Dr. Benjamin Rush has been called “America’s Forgotten Founding Father.” The reason is because he is usually overshadowed by the other important Benjamin (Franklin). Despite being upstaged by others of his generation, Dr. Rush was an incredible example of a godly, courageous, and eloquent statesman. He not only attended the Constitutional Convention, but he was one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Foremost, Dr. Rush was a committed Christian and was a founding member of the Philadelphia Bible Society, which sought to make sure every citizen and every home had access to God’s Word. He also began, “The First Day Society,” which started the Sunday School movement in the United States.[1]
Rush was the one who encouraged Thomas Paine to write the fiery pamphlet Common Sense, which fueled the American Revolution. Paine wanted to call his work, “Plain Truth,” but Rush suggested the title Common Sense and served as editor to the work.
Rush was the personal physician to many of the Founding Fathers and is known as the “Father of American Medicine” and as the “American Hippocrates.” He helped get 5 universities off the ground and running. In 1791, Dr. Rush published one of his most popular works, A Defense of the Use of the Bible as a Schoolbook. He wrote, “The Bible contains more truth than any other book in the world.” Rush advocated education for women and free public schools for all children, believing that education should include a thorough knowledge of Scripture. He wrote:
“Let the children who are sent to those schools be taught to read and write. Above all, let both sexes be carefully instructed on the principles and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education—this will make them dutiful children, teachable scholars, and afterwards, good apprentices, good husbands, good wives, honest mechanics, industrious farmers, peaceable sailors, and, in everything that relates to this country, good citizens.”
If that wasn’t enough, his voice was among the very first to strongly champion the cause of the abolition of slavery. He hated the slave trade and devoted his life to opposing it. He crusaded for the reform of prisons and championed the cause of the mentally ill. He also became a peacemaker in the long-running feud between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. In fact, Rush had a vivid dream that the two old warriors would reconcile before their deaths. Awakening from his dream, he felt compelled to make peace between his two old friends, and he succeeded.[2]
There is one anecdote from his life that seems especially applicable today, considering the man-made pandemic which has ravaged the world. During the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793, Dr. Rush refused to leave the city, feeling God had placed him there for such a time. He told his medical students, “As for myself, I am determined to remain. I may fall a victim to the epidemic, and so may you, gentlemen. But I prefer since I am placed here by Divine Providence, to fall in performing my duty… then to secure my life by fleeing from the post of duty allotted in the Providence of God.”[3]
There’s at least a couple of enduring lessons in Rush’s words. The first is stay centered. Rush believed that despite the peril he was in God’s will. The safest place is always the center of God’s will. Psalm 91:5-6 encourage us, “5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.” Plagues and pandemics come and go. Violence rises and falls. Evil goes from bad to worse. But when we are in the daily course of divine duty, we are shielded by our God—safe and secure from all alarm.
The second takeaway is stay committed. Rush kept on working for the Lord and he didn’t let the fear paralyze him into hunkering down or “playing it safe.” Remember what Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” Our churches, schools and business have been through an incredible strain since 2020, but one thing is certain – we cannot shutdown our lives because of the threat of danger. As the Brits would say, we must “keep calm and carry on.” There’s still work to be done, sermons to be preached, lessons to be taught, patients to be cared for, bills to pay, songs to sing, machines to fix, projects to be built and souls to be saved. God help us to keep soldiering on for His glory by staying faithful at our post, wherever he has assigned us to be. -DM
[1] Robert Jeffress, Hell?
Yes! And Other Outrageous Truths You Can Still Believe (Colorado Springs:
Water Brook, 2004), 170.
[2] Robert
J. Morgan, “Dr. Benjamin Rush: Our Forgotten Founding Father,” 4 November 2018
<https://www.robertjmorgan.com/uncategorized/dr-benjamin-rush-our-forgotten-founding-father/>
[3]
David Jeremiah, “Only One Safe Place,” Turning Points, October 2021, p.
39.
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