Hope’s Heart the Journey to Free

I count the days, they have given much,

The earth has spun for countless years.

I miss her smile and her loving touch, 

She left me early though I kept her with

                  my tears.                        

Oh my youth before the pain lighthearted am I,

Then the storm and its rain hovered over me.

Oh my mind it is time, time for one more try,

Once again to float on high, again to fly to Free.

Time, oh time you were once my friend,

But now you have seeped through my being.

There is no time’s companion, just the end,

I wish for the journey, again, I could be dreaming.

Oh cloud where, oh cloud come, please,

Take me once more on high.

To dance and roam thru the starry seas,

To hear the echo of my joyful cry.

I close my eyes and it starts to come,

The memory of when the cloud came to me.

And once took me on the journey from,

My bedroom to the far away land of Free.

He was at my window, hovering there,

Beckoning for me to come and see.

Opening the window I saw his smiling stare,

As he says, “Come with me to the land of Free.”

Going over the sill and on his back,

We shot off into the sky.

Rising high up in the night so black,

The cloud and I did amazingly fly.

Then says he, “Come and see,

You will always be, dreaming of Free.”

I was then a lad of ten, when it began,

Soaring high the cloud and I did fly.

 Oh says he, “What must this be,

Come see,”

With a rush and a whispered hush,

We burst into the starry sea.

We slowed our pace so I could taste,

The nectar and sweetness of outer space.

Then a voice crystal clear touched my ear,

Then says he, “Have no fear, do come near.”

“Ursa Major am I, and glad you came by,

Bend over the lip and take a dip,

From my cup refresh and sup,

Before you continue to fly.”

The cloud he waited by the rim,

While I swim he talked to him.

Climbing out on high with a joyful cry,

Away we did fly and I was dry.

There was a squeak and I took a peek,

“I am small, not very tall,” says he,

It was a little fellow floating up on high.

It was Ursa Minor with an audible sigh.

Oh sighs he, “Slow down and see,

Because I am meek my shine is weak.

But within my sight there is a light,

Holding tight while guiding men thru the night.”

I looked as we passed and gave a wave,

I liked the way he did behave.

We speed-ed up the cloud and I did fly,

Looking back I yelled very loud, “Goodbye.”

Looking ahead away we sped,

Another voice I could hear.

Coming here to my ear,

Sounding clear and very near.

“Orion am I, just come on by.”

“Oh,” says I, in a jubilant cry,

“Hello, how lovely to fly,”

Orion danced, just him and I.

The cloud says he, “we must be off to Free,”

So I climbed on board and away we soared.

Then says I, “To where do we fly,

And of this journey can you tell me why?”

Oh says he, “There is something to see,

Soon there we will be and you will see Free.”

As we traveled thru the sea,

I laughed as joy came full into me.

Suddenly it becomes day from some shinning array,

A shinning city meant to be,

By the radiantly flowing glass sea.

As we drew near without any fear,

The emerald city sparkled crystal clear.

Towards the now visible city lay in shinning array,

We swooped down, with speed we made no sound.

As we slowed I could see, someone looking back at me,

It was a she, glowing, loving, but who could it be.

The cloud just smiled,

 “Don’t you fret, and the time is not ready for you yet.”

I wanted to play, I longed to stay,

“Let’s not go,” says I, The cloud began to cry.

Alas says he, “Lovingly, we must flee,

This must not be.”

There is something there that seems so fair,

Looking back at the halos glow, love did flow.

Then says I, “Why do I cry,

Why is she apart, why is there aching in my heart?”

Then says he, “You have seen Free,

It is time to go home you and me.”

Then says I, “Tell me why,”

Silence, as the cloud and I homeward fly.

I open my old eyes as I lay in my bed,

My old weak heart still feels the joy of Free.

Then reality comes with its ugly head,

My life’s partner gone, alone, it’s just me.

 How can I continue while counting the seconds toil?

How can I lay still on this cold dark bed?

No more can I absorb a lonely life’s recoil,

While waiting for someone to say, “He’s dead.”

My heart misses a beat, I falter,

Movement by the window catches my eye.

It’s the cloud by my windows alter,

Whispering, “It’s OK, let us fly, you and I."

As I rise from my body prone,

As I seek to look through this lifeless shroud.

Dare I finally dream I am going home?

Dare I dream of a journey and a cloud?

The cloud just turned with a quiet calm,

Soothing like a healing balm.

Mounted again on high,

The cloud and I, away we fly.

Old cloud my old friend, what is just around the bend.

From the start says he, It was time for you to see,

Hope’s heart and your destiny.

Hope’s heart and the journeys end.

As we fly within the starry sea,

I ponder what is to become of me.

Suddenly in my ear, I can hear,

“Hello my old friend, this is not the end.”

“Ursa Major am I, I once dipped my cup,

Now you are all grown up,

And well you fly as you pass by.

How good of you to slow and say hi.”

“Oh cloud”, says I, “Where do we fly,

And what passes by from on high”.

Look says he, “There is a friend,

You face life’s beginning not its end.”

 Ursa Miner gives a wave that is so small,

But he looks as if he has grown so tall.

“Hello says he, you must be,

On your way to the land of Free.”

“Yes”, says I, “That is why we fly,

And is why we pass you by.”

“Good”, says he, “A joyful journey to Free,

Nice of you to slow and say hi to me.”

As we fly around the sea,

The hunter looms in front of me.

The cloud slows and Orion knows,

“It is good you to see”, says he.

We passed our friends and heard their say,

Then we came to the city of shinning array.

We landed on the very spot,

The one I have always sought.

I put my foot down upon the ground,

And slowly turned to look around.

There was someone looking back at me,

It was that she, glowing, loving here at Free.

Her face no trace as I thought about my life,

And how much in love I was with my wife.

The tears came and I began to cry,

The cloud hovered over me and gave a sigh.

Then says he, “It is your destiny,

This you see is your journey to Free.

You saw her then and love began,

It grew thru life as your wife.

And will grow thru eternity,

You have come home to the land of Free.

With that the she turns full around to me,

Her face I finally see, realizing my destiny.

For that she is She,

The one that is dearest to me.

 That old cloud turned gray and started to swell,

His eyes filled with water and raindrops fell.

His heart beat with glee, he smiled deep at me,

“Welcome my old friend”, said he,

 Welcome home to the land of Free.”

I turned to her outstretched hands reaching for me,

Again our hearts were joined, this time forever.

We will be one now and always for all eternity,

A love that grows as one that nothing can sever.

Hope’s heart is birthed in youth,

And grows with the passing of time.

Love comes with the lives of truth,

And may your journey to Free be kind.


By T. A. Cline

Trusting God!

It has been hot and humid today to finish the month of August. It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of September, where has the summer gone. Fall is right around the corner, then winter.

I saw something today that was totally out of place. I was driving by the woods next to our farm and I saw a two week old fawn standing there. The reason it was out of place is because it is three months late being born. The chances of it surviving the winter are very slim indeed. But the fawn doesn't know that he is in trouble; he will trust his mother and take it a day at a time.

How often we find ourselves in situations that seem there is no way out. Like the fawn we can't do anything about it. But, like the fawn we can trust, either a friend or family member. If no one can help we can turn to the one who is always ready to help and trust Him. It is the one we should have turned to right from the beginning. Trusting God usually is last on our list, when it should have been the first.

As for the fawn, who knows, he may well survive the winter and become a great buck one day.

May God bless,

The Old Farmer

Celtic Woman, "Thank You".

In my youth I dreamed of becoming a great writer, lighting the fires of emotion with beautiful poems and inspiring stories. But life takes a toll and you wake up one morning and realize life is fleeting and the years have passed by. But the dreams of youth are never far away if you are blessed with a heart that stays young, and mine is. I am still reaching for my dreams. 

I have put together the few poems that I have written over the years and added a great many more. They are now in my book, "The Old Corner Post", recently updated. I have also started writing a book that I have longed dreamed of doing. There are times when writing is very hard the words and thoughts refuse to come, "writers block". That is when I need inspiration and it comes in the form of music delivered by the group, Celtic Woman. These ladies have a way of lifting you and giving hope along with inspiration. I first heard them about a year ago and I am so glad that I did. I wrote a poem trying in a humble way to say thank you. They are the greatest, thank you again beautiful ladies.

Irish Choir and Bow

They sing and I delight,
My heart jumps with their voices, melody lingers.
They sing and I write,
As moon beams collect on the tips of my fingers.

They sing and I dream,
My mind swirls with a perfect cadence tome.
They sing and I beam,
As creativity rises high then settles softly home.

They sing and I admire,
Their beauty as it caresses each wondrous note.
They sing and I aspire,
To give the world the greatest story ever wrote.

They sing and I cry,
As I bring great emotion to the written word.
They sing and I try,
To echo their goodness in stories never heard.

They sing and I hear,
The vibrating strings of one of sweetness.
They sing and I cheer,
The musical bow of beauty’s completeness.

They sing and I live,
Because they offer hope to lift and inspire.
They sing and I give,
Thank you beautiful ladies the perfect Irish choir.

By Theodore A. Cline (With a grateful heart.)

Family

Family is a biblical unit that is self propagating, whose strength is in its ability to love, forgive and forget, and is the building block for a powerful country, and an ambassador for a powerful God.

Susan Boyle, The Swan!

The world found in Susan Boyle a place to bring their emotions and let them flow with their desire to see something good, pure, and joyful. Their hunger for good news has caused them to rally and rejoice together. She represents hope and steadfast patience in faith. She came at the right time and in the right fashion.

But it is more than that for many of us. We are the “Ugly Ducklings” that dreamed of becoming a beautiful swan. But life, like the song she sang, has emptied that dream and though it is not forgotten, it has become mute. Many of us never had the chance to see our dreams realized. So we shoved them beneath the strife of living and dare not let them surface. We have gone through life normal, happy, and doing what is needed. But, know it or not, we are very sensitive of our dreams and the knowledge that we still in a small part are “Ugly Ducklings”.

So when we see Susan Boyle come before the judges and audience, and was ridiculed and laughed at, we become her. We are “Ugly Ducklings” again. We become one with her because we each have our own “Ugly Duckling” traits and we rally for self-preservation. She is one of us.

Then she sings and every captive, “Ugly Duck”, trapped feeling explodes. And for one beautiful brief moment we all become swans through her. And the tears come, out of control, but they are so good and they flow with pure honest rejoicing. Suddenly all our troubles are gone, all our worries have vanished and we have peace as we sit on the pinnacle of pure gratification.

Our faith is restored and we know that God still loves us and will still orchestrate the right medicine for us at the right time. He shows His strength through our weaknesses. Susan Boyle is God’s elixir for hope and joy.

We do not know what the future holds for us, but for one beautiful moment we soared free on the pure wings of a swan.

The Old Farmer

The Three Pillars of America! (part 2)

In this part I will talk about the second pillar, Country. Country is not real estate, dirt, earth or land. A land without people is an empty land. And land with a certain type of people in it, is still an empty land. Country is the right kind of people dominating the landscape and holding a certain philosophy. I will give my definition of what I think Country is.

Country: Is the self-sacrificing lives that are bound together by a common faith and constitution, and have a strong desire for liberty and freedom, and is handed down to future generations by Blood, Sweat and Tears, and is resistant to tyrannical brutes from within and without.

When our forefathers came to this land they were divided in nationalities, ethnic roots, and loyalties. But as they drew closer to 1776 they were to be drawn together in ways that must of surprised them greatly. The one thing that they had in common was their Christian faith. For the great majority was of the Christian persuasion.

In the early seventeen hundreds, it was the preachers that preached from God's word that all men were created equal. That God was not a respecter of persons. That all, rich or poor, free on bonded, powerful or weak, all had to come to God in the same manner.

An example of this from the evangelist, George Whitfield. He preached in Philadelphia to thirty thousand people this sermon.
"Father Abraham, whom do you have there in Heaven?
Any Baptist? No answer.
Any Presbyterians? No answer.
Any Methodists? No Answer.
Any Congregationalist? Still no answer. He would go through all the denominations.
Finally he would say, Father Abraham, whom do you have there in Heaven?
He would answer his own query.
We do not know those names here, all we have here are those whose robes have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, that's who we have here."

Historians have said that the War for Independence was a child of the pulpit.

People started to be drawn together by a common need and belief, but it still was not yet Country.

As the war started and progressed, men of all strips stood side by side against a powerful foe, the British. They, our forefathers, would rally time and time again to try to drive the British back to England, but with little success. All seemed to be lost and there was little hope. Then came Valley Forge.

The revisionists and politically correct, like to tell us that the fear of being shot for desertion is what kept the solders in Valley Forge. I am sure that there was some that tried to leave, but not the masses that they say were. If the solders desired to leave, it would not have been that hard, but they did not. You have to look at what took place during that winter and what happened afterward. This is how I see it after studying the facts.

It was not fear that held them together, it was the hand of God. Let me explain how I came to that conclusion.

In the freezing winter of 1777, General George Washington was burdened with the lack of supplies for his troops camped at Valley Forge, and the overwhelming superiority of the British forces. Soldiers died at the rate of twelve per day, with many not even having blankets or shoes. The Commander in Chief himself, records the desperate state in a letter he wrote from Valley Forge to John Banister:

No history, now extant, can furnish an instance of an Army's suffering such uncommon hardships as ours has done and bearing them with the same patience and fortitude.

To see men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lay on, without shoes, by which their marches might be traced by the blood from their feet, and almost as often without provisions as with; marching through frost and snow, and at Christmas taking up their winter quarters within a day's march of the enemy, without a house or hutt to cover them till they could be built and submitting without a murmur, is a mark of patience and obedience which in my opinion can scarce be paralleled.

On February 16, a civilian named John Joseph Stoudt would write in his diary:

For some days there has been little less than a famine in the camp . . . Naked and starving as they are, we cannot enough admire the incomparable patience and fidelity of the soldiery, that they have not been excited ere this by their suffering, to a general mutiny and dispersion. Indeed, the distress of the army for want of provisions is perhaps beyond anything you can conceive . . . .

With all this suffering one would think that all is lost, not so according to a soldier that gave this comment to a local paper.

"Our attention is now drawn to one point: the enemy grows weaker every day, and we are growing stronger. Our work is almost done, and with the blessing of heaven, and the valor of our worthy General, we shall soon drive these plunders out of our country!"

In 1777 while the American army lay at Valley Forge, a good old Quaker by the name of Potts had occasion to pass through a thick woods near headquarters. As he traversed the dark brown forest, he heard, at a distance before him, a voice which as he advanced became more fervid and interested.

Approaching with slowness and circumspection, whom should he behold in a dark bower, apparently formed for the purpose, but the Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the United Colonies on his knees in the act of devotion to the Ruler of the Universe!
At the moment when Friend Potts, concealed by the trees, came up, Washington was interceding for his beloved country. With tones of gratitude that labored for adequate expression he adored that exuberant goodness which, from the depth of obscurity, had exalted him to the head of a great nation, and that nation fighting at fearful odds for all the world holds dear....

Soon as the General had finished his devotions and had retired, Friend Potts returned to his house, and threw himself into a chair by the side of his wife. "Heigh! Isaac!" said she with tenderness, "thee seems agitated; what's the matter?"
"Indeed, my dear" quoth he, "if I appear agitated 'tis no more than what I am. I have seen this day what I shall never forget. Till now I have thought that a Christian and a soldier were characters incompatible; but if George Washington be not a man of God, I am mistaken, and still more shall I be disappointed if God does not through him perform some great thing for this country."

Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, pastor of the Lutheran church near Valley Forge and one of the founders of the Lutheran Church in America, noted concerning General Washington:

I heard a fine example today, namely, that His Excellency General Washington rode around among his army yesterday and admonished each and every one to fear God, to put away the wickedness that has set in and become so general, and to practice the Christian virtues. From all appearances, this gentleman does not belong to the so-called world of society, for he respects God's Word, believes in the atonement through Christ, and bears himself in humility and gentleness. Therefore, the Lord God has also singularly, yea, marvelously, preserved him from harm in the midst of countless perils, ambuscades, fatigues, etc., and has hitherto graciously held him in His hand as a chosen vessel.

There are two things to point out here, the powerful faith in God of George Washington and the growing strength and unity of the soldiers. They were being tempered into hardened steel, They were being purified and refined by the refiner of the Universe. He was molding them into an army. He would produce here an army that would be the foundation for victory, not just for this war, but for all wars to come to America. At Valley Forge, God was performing a miracle that would show the world that the God of the Universe dwells with men.

The colonial army limped into Valley Forge bloodied, beaten and with out hope. They left Valley Forge with confidence, ability and as a band of brothers, they were the Army of The United States of America, and the British would never drive them from the field of battle again.

An excerpt from "The Light and the Glory" shines a clear light on what these soldiers meant to America and General George Washington: "From this time forth, Washington never needed to worry about another year-end enlistment lag; men were now signing up for three-year tours. But regardless of the contracted length of their tour, the veterans of Valley Forge were in for the duration, and would not think of leaving until the job was done. And when hardest assignments came-the frontal attacks, the bayonet charges, the flanker details-the Valley Forge men were the ones invariably chosen."

All the pieces that make up our second pillar of America, Country, were falling into place, the final piece would soon come.

Our Constitution, I believe, is what fulfills our destiny as Americans and gives us what we call Country. It is the last piece, but it almost became a dream shattered. If it had not been for Divine intervention, we would not have the freedoms we enjoy today. Benjamin Franklin rose during the trouble at the convention with the following words, they being so wonderful and timely, they only could of come from God Himself.

On Thursday, June 28, 1787, Benjamin Franklin delivered a speech to the Constitutional Convention, which was embroiled in a debate over how each state was to be represented in the new government. The hostile feelings, created by the smaller states being pitted against the larger states, was so bitter that some delegates actually left the Convention.

Benjamin Franklin, being the President (Governor) of Pennsylvania, hosted the rest of the 55 delegates attending the Convention. Being the senior member of the convention at 81 years of age, he commanded the respect of all present, and, as recorded in James Madison's detailed records, rose to speak in this moment of crisis:

Mr. President: The small progress we have made after 4 or 5 weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other - our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ayes, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of Government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which, having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances. In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. - Our prayers, Sir, were heard, & they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that "except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest. I therefore beg leave to move - that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.
The response of the convention to Dr. Benjamin Franklin's speech was reported by General Jonathan Dayton, the delegate from New Jersey and later Speaker of the House of Representatives, to William Steele:

The Doctor sat down; and never did I behold a countenance at once so dignified and delighted as was that of Washington at the close of the address; nor were the members of the convention generally less affected. The words of the venerable Franklin fell upon our ears with a weight and authority, even greater that we may suppose an oracle to have had in a Roman senate!
Following Franklin's historical address, Roger Sherman of Connecticut seconded his motion. Edmund Jennings Randolph of Virginia moved:

That a sermon be preached at the request of the convention on the 4th of July, the anniversary of Independence; & thenceforward prayers be used in ye Convention every morning. [Dr. Franklin seconded this motion.]
The clergy of the city responded to this request and effected a profound change in the convention, as noted by General Jonathan Dayton when they reconvened, July 2, 1787:

We assembled again; and...every unfriendly feeling had been expelled, and a spirit of conciliation had been cultivated.

Once again the definition of Country:

Country: Is the self-sacrificing lives that are bound together by a common faith and constitution, and have a strong desire for liberty and freedom, and is handed down to future generations by Blood, Sweat and Tears, and is resistant to tyrannical brutes from within and without.

Now fast forward to today. The onslaught and fierce attack by those who would see "Country" become a bye-word or at least weakened so that globalism can take it's place. It is not by chance or coincidence that are Founding Fathers are being trashed. For they hold the key to our liberty and freedom. If they are made out to be a bunch derelict, secularist buffoons, who would want to listen to them. But listen we must. And take heed to their words and faith, for they have been here before. And have given directions by actions on how to right ourselves. Country and sovereignty runs a parallel course. The future of the world may well hinge on our ability to remain sovereign.

Our constitution is being ignored and misused. There are those who believe that we should be Progressive and Socialistic. And to trash the out of date documents that interfere with their agenda. Our Founding Fathers believed in the depravity of man that he could not be trusted with absolute power. Our Constitution separates the powers of government because man's wickedness coupled with his desire for power and wealth can be the undoing of "Country" if we just sit idly by.

God Bless America.

The Old Farmer

The Three Pillars of America! (part 1)

Many times we have heard the phrase, "God, Country, and Family".

I would suggest that these three are the pillars on which America rests. They are essential for the continuation of our blessed country. Take any one of them away and the whole thing comes tumbling down.

And, I might add, the security of the world may well be at stake also. Like it or not, America has always stood in the gap when there was a need no matter if it was half way around the globe. There are Americans buried all over the world, giving their last measure for the freedom of those who would be enslaved by a two by twice tyrant or dictator. America has always answered the call.

Looking at these three pillars, I would like to take them one at a time, starting with the first,

GOD

Say the word God, and in a not so distant past. It would evoke the feelings of power, might, awe, reverence, respect, watch care, love, obedience, worship, faith, and a good healthy dose of fear, amongst other things. How about today? You would get a luke warm response at best. In fact there was a sign on the side of a bus in London England that said, "There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that God is dead, the good news is that we did not need Him anyway".

Our nation was built on the concept that, He, God, was the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. And that He took an active part in the affairs of men. Benjamin Franklin once said, "if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?" This was said in a speech given to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Benjamin Franklin's speech not only saved the convention, but saved the Constitution and the future of America. Also in that speech he said, "In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. - Our prayers, Sir, were heard, & they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?"

Because of Franklin's speech congress is opened with prayer even to this day.

The importance of God's assistance was not debatable but necessary for the existence of America, according to what Franklin believed by experience.

God was very important in the lives of our founding fathers. I will share a few of my favorite quotes, events, and court decisions.

Patrick Henry said:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."

James Madison said:

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

"It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage, and such only, as he believes to be acceptable to Him. This duty is precedent both in order of time, and degree of obligation, to the claims of civil society.
Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe."

As the Declaration of Independence was being signed, 1776, Samuel Adams declared:

"We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come."

On February 26, 1776, General Washington issued the orders:

"All officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers are positively forbid playing at cards and other games of chance. At this time of public distress men may find enough to do in the service of their God and their country, without abandoning themselves to vice and immorality."

There is one more instance that happened on September 7, 1774 that I want to share now. Pay close attention to the words of Sam Adams(the initiator of the first Tea Party). You will see that he was not a respecter of parties or denominations but sought Patriots.

On September 7, 1774, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, describing the effects of the prayer which opened the first session of the Continental Congress:

When the Congress met, Mr. Cushing made a motion that it should be opened with Prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay of New York, and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina because we were so divided in religious sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists, that we could not join in the same act of worship.

Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said that he was no bigot, and could hear a Prayer from any gentleman of Piety and virtue, who was at the same time a friend to his Country. He was a stranger in Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr.Duche' deserved that character and therefore he moved that Mr. Duche', an Episcopal clergyman might be desired to read Prayers to Congress tomorrow morning.

The motion was seconded, and passed in the affirmative. Mr. Randolph, our president, vailed on Mr. Duche', and received for answer, that if his health would permit, he certainly would.

Accordingly, next morning [Reverend Mr. Duche'] appeared with his clerk and in his pontificals, and read several prayers in the established form, and read the collect for the seventh day of September, which was the thirty-fifth Psalm. You must remember, this was the next morning after we heard the horrible rumor of the cannonade of Boston.

I never saw a greater effect upon an audience. It seemed as if heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read on that morning. After this, Mr. Duche', unexpectedly to every body, struck out into an extemporary prayer, which filled the bosom of every man present. I must confess, I never heard a better prayer, or one so well pronounced.

Episcopalian as he is, Dr. Cooper himself [Adams' pastor] never prayed with such fervor, such ardor, such the province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially the town of Boston. It has had an excellent effect upon everybody here. I must beg you to read that Psalm.

The First Prayer in Congress, offered extemporaneously by Rev. Mr. Duche' in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, on September 7, 1774:

O Lord, our Heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from Thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth, and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires, and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor, and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee; to Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give; take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing
care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their cause; and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, O! let the voice of Thine own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war, from their unnerved hands in the day of battle!

Be Thou present O God of Wisdom and direct the counsel of this Honorable Assembly; enable them to settle all things on the best and surest foundations; that the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that Order, Harmony and Peace may be effectually restored, and the Truth and Justice, Religion and Piety, prevail and flourish among the people.

Preserve the health of their bodies, and the vigor of their minds, shower down on them, and the millions they here represent, such temporal Blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world, and crown them with everlasting Glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Saviour, Amen.

The Library of Congress, from the collected reports of the various patriots, recorded on a historical placard the effect of that first prayer upon Congress:

Washington was kneeling there, and Henry, Randolph, Rutledge, Lee, and Jay, and by their side there stood, bowed in reverence, the Puritan Patriots of New England, who at that moment had reason to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their humble households. It was believed that Boston had been bombarded and destroyed.

They prayed fervently "for America, for Congress, for the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston," and who can realize the emotion with which they turned imploringly to Heaven for Divine interposition and - "It was enough" says Mr. Adams, "to melt a heart of stone. I saw the tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave, Pacific Quakers of Philadelphia."

You ever wonder what made our founding fathers tick?

It was GOD!

And our God given rights.

The Declaration of Independence states, what was the common belief at that time, that mans rights come from God not the King or any man. This is important because if our rights come from God then, only God can take them away, not man.

From Columbus to the Pilgrims, to the Puritans, to the Huguenots and others, there was a deep abiding faith and trust in God Almighty.

This Supreme Court case is further evidence of the importance of God in America.

United States Supreme Court (February 29, 1892), in the case of Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 143 US 457-458, 465-471, 36 L ed 226, Justice David Josiah Brewer rendered the high Court's decision:

No purpose of action against religion can be imputed to any legislation, state or national, because this is a religious people. This is historically true. From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation.

The commission to Christopher Columbus...[recited] that "it is hoped that by God's assistance some of the continents and islands in the ocean will be discovered...."

The first colonial grant made to Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584...and the grant authorizing him to enact statutes for the government of the proposed colony provided that they "be not against the true Christian faith...."

The first charter of Virginia, granted by King James I in 1606...commenced the grant in these words: "...in propagating of Christian Religion to such People as yet live in Darkness...."

Language of similar import may be found in the subsequent charters of that colony...in 1609 and 1611; and the same is true of the various charters granted to the other colonies. In language more or less emphatic is the establishment of the Christian religion declared to be one of the purposes of the grant. The celebrated compact made by the Pilgrims in the Mayflower, 1620, recites: "Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith...a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia...."

The fundamental orders of Connecticut, under which a provisional government was instituted in 1638-1639, commence with this declaration: "...And well knowing where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union...there should be an orderly and decent government established according to God...to maintain and preserve the liberty and purity of the gospel of our Lord Jesus which we now profess...of the said gospel is now practiced amongst us."

In the charter of privileges granted by William Penn to the province of Pennsylvania, in 1701, it is recited: "...no people can be truly happy, though under the greatest enjoyment of civil liberties, if abridged of...their religious profession and worship...."

Coming nearer to the present time, the Declaration of Independence recognizes the presence of the Divine in human affairs in these words:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights....appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions....And for the support of this Declaration, with firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

...We find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth...because of a general recognition of this truth [that we are a Christian nation], the question has seldom been presented to the courts....

There is no dissonance in these declarations. There is a universal language pervading them all, having one meaning; they affirm and reaffirm that this is a religious nation. These are not individual sayings, declarations of private persons: they are organic utterances; they speak the voice of the entire people.

While because of a general recognition of this truth the question has seldom been presented to the courts, yet we find that in Updegraph v. The Commonwealth, it was decided that, Christianity, general Christianity, is, and always has been, a part of the common law....not Christianity with an established church...but Christianity with liberty of conscience to all men.

And in The People v. Ruggles, Chancellor Kent, the great commentator on American law, speaking as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New York, said:

"The people of this State, in common with the people of this country, profess the general doctrines of Christianity, as the rule of their faith and practice....We are a Christian people, and the morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon Christianity, and not upon the doctrines or worship of those impostors [other religions]."

And in the famous case of Vidal v. Girard's Executors, this Court...observed:

"It is also said, and truly, that the Christian religion is a part of the common law...."

If we pass beyond these matters to a view of American life as expressed by its laws, its business, its customs and its society, we find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth. Among other matters note the following: The form of oath universally prevailing, concluding with an appeal to the Almighty; the custom of opening sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions with prayer; the prefatory words of all wills, "In the name of God, amen"; the laws respecting the observance of the Sabbath, with the general cessation of all secular business, and the closing of courts, legislatures, and other similar public assemblies on that day; the churches and church organizations which abound in every city, town and hamlet; the multitude of charitable organizations existing everywhere under Christian auspices; the gigantic missionary associations, with general support, and aiming to establish Christian missions in every quarter of the globe.

These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation....we find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth.

The happiness of a people and the good order and preservation of civil government essentially depend upon piety, religion and morality.

Religion, morality, and knowledge [are] necessary to good government, the preservation of liberty, and the happiness of mankind.

A commentary on the 1892 case Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, summarized: Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian.

Our history is one of trusting God and having Him in His proper place. But there are people and groups that are trying to have a godless society, and the onslaught to purge God and the Christian faith from all aspects of America has been relentless. It has been successful in some areas like the schools. This will be a good place to start by examining the before and after of God and godless schools.

I am sixty-one years old and I can still remember my school years. They have left a pleasing memory of rich, full days. The joy of friends and even the amusement of foes. I was a very active individual and spent a great deal of time in the principal's office. It got easier because of the repeated trips. Discipline was handed out, but so was understanding and their interest in me as an individual.

In today's School system, I would be put on Ritalin or some other drug for control. I would have needed counseling or a psychiatrist and found out that I was molested, beaten, abused, and came from another planet, I just didn't remember any of it. But if I kept taking the drugs and seeing the shrink, I might be able to go out in public some day.

Now I am not making light of people that have legitimate problems and their need for help.

Back to my school days. We started every morning by turning to face the American Flag (every class room had one) and say the Pledge of Allegiance. Then we would say the Lord's Prayer, followed by reading from our bible. The bible was handed out by groups like the Gideons. They were pocket sized New Testaments with Psalms and Proverbs. Everybody got one, they were free. If someone was Jewish or what ever, they simply declined and that was the end of that. No law suits or court rulings. People respected each others beliefs. You see God was allowed to be there.

The biggest worries going to school were, if you had your homework done, was there going to be a test, did the girl you liked get your note, was it your turn to recite in class, that someone squealed on you for putting a frog in the girls locker room, and could you stay out of the principal's office for one day. Pretty heavy stuff to carry with you going in the front doors.

I have given this a light feel about it, because it was a great time to be alive. But now lets look at today's school and student.

Since the rulings by the court in 1962 and 1963 which removed prayer and bible reading from the schools everything has changed. This is the first time in 342 years of the court system in America that a court found an activity of a student to violate a constitution.

Your school day starts by going through a metal detector and past drug sniffing dogs. Then you try very quietly to get to you classroom with out incurring the wrath of a knife wheeling, gun packing druggie that got by all the security. Once in your class room, you sit down amongst the din of shouting and cursing. The teacher gets ready to teach you all about globalism, secularism, humanism, and not to worry about how to spell them. You must always keep a wary eye open for teachers that may single you out for sexual activity during or after class. You do your math problems on your calculator or computer, depending how much money the government gives the school.

We do not have to spend much time talking about the things happening in the schools to know that something is horribly wrong. This is just the schools I have used as an example of what happens when a Nation turns its back on God. The Supreme Court of the United Sates of America ordered God out of the schools, and He left. We are in danger of His withdrawal from our once great Nation.

I tried to show in this piece that our founding fathers were fearful of offending and alienating Almighty God. They new, as should we, that our survival as a Nation rests with Him. We can not go it alone, and deep within our hearts we know that this is true. There is that spark, that spirit that desires to be close to a loving God. Its our choice, because God will never invade our individual sovereignty. God will not, God can not make us love him. We must choose to willingly and of our own free will.

Our Heavenly Father deserves our best, not our worst.

He covered our worst with His Best.

God Bless America.

The Old Farmer