Benjamin Rush Quotes

“That the Bible contains more knowledge necessary to man in his present state than any other book in the world.”
― David Barton, Benjamin Rush: Signer of the Declaration of Independence

“Let the children who are sent to those schools be taught to read and write. . . . [and a]bove all, let both sexes be carefully instructed in 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.”
― David Barton, Benjamin Rush: Signer of the Declaration of Independence

“Dr. Rush was firm in his belief that education, to be successful, must infuse the principles of Christianity throughout all of its academic disciplines. In fact, when he presented his plan for universal public education on March 28, 1787, he explained:”
― David Barton, Benjamin Rush: Signer of the Declaration of Independence

“Another school which benefited from Dr. Rush’s influence was Franklin College (today called Franklin-Marshall College). The original founders of that college were a distinguished group, including not only Dr. Rush but also Thomas McKean (signer of the Declaration), Thomas Mifflin (signer of the Constitution), and George Clymer, Robert Morris, and Dr. Franklin (signers of both the Declaration and the Constitution). All of them believed that the inclusion of religious education was fundamental to a sound education.”
― David Barton, Benjamin Rush: Signer of the Declaration of Independence

“The great enemy of the salvation of man, in my opinion, never invented a more effectual means of extirpating [extinguishing] Christianity from the world than by persuading mankind that it was improper to read the Bible at schools.25 Dr.”
― David Barton, Benjamin Rush: Signer of the Declaration of Independence