The Glorious Cause of America Institute Blog: July 2013

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The Role of Education in Preserving Our Nation

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be.”

- Thomas Jefferson

(John P. Foley, The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia, P. 605)

“Let the Constitution be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in primers, spelling-books, and in almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in the courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation."

–Abraham Lincoln

(Complete Woks of Abraham Lincoln, ed. John G. Nicolay and John Hay, vol. 1(New York; Francis D. Tandy Co., 1905), p.43)

“Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.”

-Benjamin Franklin (

The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, p. 87)

“A nation of well-informed men, who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them, cannot be enslaved. It is in the regions of ignorance that tyranny reigns.

-Dr. Henry Stuber

“Every member of the State ought diligently to read and to study the Constitution of his country … by knowing their rights, they will soon perceive when they are violated and be the better prepared to defend and assert them.”

-John Jay

(Charge to the Grand Jury of Ulster County 1777)

“We therefore commend and encourage every person and every group who are sincerely seeking to study Constitutional principles and awaken a sleeping and apathetic people to the alarming conditions that are rapidly advancing about us. We wish all of our citizens throughout the land were participating in some type of organized self-education in order that they could better appreciate what is happening and know what they can do about it.”

-David O. McKay

(The Improvement Era, June 1966, p. 477)

"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome direction, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.”

-Thomas Jefferson

(Jefferson to William C. Jarvis, 1820. ME 15:278.)

“A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.... If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security.”

-Samuel Adams

(The Writings of Samuel Adams, ed., Harry Alonzo Cushing (G. P. Putman's Sons, 1908), Vol. 4, p. 124.

“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next.”

-Abraham Lincoln

(William J. Federer, America’s God and Country, Encyclopedia of Quotations, P. 392)

“Next to being one in worshiping God, there is nothing which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States.”

-David O. McKay

(The Instructor, Feb. 1956, p. 34)

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

Thoughts on the Constitution By Ezra Taft Benson, Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

“The Constitution of this land, with which we should all be familiar, is the only constitution in the world bearing the stamp of approval of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Be True to God, Country, and Self; Young Adult Fireside; 11 February 1979.)

“About two hundred years ago some inspired men walked this land. Not perfect men, but men raised up by the Perfect Man to perform a great work. Foreordained were they to lay the foundation of this republic. Blessed by the Almighty in their struggle for liberty and independence, the power of heaven rested on these founders as they drafted that great document for governing men – the Constitution of the United States. Like the Ten Commandments – the truths on which the Constitution were based were timeless; and also as with the Decalogue – the hand of the Lord was in it. They filled their mission well. From them we were endowed with a legacy of liberty – a constitutional republic.” (An Enemy Hath Done This, p. 53)

“It is my firm conviction – no, more than that – it is my certain knowledge that the greatness of our beloved nation was foreshadowed and foreseen by ancient prophets who lived here. It is assuring to know that this nation has a prophetic history, that of the great events that have transpired here, including the coming of Columbus, the Pilgrim Fathers, and the War for Independence, were foreseen by ancient prophets.” (The Red Carpet, p. 107)

“The Constitution was designed to work only with a moral and righteous people. ‘Our Constitution,’ said John Adams, ‘was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate in the government of any other.’”

“In recognizing God as the source of their rights, the Founding Fathers declared Him to be the ultimate authority for their basis of law. This led them to the conviction that people do not make law but merely acknowledge preexisting law, giving it specific application. The Constitution was conceived to be such an expression of higher law. And when their work was done, James Madison wrote: ‘It is impossible for the man on pious reflection not to perceive in it a finder of the Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stage of the revolution.’” (The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner, p. 23.)

“The coming forth of the Constitution is of such transcendent importance in the Lord’s plan that ancient prophets foresaw the event and prophesied of it. In the dedicatory prayer for the Idaho Falls Temple, President George Albert Smith indicated that the Constitution fulfilled the ancient prophecy of Isaiah that ‘out of Zion shall go forth the law’ (Isaiah 2:3). He said:

“’We thank thee that thou hast revealed to us that those who gave us our constitutional form of government were wise men in thy sight and that thou didst raise them up for the very purpose of putting forth that sacred document [the Constitution of the United States]. . . .

“’We pray that kings and rulers and the people of all nations under heaven may be persuaded of the blessings enjoyed by the people of this land by reason of their freedom and under thy guidance and be constrained to adopt similar government systems, thus to fulfill the ancient prophecy of Isaiah and Micah that ‘out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.’” (The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner, p. 16.)

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

Did the Founding Fathers Believe in God?

George Washington, Father of our Nation

“… Reason and experience both forbid to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

Thomas Jefferson, Father of The Declaration of Independence

“I, too, have made a wee-little book from the same materials, which I call the Philosophy of Jesus; it is a paradigma of his doctrines, made by cutting the texts out of the book, and arranging them on the pages of a blank book, in a certain order of time or subject. A more beautiful or precious morsel of ethics I have never seen; it is a document in proof that I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus.”

James Madison, Father of the Constitution

“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.”

Samuel Adams, Father of the American Revolution

“The right to freedom being the gift of the Almighty...The rights of the colonists as Christians...may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutions of The Great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament.”

Patrick Henry, the first governor of Virginia

"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!"

John Adams, the first Vice President, the second President of the United States

“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were. . . . the general principles of Christianity. . . . I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God; and that those principles of liberty are as unalterable as human nature.”

Benjamin Franklin, Father of Morality

“… The longer I live the more convinced I become that God governs in the affairs of men …And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance?”

“Here is my creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the universe. That he governs by his Providence. That he ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable service we render to him is doing to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting his conduct in this.”

John Jay, Author of the Federalist Papers, First Justice of the Supreme Court

“While in France . . . I do not recollect to have had more than two conversations with atheists about their tenants. The first was this: I was at a large party, of which were several of that description. They spoke freely and contemptuously of religion. I took no part in the conversation. In the course of it, one of them asked me if I believed in Christ? I answered that I did, and that I thanked God that I did.”

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

Reason for Optimism in America

It’s easy to become overwhelmed as we listen to the news about America. Everywhere we turn, we hear stories of murder, crime, and corruptions. There are seemingly endless reports of rising taxes, political assaults, national debt, embezzlements, pollutions, immoralities, military actions, and attacks on family life. When I find myself feeling overwhelmed by the problems, I turn to a very simple and direct quote from Dr. Cleon Skousen that brings things back into perspective:

“I am not pessimistic about the future. I think the soul of America is going to be cleansed by events which will humble the whole nation and put us back on our knees where we can talk with God and recommit ourselves to lives of virtue and morality. I am a great believer in the promise of God which appears in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says:

“‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’

“Of course, I know the skeptics, the immoral, the political sophisticates and the cynics might laugh at this scripture, but I believe it. And I further believe that God will not be mocked and that if this nation does not seek God and turn from their wicked ways – their crimes, drugs, abortions and political corruption – there will be a crisis and a cleansing that will turn the people from their wicked ways and put them on their knees. I have lived long enough to see this happen several times before.

“But we need not be pessimists, just realists. Every family needs to do whatever it can to put its house in order. A home can become a refuge against the coming storm. The love developed between parents and among children for their parents is God’s supreme formula for his kind of social security. Wherever I find families struggling to build these bonds of trust and love I know they are paying the dividends for a kind of insurance that will hold them together through the pressures and trials that may reach their peak one of these days.

“Now I know you may have heard me say this before, but sometimes people say, ‘Dr. Skousen, you have studied the problems of our country most of your adult life, and yet you remain optimistic. How can you be optimistic when you know from your own experience how serious things are?’“My answer is rather simple. I tell them, ‘I have read the book, and in the end we win!’”[1]

In his inaugural address, President Reagan also expressed this same optimism when he said, “We're not, as some would have us believe, doomed to an inevitable decline. I do not believe in a fate that will fall on us no matter what we do. I do believe in a fate that will fall on us if we do nothing. So, with all the creative energy at our command, let us begin.” God will bless America; whether or not we enjoy the process is pretty much up to us!

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

[1] (God’s Hand in the building of America, Volume 1, Forward, by Glenn J. Kimber PHD & Julianne S. Kimber MA)

D-Day Prayer - June 6, 1944 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Note: This prayer was originally titled "Let Our Hearts Be Stout" written by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as Allied troops were invading German-occupied Europe during World War II. The prayer was read to the Nation on radio on the evening of D-Day, June 6, 1944, while American, British and Canadian troops were fighting to establish five beach heads on the coast of Normandy in northern France.

The previous night, June 5th, the President had also been on the radio to announce that Allied troops had entered Rome. The spectacular news that Rome had been liberated was quickly superseded by news of the gigantic D-Day invasion which began at 6:30 a.m. on June 6th. By midnight, about 57,000 American and 75,000 British and Canadian soldiers had made it ashore, amid losses that included 2,500 killed and 8,500 wounded.

My Fellow Americans:

Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

General Ulysses Grant and the Power to Forgive

Appomattox came four years almost to the day from the fall of Fort Sumpter [first battle of the Civil War]. It marked the end of one of the bloodiest fratricidal wars of history. As always in such cases, passions had run high on both sides; both sides had been guilty of excesses; great amounts of property had been destroyed; the war cost a million men; there was mourning and suffering throughout the land. A seedbed had been prepared that could have been sown for recurring crops of war and misery during long generations to come.

Having surrounded Lee’s army, Grant [commander of the Union Army], moved by loft motives of humanity, opened negotiations to stop “further effusion of blood.” Lee, moved with a like motive, accepted the approach. Grant suggested a desire for peace stating the one condition he would insist upon – “that the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified to taking up arms against the United States until properly exchanged.” Lee responded stating his earnest desire for peace and asked if Grant’s proposals would lead to that end. Grant answered he lacked authority for such negotiations, but assured Lee that he was equally desirous with Lee for peace, and so was the whole North.

Lee then proposed the surrender of his army. Grant, the victor asked Lee, the vanquished, where he would like the interview between them to take place. Lee chose the house of McLean, in the village of Appomattox. Grant appeared dressed as were his private soldiers, save for shoulder straps that indicated his rank. Grant, seeking to cause as little humiliation as possible, began the interview with Lee by recalling their joint service in Mexico. They so conversed pleasantly for a short time, when Lee brought up the subject of their meeting, asking Grant for his terms. Grant repeated those he had already given, adding that all arms, ammunition, and supplies were to be treated as captured property.

Grant, still anxious to avoid Lee’s unnecessary humiliation, began to talk in a pleasant vein about the prospects of peace; Lee again returned to the subject of the meeting and suggested the terms be submitted.

Grant then wrote out the formal proposals. As he came to the term covering arms, ammunition, and supplies, he glanced at the handsome sword Lee carried, and still urged by the desire to cause as little humiliation as possible, he added a provision that officers should retain their side arms, horses, and baggage. Grant finished the terms with the provision as to the parole of officers and men.

Lee read the terms and observed, “This will have a very happy effect upon my army.”

Grant asked if Lee had any suggestion to offer as to the form of the terms. Lee observed that in his army cavalry men and artillerists owned their own horses and asked if they would be permitted to retain their horses. Grant said the terms did not cover this. Lee’s face showing some anxiety, Grant said the subject was new to him, but, while the terms would stand as written, he would give orders that all men claiming horses would be permitted to take the animals to be used on their farms. To this generous, unrequested kindness by Grant, Lee observed: “This will have the best possible effect upon the men. It will be very gratifying and will do much towards conciliating our people.”

Lee informed Grant that he had no food, either for his own men or for his prisoners. He asked Grant if he might return the prisoners. Grant said yes, and asked Lee how much food he needed for his own men. Lee did not know. Grant asked if 25,000 rations would help. Lee replied that this “would be a great relief.” Meanwhile, news of the surrender reached the Union army, who began firing salutes. Grant ordered these stopped at once, declaring: “The war is over, the rebels are our countrymen again, and the best sign of rejoicing after the victory will be to abstain from all demonstrations in the field.” The men in blue mingled together around the common campfires with the men in gray, often eating from a common mess. The war was actually over.

Grant and Lee met as gentlemen; they negotiated as gentlemen; they parted as gentlemen. The next day Grant made a formal call upon Lee and they visited together for half an hour. There was no bitterness, no hatred. They, for themselves, buried the past. Grant’s terms for Lee’s surrender became the terms for the surrender of all the Southern armies.

Appomattox showed the temper of this people of ours, not in the course of a long period of growth, advancement, and peace, but at the close of a bloody, fratricidal war, where literally father fought son, and son father, and brother fought brother - a kind of war that makes more and deeper wounds that any other kind of conflict. Yet this temper and concept, this high idealism and lofty purpose of Grant and Lincoln, seemingly fostered by the tragedies of the war, followed us for a half a century thereafter.

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

Davy Crockett Learns About the Constitution

“One winter evening while standing on the steps of the Capitol, I and other members of congress saw, as the result of a large fire, great light coming from Georgetown. We drove over as fast as we could. When we got there I went to work but in spite of all that could be done, many houses were burned and many families made homeless, and, besides, some of them had lost all but the clothes they had on. The next morning, a bill was introduced appropriating $20,000 for their relief. We put aside all other business and rushed it through as soon as it could be done.

“The following summer, while working for reelection, I stopped to talk with a farmer in one of my districts. The man turned to his plow and was about to start off when I said, ‘Don’t be in such a hurry, my friend, I want to have a little talk with you, and get better acquainted.’ The man replied, ‘Yes, I know you; you are Colonel Crockett. . . I shall not vote for you again.’

“I asked what was the matter, to which the man replied, ‘You gave a vote last winter which shows that either you have not capacity to understand the Constitution, or that you are wanting in the honesty and firmness to be guided by it. In either case you are not the man to represent me. If the Constitution is to be worth anything, it must be held sacred, and rigidly observed in all its provisions.’

“I replied, ‘I admit the truth of all you say, but there must be some mistake about it, for I do not remember that I gave any vote last winter upon any Constitutional question.’ The man answered, ‘No, Colonel, there’s no mistake . . . last winter you voted for a bill to appropriate $20,000 to some sufferers by a fire in Georgetown. Is that true?’

“I answered, ‘Well, my friend, I may as well own up. You have got me there. But certainly nobody will complain that a great and rich country likes ours should give the insignificant sum of $20,000 to relieve its suffering women and children, particularly with a full and overflowing treasury, and I am sure, if you had been there, you would have done just as I did.’

“The man responded, ‘It is not the amount, Colonel that I complain of; it is the principle. . . The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be entrusted to man . . . you see, that while you are contributing to relieve one, you are drawing it from thousands . . . Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose . . . The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution. . . So you see, Colonel, you have violated the Constitution in what I consider a vital point. It is a precedent fraught with danger to the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it, and no security for the people.’

“Realizing the man was right, I replied, ‘Well, my friend, you hit the nail upon the head when you said I did not have sense enough to understand the Constitution. I intended to be guided by it, and thought I had studied it fully. If I had ever taken the view of it that you have, I would have put my head into the fire before I would have given that vote, and . . . if I ever vote for another unconstitutional law I wish I may be shot.’

“Following this experience, a bill was raised to appropriate money to the widow of a distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches were made in its support. It appeared the bill would pass unanimously when I arose and spoke. ‘Mr. Speaker—I have much respect for the memory of the deceased, and as much sympathy for the suffering of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right, as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please to charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money. We cannot, without the grossest corruption, appropriate this money. We have not the semblance of authority to appropriate it as charity. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week’s pay to the object, and, if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks.’ As a result of my speech, the bill failed, receiving very few votes. I had honored my oath to ‘support the Constitution.’”

Note: This is a retelling of actual events as written by Cameron C. Taylor in his new book Preserve, Protect, and Defend. Used by permission. See also: Edward S. Ellis, The Life of Colonel David Crockett (Philadelphia: Poter & Coates, 1884), 138–148.

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

The Miracle Rain the Saved Fort McHenry

In 1814, Great Britain was again at war with America. Although the United States had won their independence 29 years earlier, Great Britain was enraged at America’s demands for an independent Canada, as well as America’s friendship and free trade with France. “There is no public feeling in this country stronger than that of indignation against the Americans,” declared the London Times on April 15, 1814. Conflict between the two nations had erupted into full-scale war. The defeat of Napoleon’s “Grand Army” had freed an additional 14,000 veteran British soldiers to join in the battle against America. By April, Great Britain was well entrenched in America and was winning the war.

The newly arriving soldiers pillaged the East coast of the United States, burning ships at anchor, razing manufacturing plants, torching private homes, and taking what property they could carry away. On August 24th, after a short battle, British forces set fire to Washington D.C., plundered the city and burned the White House, most of the public buildings, and many private homes. The British next set their sights on Baltimore, some 30 miles northeast of the nation’s capital.

Baltimore is situated on a beautiful natural harbor on the Patapsco River, which flows into Chesapeake Bay. Because of its location, Baltimore was a major port city which carried on extensive trade with France. This was an additional reason why the British particularly disliked the people of Baltimore. The rag-tag American militia, shopkeepers and farmers built trenches and defended the city from a land invasion. Fort McHenry guarded the city from a waterborne attack. Flying above the fort was a huge American Flag. The flag was 30 feet tall, 42 feet long, and made of 400 yards of cloth. The 2 foot tall stars were “spangled” (off-set at different angles so they would appear to twinkle when the flag was blown). It had been specially made, “so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance.”

On Sunday, September 11^th, the first ship in the British fleet arrived at the mouth of the Patapsco River as the people of Baltimore were attending church. On hearing that the British had arrived, church services adjourned all over the city. The Reverend John Gruber concluded his services with the prayer, “May the Lord bless King George, convert him and take him to heaven, as we want no more of him.”

At 5:46 AM on September 13^th, most of the fleet of 50 British ships opened fire on Fort McHenry and bombarded the fort continuously for 25 hours. Their long-range cannons could fire 400 pound cannon balls a distance of 2½ miles with accuracy. But because the cannons from the fort drove the fleet back to a 4-mile circumference, their cannons were less than accurate. British gunners hoped to make each shrapnel-filled bomb explode shortly before impact by correctly trimming the length of each fuse. British cannons shot over 3,000 cannon balls towards Fort McHenry throughout the day, and continued until they ran out of ammunition. Many bombs exploded in midair, far from the fort, a few continued burning after impact and were doused with water to keep them from exploding.

Through much of the assault, heavy fog made it impossible for British gunners to see their target. Many, if not most of the high-trajectory exploding bombs never exploded; their burning wicks extinguished by the extremely heavy rains that persisted throughout the assault. Pouring rain also kept British ground troops from advancing around the city. Miraculously, by the end of the battle, only four Americans had been killed; Baltimore had been saved; the turning point in the war had passed. The providential weather, proved to be America’s friend!

From the deck of the Minden, Francis Scott Key watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry. As a young attorney, he was aboard to negotiate the release of prisoners. From his vantage point, the morning silence was worse than the bombardment. The city of Baltimore, as well as the British fleet waited through the long night to see whose flag would be flying. Finally, as the early morning mist and smoke began to clear, Key saw through the distance the stars and stripes still flying over the fort and the British rowboats in retreat. Now confident of a complete American victory, Key took an old letter from his pocket and began to write on the back of the words of The Star-Spangled Banner.

“Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light; What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight; O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air; Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave; O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

In 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a bill declaring this as our national anthem. Long let it wave!

Learn more at www.TheGloriousCauseOfAmerica.org

Morning Prayers During the Constitutional Convention

The Revolutionary War had been won. The British surrendered to General George Washington on October 19, 1781 and by 1783, the King of England had acknowledged the independence of the United States and a formal peace treaty had been signed. America was free.

The first hurdle was behind the new country, but a new challenge was beginning to form. The United States did not act very united. Individual states feared losing their power and began to act like separate countries. They issued their own currency and taxed other states' goods. Signs of internal revolt were becoming more prevalent as inflation, depressions, taxes and riots increased.

George Washington lamented the condition of the "dis-united" states. In a letter to James Madison, he expressed "no day was ever more clouded than the present . . . We are fast verging to anarchy and confusion." He sent a letter to the men who could shape opinion in the new country. "Something must be done," he wrote. "The very fabric of our nation is being torn apart. We must work together. . . if we don't we'll lose the freedoms we just fought and died for. Something must be done."

That "something" turned out to be the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. It was held in Independence Hall. After much debate, the delegates decided to write a Constitution for the new country. For the first time in history, men had the opportunity to assemble voluntarily to deliberate and decide upon a system of government for themselves and their posterity.

The delegates chose George Washington to chair the convention. The dignity of his presence and leadership were central to the success of the meetings. The convention started out as the stormiest one ever held on American soil. At times, tempers flared as the delegates argued about the issues. But Washington remained neutral. He shared his beliefs only between sessions. Many Americans saw Washington as a symbol of the spirit of unity.

Argument regarding the powers in a central government and the power of the states continued to intensify. The debate was dead-locked and bitterness was escalating with each passing day. The convention was on the verge of falling apart until Benjamin Franklin stood up. The elder statesman proclaimed, "At the beginning of the war, we prayed for divine protection and our prayers were graciously answered. . . I have lived 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?"

Franklin wiped his glasses and continued talking." We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it.'" The old man implored the delegates to see that America's house would only be built with God's help. He concluded, "I therefore move that hereafter prayers, imploring the assistance of Heaven, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business."

The speech marked the turning point. Nearly all of the delegates were Christians of one kind or another. Franklin's words forced them to set their priorities right. The delegates moved forward with his advice and succeeded in crafting a new constitution.

On Monday, September 17th, 1787, 41 of the original 55 delegates solemnly met in the east room of Independence Hall for the signing. James Madison carefully watched each of them. When Franklin signed, Madison wrote: The old man wept."

The Founders of this nation accomplished something extraordinary. They created a unique political success formula that included a national government and separate state governments. They established three branches within the national system: the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. The United States Constitution is one of the most astounding documents ever written by man. For two hundred years it has withstood the test of time.

As we look back in history during the first century following the ratification of the Constitution, we can see that by applying the principles of this new Constitutional government a small segment of the human family, became the richest industrial nation on earth. It allowed them to originate more than half of the world's total production and enjoy the highest standard of living in the history of the world.

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The Forgotten POWs of the Revolutionary War

Much has been written about the glorious battles of the Revolutionary War: the Battle of Bunker Hill, Washington’s crossing of the Delaware, Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere’s famous ride, and the surrender at Yorktown. They are tremendous stories that deserve to be taught again and again, tales of heroism and courage, accounts of divine providence, faith, inspiration, and sometimes dumb luck. This is our proud history, our quest for freedom and struggle for independence. But often overlooked in the telling of these stories, is the silent courage that took place in the hellish dungeons which housed American prisoners of war.

It is estimated that, while 4,300 American soldiers lost their lives in battle, over 20,000 died in British prisons; more than four times as many died of disease and starvation than actually died from bullets and cannonballs. One third of the prisoners were civilians, mostly citizens accused and imprisoned without due process. Modern standards for caring for captive prisoners simply did not exist at the time.

In some cities, churches and warehouses were used as prisons. In Manhattan, Sugar Houses were used to hold American prisoners. Prior to the war, these buildings had been designed with strong stone structures for refining and storing Caribbean sugar and molasses. According to Revolutionary War veteran Levi Hanford, who was captured in March 1777 and imprisoned in the Livingston Sugar House, the cramped conditions initially housed 40 to 50 prisoners. The population soon swelled to between 400 and 500. Few were acquitted, rescued, or escaped; death was their only release. Rations of pork and sea biscuits were often so moldy and infested with worms they were only eaten by the starving prisoners after placing them in a kettle of water and skimming off the parasites. Food, clothing, and supplies for the prisoners were provided by local churches, prisoner’s families, and the fledgling American government. The British provided nothing.

More commonly, the British used decommissioned war ships as floating prison fortresses. Conditions were appalling. In the summertime, prisoners suffocated in air so foul that at times lamps could not be kept burning; in the winter they froze or died of pneumonia. With little food and scanty water, healthy prisoners were soon left with no resistance to dysentery, cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid, smallpox, and frostbite. Untreated sores would gangrene. The HMS Jersey, was the most notorious of the death-trap prison ships where over 10,500 POWs perished under the command of William Cunningham.

Twenty one year old Nathan Hale, the most famous of Cunningham’s prisoners was permitted to write brief letters to his betrothed and to his mother just before his execution. As he ascended the ladder, he turned to the hangman and said, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." He went on to say that if he had ten thousand lives; he would lay them all down, in defense of his injured, bleeding country. Upon reading Hale’s letters, Cunningham destroyed them and exclaimed, "The damned rebels shall never know they had a man who could die so bravely."

On January 18, 1777, General Washington wrote to Lord Richard Howe complaining of the conditions of his prisoners, “You may call us Rebels, and say we deserve no better treatment, but remember, my Lord, that we still have feelings as keen and sensible as Loyalists and will, if forced to, most assuredly retaliate upon those upon whom we look as the unjust invaders of our rights, liberties and properties.” Howe’s response was ambiguous and a general denial of the charges.

By contrast, during the World War II, it is estimated that 15% of British and French soldiers died in German prison camps. During the Civil War, fatality rates in the worst prisons climbed to 33%. But in on the Jersey, estimated death rate was 85%. Prisoners rotted away, murdered by neglect in the miserable hulks.

But more notable than the horrid conditions of the prisons was the intense patriotism of the prisoners. British captors constantly offered freedom to almost anyone who would abandon the cause of liberty. For a free pardon, prisoners simply had to sign a document of allegiance and enlist in the British military. Very few did! Those who remained became the best examples of those who “gave their lives that the nation might live”.

Hamilton Fish wrote of these prisoners, “If we were to single out any group of Americans for outstanding patriotism, it would be the prisoners in the British prison hulks and in the jails. These Patriot prisoners should be placed at the top of the list of sublime courage and sacrifice in support of independence and freedom.” These too, are the patriots of the American Revolution; the unassuming, forgotten heroes.

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The Miracle Storm at Trenton

The first 18 months of the Revolutionary War did not go well for the American army. Washington had assumed command of the Continental forces outside Boston on July 3, 1775. They had surrendered the city of Manhattan, been defeated in multiple battles across New York and had retreated all the way across New Jersey into Pennsylvania.

By December of 1776, Washington had reassembled most of his troops on the banks of the Delaware River, but they were outnumbered, sick, starving, and freezing in their light summer clothing. Few had shoes and warm blankets; there was almost no ammunition. They had not been paid in weeks; they were beaten and discouraged. Almost every man had signed an enlistment that expired at midnight, December 31^st. An intervening, bickering congress demanded results but had exhibited little power to recruit and supply the army. Washington, with no recent successes and no available funds, knew he had no ability to recruit another army. It appeared to everyone (including the British) that the war would soon be over.

On December 23^rd, Thomas Paine, in the misery of the camp, with light snow falling, sat before a fire and with a drum head for a desk, penned the following words, “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” The words inspired even Washington who had the essay printed and circulated among the troops as he completed his plan to attack Trenton.

Washington had received word on the conditions of the British & Hessian Troops in Trenton from John Honeyman, an American spy who posed as a British loyalist throughout the war. Honeyman had mapped out the headquarters of Colonel Johann Rall (the post commander at Trenton), the troop barracks, fortifications and cannon placements. He estimated 1,550 troops in the city. He gave exacting details of their ammunition stores, cannons, gunpowder, cattle, horse, saddles, muskets, food, and clothing. He also related their plans to take the day off on Christmas and be supplied with German rum to celebrate the holiday.

Washington’s strategy was fourfold: General Ewing was to cross the river just below Trenton; Colonel Cadwallader was to attack from the south; General Putnam would come in from Philadelphia; and General Washington was to cross the river at McConkey’s ferry, then proceed nine miles to Trenton. The idea that starving American troops could prevail against entrenched, well-trained, highly-feared Hessian soldier-mercenaries was bold and desperate….but they were desperate times. The attack required absolute secrecy and precise coordination.

At 4:00 PM on Christmas day, a violent wind-driven snowstorm swept down the Delaware River Valley. After darkness fell, and despite the weather, local fishermen began loading their 32-foot long freight boats for the crossing. A few days of milder weather had opened the ice and large chucks of floating ice threatened to capsize each of the heavy-laden boats. The Delaware native, Thomas Rodney wrote, “As severe a night as I ever saw. The frost was sharp, the current difficult to stem, the ice increasing, the wind high and at eleven it began again to snow.” The landing of the artillery was not completed until 3:00 AM, yet they did lose a man, cannon, or horse in the crossing. By 4:00 AM on the 26th, the army began its nine-mile march to Trenton, four hours behind schedule.

Expecting supporting troops to arrive, Washington proceeded with the plan, yet the auxiliary troops never came. American commanders Ewing, Cadwallader, and Putnam all stayed in their shelters, certain that the attack would be cancelled due to the severity of the storm leaving Washington’s company alone to execute the attack. About five miles from the city it was reported that their gunpowder was too wet to ignite. Committed and determined, Washington commanded “to use the bayonet and penetrate into the town. The town must be taken.”

At eight o’clock on the morning of December 26^th, the Americans hit Trenton and caught the Hessians completely unprepared, many still asleep and inebriated from their Christmas celebration. The battle lasted about an hour. Four hundred Hessians were killed in the heavy hand-to-hand street fight and nearly nine hundred prisoners were taken. Washington’s losses included two killed in battle, two severely frozen, and three wounded. In military terms, the US/Hessian kill/loss ratio was a staggering 100/1. Trophies of war included six bronze cannons, over a thousand rifles, ammunition, plus blankets, clothing and food for an entire army!

Many Americans considered the battle to be a miracle, and truly it was. As the storm intensified, the already over-confident Hessian commander relaxed in the comfort of his cozy, confiscated home. Floating ice kept ferrymen and passengers alert to avoid careless mistakes. Blizzard conditions drove Hessians spies and outpost guards into shelters. Deafening wind muffled sounds of troop movement. Frozen ground allowed heavy carts and cannons to travel quickly and prevented deep wagon tracks. Snow and sleet immediately covered soldier’s bloodstained tracks. The entire army had advanced into battle position completely undetected!

Perhaps the greatest result of the battle was the morale boost it gave the Americans. The Hessian prisoners were paraded through the streets of Philadelphia to prove that the dreaded European mercenaries were not invincible. The effect upon the country was electric; the American cause revived. Most of the soldiers re-enlisted long enough for a new army to be recruited. Washington’s foresight and tenacity, his army’s sacrifice, Honeyman’s information, and the providential weather all came together into masterful orchestration. Paine’s ageless words were confirmed, “These are the times that try men’s souls…The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph!”

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Washington’s Prayers at Valley Forge

Note: The Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge on December 19, 1777. That winter, because of lack of supplies, more than 2,000 soldiers of the Continental Army died from starvation and exposure; many of the men less than 40 miles from their homes. Washington’s prayers appear to have been for the survival of his men and that they would remain until French assistance arrived. The first account of prayer immediately followed a camp inspection with the army surgeon to discuss which limbs, fingers and toes would be amputated that day, and whether to use a saw or a hatchet. Later he would write to Congress, "To see the men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lie upon, without shoes...without a house or hut to cover them until those could be built, and submitting without a murmur, is a proof of patience and obedience which, in my opinion, can scarcely be paralleled."

George Washington’s most famous prayer at Valley Forge was recorded by Reverend Nathaniel Randolph Snowden (1770-1851), an ordained Presbyterian minister and a graduate of Princeton University. In his Diary and Remembrances, he gives an account of traveling with Senator Isaac Potts, a 26 year old resident of Valley Forge and a devout Quaker. Like most Quakers at the time, Potts was opposed to the war until he heard George Washington praying for his men. Here is the account of Reverend Snowden:

“I was riding with him [Mr. Isaac Potts] in Montgomery County, Penn’a near to the Valley Forge, where the army lay during the war of ye Revolution. Mr. Potts was a Senator in our state & a Whig. I told him I was agreeably surprised to find him a friend to his county as the Quakers were mostly Tories.”

“He said, ‘It was so and I was a rank Tory once, for I never believed that America [could] proceed against Great Britain whose fleets and armies covered the land and ocean, but something very extraordinary converted me to the Good Faith!’”

“‘What was that,’ I inquired?”

“‘Do you see that woods, & that plain?’ It was about a quarter of a mile off from the place we were riding, as it happened. ‘There,’ said he, ‘laid the army of Washington. It was a most distressing time of ye war, and all were for giving up the Ship but that great and good man. In that woods pointing to a close in view, I heard a plaintive sound as, of a man at prayer. I tied my horse to a sapling & went quietly into the woods & to my astonishment I saw the great George Washington on his knees alone, with his sword on one side and his cocked hat on the other. He was at Prayer to the God of the Armies, beseeching to interpose with his Divine aid, as it was ye Crisis, & the cause of the country, of humanity & of the world.’”

“‘Such a prayer I never heard from the lips of man. I left he alone praying. I went home & told my wife, I saw a sight and heard today what I never saw or heard before, and just related to her what I had seen & heard & observed. We never thought a man [could] be a soldier & a Christian, but if there is one in the world, it is Washington. She also was astonished. We thought it was the cause of God, & America could prevail.’”

In a separate account of General Washington praying, General Marquis de Lafayette and General Peter Muhlenberg, were traveling through Valley Forge. The conversation turned to a beautiful new horse General Washington had recently acquired. As they would pass by the barn where the horse was stabled, Lafayette invited General Muhlenberg to see the animal. Conversation between the companions dropped as they came near the door of the barn. Lafeyette opened the door which made no noise; the winter sunlight streamed full into the lean-to connected with the stable, and for one notable moment revealed George Washington, kneeling on some of the hay thrown down from the loft for the horses. Washington’s cloak was cast back and his hat was lying beside him, his eyes were closed, his hands were clasped and raised to Heaven. His face appeared to be “grandly sad and sorrowful” as he prayed, uninterrupted by his visitors.

After both men had time to carefully observe the scene, Lafayette quietly closed the door and the two men reverently retraced their steps to the road. “He is a wonderful man — the commander,” exclaimed Lafayette. "The spectacle is a sublime one; it fills me with shame while it inspires me with new faith and hope!" replied Muhlenberg. Lafayette would later say of the incident, “I trust the Commander did not see or hear us — that we did not disturb him. . . . What I have seen I shall never forget, and I would not forget it if I could."

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How King George’s Statue Helped the American Revolution

On July 9, 1776, the long-awaited Declaration of Independence was read to the public of New York City. The event took place at a park in Lower Manhattan near the waterfront. It was here, six years earlier that the British government had erected a pretentious statue of King George III, astride a prancing horse and wearing a Roman toga. The statue had been cast in London, painted with gold, and shipped to America. The 4,000 pound statue rested on a huge marble base and was protected by a cast iron fence in a courtyard of cobblestones. It had become so unpopular with the citizens of New York that an anti-graffiti, anti-desecration law was enacted in 1773 to discourage its vandalism. The statue was made of pure lead; unluckily for George (and his statue), much needed musket balls to fight the American Revolution were also made of lead.

It was late afternoon when Washington’s troops, sailors, and local citizens first heard the famous words: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. 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 that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Some accounts suggest that when the reader finished the last line, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor,” the crowd erupted into a burst of cheering, clapping, and dancing.

Within minutes, men had thrown ropes around the statue toppling and shattering it on the cobblestone ground. George’s head was reportedly paraded about the town, but later recovered by Tories and shipped back to England.

One account tells of seven women who quickly gathered all the lead pieces they could find and transported them three days journey to a smelter in Litchfield Connecticut. There the precious lead was melted down and recast. When the ladies asked the owner, General Oliver Wolcott what they owed, Wolcott simply replied, “You owe me nothing. It is we who owe you. Ma’am, you have 42,038 musket balls in that wagon, 60 caliber, all to be shot back at King George’s red-coated troops. I doubt King George would much approve of what you did with his statue, but America will not soon forget you have done for freedom. God speed you on your way.”

Two centuries later, those lead musket balls have been lost or fired, but stories of the revolt remain. So many versions; in fact, it’s difficult to determine with certainty the actual events; yet overwhelming evidence exists to support the general account. The fence which surrounded the statue still stands; pieces of the statue are preserved in libraries, museums, and historical societies. Artists have romanticized the revolt in their paintings. Though exact details may be obscured, of this we are certain: on July 9, 1796, American patriots had had enough of tyranny and oppression. That day, they also pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. That day, citizens of New York stood up for freedom, resourcefully recasting their emblem of despotism into tools for liberty.

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The Miraculous Iron Ore & The Great Chain

One of the keys to winning the Revolutionary War was controlling the Hudson River. If the British could have gained possession of the river throughout the war, they would have effectively cut the American colonies in half. During the winter of 1777-78, a plan was devised to forge an iron chain that would keep the British from coming up river by ship. The most strategic point to install the chain was 50 miles upriver from New York City.

At West Point, New York, the river narrowed and two sharp curves created a hazardous “S” curve. The curve caused ships traveling up river to slow down, reset their sails, travel a little further and re-tack again. With high hills on either side, a strong river current, and frequent unfavorable winds, West Point was deemed the perfect location to set up the chain. Forts and artillery batteries could be placed on both sides and reign down cannon balls on ships attempting to navigate the river.

From his tent in Valley Forge, General Washington issued the order to manufacture and install a chain across the river. Late on Saturday, February 2, 1778, a government contract was executed to forge the chain; by daylight the next morning, forges were in operation. In an engineering feat that would be difficult to duplicate even today, the chain was manufactured from start to finish in just six weeks. Creation of the chain was so important that the government’s contract specified that workmen were exempted from military duty throughout the period of its construction. Seven forges and ten welding fires were kept in operation around the clock. The chain was affixed across the river on April 30, 1778.

The chain was approximately 600 yards in length, composed of two foot long, 2.25" thick iron links, each of which weighed 114 pounds. The entire chain weighed 65 tons and required 40 men to install. The chain floated on rafts assembled from four 16' sharpened, waterproofed logs, anchored between Constitution Island and West Point. An elaborate system of pulleys allowed the chain’s tension to be adjusted to overcome the changing tide and current.

While the importance of the Great Chain is often remembered, the Lord’s hand in the construction of the chain is often overlooked. By clear act of providence, one of the largest and richest iron deposits in the world is located in Warwick, NY, just a few miles from West Point.

The Sterling Iron Works were widely recognized as producing some of the highest grade iron in the world. “The rich, black magnetite ore at Sterling was 60 to 70 percent pure, which meant that it was easily broken into chunks sufficiently pure to bypass customary and time-consuming 18^th century washing and drying procedures, enabling the chain to be completed in record time.” “The famously cold winter of 1777-78 that severely tested soldiers at Valley Forge [some 140 miles to the south] proved to be a blessing at the Sterling Forge, where it alleviated the intense heat of the forges.”^{^[1]}

During the remainder of the war, the chain was removed every autumn and reinstalled every spring to avoid destruction by ice. The chain proved to be a brilliant success; the British never attempted to run the chain. Washington’s troops controlled the Hudson throughout the remainder of the war which significantly contributed to the American victory. In fact, many historians consider the great chain at West Point as the “Key to the Continent”.

Before the formation of the world, the Great Creator knew that a chain, strategically placed along the Hudson, would someday be helpful in freeing the early colonists. The Great Orchestrator of the Universe provided marvelously rich iron deposits, high hills, a narrow river, the sharp “S” curve, strong winds and current. The “best spirits the God of Heaven could find on the face of the earth”^{^[2]} were then assembled to lead the cause. Inspiration was given to men who would listen and act, and the perfect weather for forging a chain was provided. Everything came together at the needed time, not by chance, but by providence.

An ancient American prophecy concerning the revolutionary War was thus fulfilled: “And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered against them to battle. And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations”.^{^[3]} A new nation, conceived in Liberty was born, where the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness could spread throughout the world.

[1] Kenneth L. Alford, “‘Delivered by the Power of God’: Nephi’s Vision of America’s Birth,” in The Things Which My Father Saw: Approaches to Lehi’s Dream and Nephi’s Vision (BYU Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2011), 273-275

[2] Wilford Woodruff, LDS Conference Report, April 1898

[3]The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Christ; 1 Ne. 13:18-19

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[2] Wilford Woodruff, LDS Conference Report, April 1898

[3]The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Christ; 1 Ne. 13:18-19