July 4: God in American History

Washington

By Ada Brownell

            About the middle of the 20th Century, some in leadership began a crusade for taking the Bible out of our educational system, taking prayer out of schools -- even though most of our original schools were founded by churches. These people fight anything that might cause America’s children to serve Almighty God. Substituted for the Ten Commandments were situational ethics (a belief that whether action or inaction is right or wrong depends on the situation).  Instead of man created in God’s image, they began teachings that we got here by accident, and became the way we are by ourselves.

            The early laws of this nation can be traced to The Ten Commandments and scripture, and they still are the foundation for the thousands of laws we have today.

            The first Massachusetts settlers who came from England on the Mayflower signed a compact on Nov. 11, 1620, and it remained Plymouth Colony’s basic governmental chapter for 70 years.

            The charter begins with: “In the name of God Amen!” It includes words about the “grace of God”, defender of the faith, the glory of God, the presence of God, and advancement of the Christian faith. This in a document that was less than 200 words.

            Our patriotic songs include “God Bless America,” “My Country T'is of Thee,” “America! America! God shed His grace on thee” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

            Look at a penny and read the words around the edge of Abraham Lincoln’s head.  It says, “In God we trust.”

            In our pledge of allegiance we say, One nation, Under God.”

            A visit to Washington, D.C., is probably more enlightening than the history books when we look at American history and the beliefs that lived in the hearts of our forefathers.

            U.S. Presidents liberally quoted from the Bible and called for prayer when there was a national disaster or an emergency.

            A quote from Jesus, "I am the Resrrrection and the Life,"is written above George Washington’s grave. In John F. Kennedy’s last hours  he had prepared these words for Dallas and for the nation: “The righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength, for as was written long ago, except the Lord guard the city, the guard watches in vain.”.

Lincoln

           Lincoln often spoke of his having to give an account to God for his deeds. Lincoln quoted Jesus in his second inaugural address and those words are written in the Lincoln Memorial: “The Almighty has His own purposes.  `Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh’ (Matthew 18:7).”

            Lincoln was concerned with righteousness, although historians tell us he wasn’t a member of any church. Yet, Lincoln lifted up scripture as the highest authority man can follow.

            Many people who came to America were seeking freedom -- particularly religious freedom. For years, those in other countries were not allowed to worship God the way they believed they should. Thousands of people died for their faith. During World War II, six million Jews were murdered in Europe by Hitler because of who they were and the God they served. Many non-Jews also were killed.

             Killing people for believing in God still happens every day. There were more martyrs in the 20th Century than in all the rest of history combined. At least one girl who was  killed at Columbine High School in 1999 died because she admitted she believed in God. She was among thousands who die for the faith every year around the world.

            The Bible has been taken away from the people in many nations -- and burned. World leaders have attempted many times to destroy it. The atheist Voltaire boasted that Christianity and the Bible would be extinct in 100 years.  Fifty years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society used Voltaire’s press to print Bibles and they stored them in his house!

            Yet the Bible remains the best seller of all time and is translated into more languages than any other book.

            People who believe in God will continue to carry the gospel until Jesus comes, no matter how much wicked people try to stop it.

            Bibles aren’t allowed in Muslim nations. Atheistic nations have taken away their people’s Bibles and turned churches into museums or social centers. In Russia before the fall of the Iron Curtain, the police sometimes came to a home or a building where people were secretly worshiping and turn a fire hose on them to get them out.  Then they’d throw the leaders into prison and prevent the people from meeting again.

            Everyone in the world needs the privilege to worship God or not worship God, as he chooses. Secularism, as the new religion of the United States of America, would like to replace all religions, especially Christianity, although false religions stand at the door.  Secularists have zapped The Ten Commandments out of every public building in America.  They’re going after “In God We Trust” on our coins, “Under God” in or Pledge of Allegiance, tax exemption for churches, and soon they’ll probably want to scrape the scriptures off the Liberty Bell and the Lincoln Memorial.

            It will be tragic to erase the mention of God in our history, but we need to be more concerned about the future.  America needs God.