Who made this happen? The
PPS was the collaborative expression of all the
mainstream Protestant ministers and denominations in Philadelphia.
Episcopal Bishop
William White led the PPS for forty-five years.
Although18th Century Quakers eschewed the notion of, need for,
and practice of ordaining formal ministers, a large segment of
PPS represented the pacifistic Quakers (Religious Society of
Friends). Every Quaker was considered a minister,
and as with other volunteer societies, working through PPS was
an exercise of biblical Christian ministry.
How did this happen? In
an astoundingly undervalued and overlooked but quite elegantly simple
act, when Bishop William White signed one
of the PPS's many Memorials to the State legislature,
he dropped his official religious title—signing
just, William White. All others followed suit
when acting on behalf of the PPS.
Why did this happen? The Revolutionary
Era in Colonial American history is, as often noted,
a quite amazing period. Nevertheless, truth be told, the whole
nation-building enterprise was a bit of a haphazard venture.
Few among the Founders and other Revolutionaries had high
confidence that the new nation would permanently endure.
Classically educated as most were,
they knew about the downfall of great nations,
cultures and Great Men. Although not many
were as bible-beating, spirit-fire-spitting as
21st century evangelicals tend to be, they were bible
based and evangelical (Quakers included at this
time, before their later schisms). They believed—more
in God's providence than in their own brilliance. Most of the accolades heaped
upon these Founders over the centuries as America grew and expanded
would have embarrassed them—they were less
cocksure and arrogant as their national progeny became, and remains.
Continue—PPS
