PRINTER'S NO. 4186
No. 631 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY ARMSTRONG, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI,
BENNINGHOFF, BIRMELIN, CALTAGIRONE, CLARK, CORRIGAN, DALEY,
EGOLF, FAIRCHILD, FARGO, FLEAGLE, FORCIER, GEIST, GEORGE,
GODSHALL, GORDNER, HARHAI, HARHART, HERSHEY, HESS, LAUGHLIN,
LEH, MARSICO, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, ORIE, PESCI, PHILLIPS,
READSHAW, ROHRER, RUBLEY, SATHER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STERN,
E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TRUE, TULLI, WATERS, WILT, WOJNAROSKI,
ZIMMERMAN, HENNESSEY, McILHATTAN AND FICHTER,
NOVEMBER 15, 2000
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, NOVEMBER 15, 2000
A RESOLUTION
1 Proclaiming the week of November 19 through 25, 2000, as
2 "Christian Heritage Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, The Preamble to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
4 of Pennsylvania states that "We, the people of the Commonwealth
5 of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of
6 civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance,
7 do ordain and establish this Constitution"; and
8 WHEREAS, Benjamin Franklin, at the Constitutional Convention
9 in 1787 stated: "It is impossible to build an empire without our
10 Father's aid. I believe the sacred writings which say that
11 'Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build
12 it' (Psalm 127:1)"; and
13 WHEREAS, George Washington enunciated: "Animated alone by the
14 pure spirit of Christianity, and conducting ourselves as the
1 faithful subjects of our free government, we may enjoy every
2 temporal and spiritual felicity"; and
3 WHEREAS, Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of
4 Independence, wrote: "Can the liberties of a nation be secure
5 when we have removed the conviction of these liberties are the
6 gift of God?"; and
7 WHEREAS, James Madison, father of the Constitution of the
8 United States, advocated "the diffusion of the light of
9 Christianity in our nation" in his Memorial and Remonstrance
10 speech delivered to the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of
11 Virginia in 1875; and
12 WHEREAS, Patrick Henry quoted Proverbs 14:34 for our nation:
13 "Righteousness alone can exalt a nation, but sin is a disgrace
14 to any people"; and
15 WHEREAS, George Mason, in the Virginia Declaration of Rights,
16 forerunner of the Bill of Rights, affirmed: "That it is the
17 mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love and
18 charity towards each other"; and
19 WHEREAS, These and many other truly great Americans, giants
20 in the structuring of our history, were statesmen of caliber and
21 integrity who did not hesitate to express their faith; therefore
22 be it;
23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives proclaim the week
24 of November 19 through 25, 2000, as "Christian Heritage Week" in
25 Pennsylvania.
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