It has been estimated that only about five percent of the population of the American Colonies took an active part in the cause for Independence.
As much as in the marvelous events leading up to and during the founding period, the hand of Providence is evidenced in the men of character that God brought together in order to accomplish the great experiment in Christian self-government, that is the United States of America.
One such man is Charles Thomson, who became known as the Sam Adams of Philadelphia.
Charles Thomson was born in Ireland and came to America with his father after the death of his mother.
His father died on the trip to America, and Charles started his life in the colonies as a redemptioner, a kind of indentured slave.
Charles ran away from the blacksmith with whom he was residing and met an unknown lady who took him in and provided an education for him.
She enrolled him in an academy directed by Dr.
Francis Alison, a Presbyterian pastor and one of the best teachers in the colonies Charles Thomson began to excel in his study of Greek, and he was urged to begin studying theological works.
At this suggestion young Charles dove into an exhaustive study of the Holy Scriptures.
Upon graduation, Thomson opened his own Subscription School, and subsequently became known as one of the best teachers in Philadelphia.
He taught in several venues, including what later came to be known as The University of Pennsylvania.
As early as age 25 Charles Thomson was an influential character throughout Pennsylvania.
It is the common mode of affirming the truth of a thing by exclaiming, "it is as true as if Charles Thomson's name were to it.
" He finally resigned as a teacher and became a successful merchant and an elder in the Presbyterian Church.
His Presbyterian roots really shone through the period beginning with the Stamp Act up to the creation of the Constitution.
As a principle in the Liberty Party, he was instrumental in forming the Committee of Correspondence, thus he was dubbed "the Sam Adams of Philadelphia.
" When the Continental Congress convened, Charles Thomson was appointed Secretary, a post he held for the next fifteen years.
The first printing of the Declaration of Independence circulated for about a month with just the name of John Hancock and Charles Thomson.
As secretary to that great body, Charles Thomson was involved in most of the defining activities throughout the founding era.
In 1789 Thomson resigned his post as Secretary to the Continental Congress.
In God's providence he was never asked to serve his country again, which allowed him the opportunity to translate the Bible from the Greek Septuagint.
As a continuation of that work he next combined the narratives of the four gospels in order to "resolve discrepancies and questions.
" At age 55 and 94 Thomson earned LLD.
's from The University of Pennsylvania and Princeton College respectively.
God called a unique group of men to lead the American Colonies to freedom, and to create the first Christian republic since the Hebrew republic of the Old Testament.
Among them was an orphan, whom He rescued by the hand of an unnamed lady.
Presbyterian Elder Charles Thomson exemplifies the character of the small band of men that you know as the founding fathers.