The Captain John Sale Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the Live Oak Sons of the American Revolution held a joint meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16th at the Chamber of Commerce in George West. Regent, Mrs. Elizabeth Holmes opened the meeting and the SAR President, Sheriff Larry Busby led the members and guests in the pledge to the flag. Holmes commented that the Nation and Daughters of the American Revolution celebrate Constitution Week from September 1st through September 23rd each year. In observance of this event, the Captain John Sale Chapter acknowledges this important week by having a program on the Constitution. Mrs. Charlie Brown introduced the speaker, Reverend Doug Hinchcliff and his wife. Some of the activities that the reverend has been involved in are: Vice President of the George West Chamber of Commerce and currently President, Director of the George West Lions Club, Director of the Live Oak Outreach in George West, Director of the Economic Development, Election Judge of the George West ISD in 2006, Judge of the Storyfest first annual Lions Contest, recipient of the Community Builders Award given by the George West Masonic Lodge in 2007 and he is the minister of the First Methodist Church in George West.

Reverend Hinchcliff spoke on the First Amendment of the Constitution. He gave a history of the churches and the different denominations that led up to the Quakers, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Dutch Reform, and Congregational churches who migrated to the shores of Early America. From this group of people, some of our great historians who wrote the Constitution of the United States were included with different back ground in religion. In 1610, James Town, now known as Virginia was settled by the English. Also the English settled in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Catholics settled in Maryland. The Dutch Reform settled in New York. Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire were of the Congregational Church. The early settlers were of different faiths and beliefs.

The First Amendment only applied to the Federal Government. It did not apply to the States. Therefore; it was decided that the people needed a new Constitution. All of the Founding Fathers were believers. Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia, Sam Adams, John Hancock, John Adams, Robert Sherman and John Weston were of the Anglican Church, very much Orthodox. Thomas Jefferson believed God created but he also believed God intervened. Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams abhorred the idea that there was predestination divine, preference of one person over another. James Madison believed Christianity would grow if no body had control over it. Finally the constitution passed on September 17, 1787. It was approved June 21, 1788. The First Amendment of the Constitution was made by the people who had a love for God. It was made by people who believed very strongly that God was involved. George Washington made it possible for Catholics to serve, and then he had open prayer. Washington was an Anglican. Chaplain, Mrs. Charlie Brown gave the benediction and the meetings were adjourned.