Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

Governor’s Office

Proclamation 

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK

February 21-27, 1999

WHEREAS, The Preamble to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania states that “We, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, 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 of 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 of 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 statesmen of caliber and integrity who did not hesitate to express their faith.

THEREFORE, I Tom Ridge, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby proclaim February 21-27, 1999, as CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK in Pennsylvania.

GIVEN under my hand and the Seal of the Governor, at the City of Harrisburg on this twenty-fifth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine and of the Commonwealth the two hundred and twenty-third.

TOM RIDGE

Governor