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