1. Protecting Life and Liberty: Interposition at the County Level

2. Biblical Interposition God is Sovereign, Holy and Perfect Man is Finite, Sinful and Depraved THE ATONEMENT For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus – 1 st Timothy 2:5

3. Steps of Lawful Resistance Matthew 5:38-41 – avoid personal offenses Matthew 5:38-41 – avoid personal offenses Matthew 18:15-18 - Appeal for resolution Matthew 18:15-18 - Appeal for resolution Matthew 10:14 - Boycott – economic resistance Matthew 10:14 - Boycott – economic resistance Acts 25:11 - Civil interposition – by lower magistrate, resistance must be under authority Acts 25:11 - Civil interposition – by lower magistrate, resistance must be under authority Matthew 10:23 - Flee – avoid greater conflict Matthew 10:23 - Flee – avoid greater conflict Acts 5:29 - Disobey – commanded to disobey Gods Word; could result in martyrdom Acts 5:29 - Disobey – commanded to disobey Gods Word; could result in martyrdom Luke 22:36 - Forceful resistance – under authority Luke 22:36 - Forceful resistance – under authority

4. Thomas Aquinas Believers are to honor and obey civil magistrates Believers are to honor and obey civil magistrates If civil magistrates command us to disobey God, then we must disobey If civil magistrates command us to disobey God, then we must disobey If it is not an excess of tyranny, tolerate it If it is not an excess of tyranny, tolerate it The only form of justified resistance… The only form of justified resistance…...it seems that to proceed against the cruelty of tyrants is an action to be undertaken, not through the private presumption of a few, but rather by public authority.

5. Calvins Lower Magistrate Principle …For when popular magistrates have been appointed to curb the tyranny of kings... so far am I from forbidding these officially to check the undue license of kings, that if they connive at kings when they tyrannize and insult over the humbler of the people, I affirm that their dissimulation is not free from nefarious perfidy; because they fraudulently betray the liberty of the people, while knowing that, by the ordinance of God, they are its appointed guardians….

6. Levels of Interposition NationStateCounty Town / ChurchFamilyIndividual Nation – among the nations Tribe – rulers of 1,000s Hundred – rulers of 100s Village / Levitical Tribe – rulers of 50s Family – rulers of 10s Tongue - Individual Exodus 18:20-23 – Government of Israel

7. Acts of Interposition NationStateCounty Town / ChurchFamilyIndividual Independent Sovereignty 10 th Amendment Interposition Resist State / Federal Control Self Governed Funding Community Service Family Business Jury Nullification

8. History of the Hundreds Galatian believers convert Celts by 100 AD Galatian believers convert Celts by 100 AD Celts conquered by Saxons; but convert them Celts conquered by Saxons; but convert them Patrick finds Liber ex Leigi Moisi among the Celts – carries it to his 300 church plants Patrick finds Liber ex Leigi Moisi among the Celts – carries it to his 300 church plants King Alfred codifies O.T. Law & Government as the law common to all – common law King Alfred codifies O.T. Law & Government as the law common to all – common law Hundreds were a division of the Shire, to support 100 families Hundreds were a division of the Shire, to support 100 families The Hundreds were the most important unit of self-government through 1066 AD The Hundreds were the most important unit of self-government through 1066 AD

9. Government of the Hundreds (County) An earl (elder) was head of the Shire (State) An earl (elder) was head of the Shire (State) Hundreds were divided / called Counties Hundreds were divided / called Counties A shire-reeve (sheriff) served in the County A shire-reeve (sheriff) served in the County Knights were controllers of the County Court Knights were controllers of the County Court Records were kept by the Clerk Records were kept by the Clerk Constable was to keep the peace within the County Constable was to keep the peace within the County Purpose of the County was two-fold: Purpose of the County was two-fold: To maintain law and order within the towns To maintain law and order within the towns To lawfully resist encroachment from above To lawfully resist encroachment from above County government (and interposition) the strongest level within the American system… County government (and interposition) the strongest level within the American system…

10. Interposition vs. Nullification Interposition – the constitutional resistance of a sphere of government that is operating outside of its lawful jurisdiction Interposition – the constitutional resistance of a sphere of government that is operating outside of its lawful jurisdiction Resistance through the lower magistrate Resistance through the lower magistrate Utilizing an appeal already defined by law Utilizing an appeal already defined by law Nullification – the rendering of a law or mandate null and void by a single individual, state or sphere of sovereignty Nullification – the rendering of a law or mandate null and void by a single individual, state or sphere of sovereignty Ignoring a law presumed to be unconstitutional Ignoring a law presumed to be unconstitutional Utilizing undefined or unwritten appeals Utilizing undefined or unwritten appeals

11. Committees of Correspondence: germ of the Continental Congress Started by Sam Adams in November, 1772 Started by Sam Adams in November, 1772 It united towns through communication and instruction of their God-given rights as Englishmen and Christians It united towns through communication and instruction of their God-given rights as Englishmen and Christians It inspired interposition at the County level, resisting the encroachment of the English Parliament through constitutional means It inspired interposition at the County level, resisting the encroachment of the English Parliament through constitutional means It was the source of electing lower magistrates who would resist tyranny It was the source of electing lower magistrates who would resist tyranny

12. Boston Tea Party, December 16, 1773 Interposition of a Town by Boycott

13. The Mecklenburg Resolves – 1775 Interposition at the County Level Resolves of resistance to unjust government were declared at the County level… Resolves of resistance to unjust government were declared at the County level… On May 19, 1775, inspired by Lexington and led by the Scotch Presbyterian pastors, they drew up a Declaration of Independence… On May 19, 1775, inspired by Lexington and led by the Scotch Presbyterian pastors, they drew up a Declaration of Independence… They resisted encroachment from above, and restored each and every of our former laws They resisted encroachment from above, and restored each and every of our former laws They declared every member present as a civil officer to maintain law and order… They declared every member present as a civil officer to maintain law and order…

14. The 254 Texas Counties are more than any other State in the Union