The John Birch Society celebrates its 50th anniversary.(Inside Track)

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The John Birch Society (JBS) celebrated its 50th anniversary in grand style at a convention center near its headquarters in Appleton, Wisconsin, from Thursday, October 2 through Saturday, October 4. Members and guests were both entertained and educated by numerous seminars, panel discussions, and featured speakers.

The keynote speaker on Friday night was Dr. Charles Baldwin, founder of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, and the 2008 presidential nominee for the Constitution Party. In his presentation, "Christians and the Freedom Fight," Dr. Baldwin reminded the audience why it is the duty of Christians to support and protect the Constitution and pointed out that there is no contradiction between the Bible and the Constitution. He went on to disprove the claim that there is no mention of God in the Constitution by quoting from Article VII: "done in Convention by the Unanimous consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven."

There were three featured speakers on Saturday night, beginning with Hid Welch, son of JBS founder Robert Welch. In his address, "We Hold These Truths?" Welch offered his personal insights about our founding documents and reviewed the timeless truths so many have fought to keep. He described the Declaration of Independence as "the promise" and the Constitution as "the fulfillment," declaring that they "are the most important documents struck by the hand of man since the Bible."

Next up was Dr. Ron Paul, Texas congressman and 2008 Republican presidential candidate. In his speech, "Restoring the Republic: Lessons From a Presidential Campaign," he lectured on how our republic can be restored, and how groups such ...