                                                                         Governor

                                                                                           By the Governor

                                                                                                         Ken Hechler

                                                                                                         Secretary of State