I love our Founding Fathers.
For a lot of reasons but one paramount among them all.
They set the stage for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored – to be brought back after a dreadfully long apostasy.
Here on American soil.
This is big.
Incredibly important.
I love the words of the Lord Himself: “…I established the Constitution of this land by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:80)
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” 1
And so it goes.
And so it went with the Revolutionary War.
Elder Ted Callister, noting the divine hand at work in preparing this nation for the marvelous Restoration, made this profound statement:
“…God provided for the establishment of America with the births of the Founding Fathers, perhaps the most extraordinary group of men to be born at one time and in one place…their births were providential, not coincidental.” 2
Absolutely not coincidental.
Totally by divine design.
And for what purpose?
Exactly the one about which Jefferson prophesied in 1820 (yes, the very same year Joseph Smith had his First Vision): the restoration of the gospel:
“If the freedom of religion, guaranteed to us by law in theory, can ever rise in practice under the overbearing inquisition of public opinion, truth will prevail over fanaticism, and the genuine doctrines of Jesus, so long perverted by his pseudo-priests, will again be restored to their original purity. This reformation will advance with the other improvements of the human mind, but too late for me to witness it.” 3
Enter Joseph Smith.
The Restoration commenced.
Jefferson died six years later.
Wow.
I love that God used the Founding Fathers to draft a constitution and establish a republic that would allow the gospel to be restored and from that restoration, go unto…well…all the world.
Unto all the world: Our Founding Fathers laid the imperative groundwork for the restoration of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ! God be forever more thanked for them and the Restoration.
Footnotes:
- Warriors and Quiet Waters Foundation: “Silently Refreshing the Tree of Liberty,” Gilman, B., October 2020
- Callister, T., Living Faith, “The Founding Fathers – Coincidence or Providence? 26 June, 2020
- Ibid.