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The Lord Delivered Them Out of Bondage

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In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are taught to “liken the scriptures to ourselves.” We often insert our name into the text or change a pronoun to make a passage refer more personally to us. Today, I perform the same exercise and apply an ancient sacred text to America. In it, a holy Israelite prophet recounted how the Lord had delivered his faithful father and his people from physical and spiritual captivity. As you read his words, keep in mind America’s founding generation as well as our present one and ponder what principles may be applied to us: 

“[T]hey were delivered out of the hands of the people of king [George III], by the mercy and power of God. 

“. . . they were in captivity, and again the Lord delivered them out of bondage by the power of his word. . . . 

“. . . have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrace his mercy and longsuffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delvered their souls from hell? 

“Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. . . . 

“. . . a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore, they were saved. 

“And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of [America], have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? 

“Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body? . . . . 

“And now behold, I say unto you, my [countrymen], if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:4-7, 13-15, 26). 

This history resembles remarkably the way that the American People were blessed to become the first free people in modern times. Our forefathers fled the religious and political persecutions and oppressions of Europe to plant the standard of Liberty and faith here in the New World. 

The men of the Mayflower wrote and signed a mission statement for all subsequent peoples who came to this land. They said they came here “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian Faith.” In consequence, they “solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and one another, Covenant[ed] and Combine[ed] [themselves] together into a Civil Body Politick, for [their] better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid.” 

In 1630, the Puritan governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop, famously referred to America as a “city on a hill” with a prophetic destiny. He explained: 

“Now the only way to avoid this shipwreck, and to provide for our posterity, is to follow the counsel of Micah, to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God. For this end, we must be knit together, in this work, as one man. We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of others’ necessities. We must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberality. We must delight in each other; make others’ conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell among us, as His own people, and will command a blessing upon us in all our ways, so that we shall see much more of His wisdom, power, goodness and truth, than formerly we have been acquainted with. We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, “may the Lord make it like that of New England.” For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God, and all professors for God’s sake. We shall shame the faces of many of God’s worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us till we be consumed out of the good land whither we are going. 

“And to shut this discourse with that exhortation of Moses, that faithful servant of the Lord, in his last farewell to Israel, Deut. 30. “Beloved, there is now set before us life and death, good and evil,” in that we are commanded this day to love the Lord our God, and to love one another, to walk in his ways and to keep his Commandments and his ordinance and his laws, and the articles of our Covenant with Him, that we may live and be multiplied, and that the Lord our God may bless us in the land whither we go to possess it. But if our hearts shall turn away, so that we will not obey, but shall be seduced, and worship other Gods, our pleasure and profits, and serve them; it is propounded unto us this day, we shall surely perish out of the good land whither we pass over this vast sea to possess it. 

“Therefore let us choose life, that we and our seed may live, by obeying His voice and cleaving to Him, for He is our life and our prosperity.” 

Later groups of settlers chose the godly life and entered into similar covenants to serve God and make America a haven of virtue, goodness, and Christianity. Their pious lives, faithful devotions, and reverent educational pursuits evidence their sincerity. 

The first book published in the New World was The Bay Psalm Book. Another of the early texts was the Bible in the hieroglyphic Mi’kmaq Indian language. These early American Christians took their charge to take the Gospel to all the world and preach it to every creature seriously (Mark 16:15-16).  

Americans not only evangelized the Indians, but also taught their children from the Bible. Children both at home and at school learned to read from the Bible. The New-England Primer of 1690 was used in schools for over a century. It taught children the ABCs in a Gospel context. 

In the Primer, A stood for: “In Adam’s Fall We sinned all.” Adam and Eve were displayed next to a tree with the Luciferian serpent coiled around it. B was rendered: “Thy Life to mend This Book attend.” The book pictured was the Bible. J was given as: “Sweet Jesus He Dy’d on a Tree.” Christ was shown crucified on the cross. And so forth. 

The book also contains an exhortation written by the first Protestant martyr under bloody Queen Mary, the Reverend John Rogers, who had been burned at the stake in England in 1555. His crime? Compiling William Tyndale’s and Myles Coverdale’s translations of the Bible. Dubbed the “Matthew Bible,” this version was sanctioned by King Henry VII, making it the first authorized English Bible. Part of Roger’s heartfelt exhortation read: 

“Give ear my Children to my words, 
whom God has dearly bought, 
Lay up His laws within your heart, 
and print them in your thought. . . . 
Keep always GOD before your eyes, 
with all your whole intent; 
Commit no sin in any wise, 
keep his Commandment. 
Abhor that arrant Whore of Rome, 
and all her Blasphemies; 
And drink not of her cursed Cup, 
obey not her decrees. . . . 
Give of your Portion to the Poor, 
as Riches do arise; 
And from the needy naked Soul 
turn not away your eyes. 
For he that doth not hear the cry 
of those that stand in need, 
Shall cry himself and not be heard, 
when he does hope to speed. 
If GOD hath given you increase 
and blessed well your store, 
Remember you are put in trust, 
and should relieve the poor. . . . 
Be always thankful to the Lord, 
with Prayer and with Praise, 
Begging of him to bless your work, 
and to direct your ways. 
Seek first I say the living GOD, 
and always Him adore; 
And then be sure that he will bless, 
your basket and your store.” 

To the Gospel ABCs and Reverend Roger’s exhortation was added a catechism of faith that defined such matters as the Fall of man, Christ’s redemption, adoption and satisfaction, and the Ten Commandments. Thus, The New-England Primer, which served as a foundational text in American schools, helped establish the religion of the Savior Jesus Christ in the Americas. 

Subsequent generations of Americans followed the Puritan tradition, though perhaps not as fervently. They became somewhat lax. This laxity of piety coincided with an increase of British intervention and despotism. A remarkable thing called the First Great Awakening then occurred. From the 1730s into the 1770s, America was ablaze with religious revival. Steeples defined the skyline, church bells rang out, and people became more stridently religious and patriotic. 

It is no coincidence that the men who would later declare Independence and forge a new nation were born or raised during this defining period. For instance, George Washington was born in 1732, John Adams in 1735, James Wilson in 1742, Thomas Jefferson in 1743, James Madison in 1751, and so on. These men grew up in the milieu of revival, reformation, and restoration. Theirs was a Christian education and one that broke with the monarchical, top-down, aristocratic traditions of Europe. 

This great spiritual and political awakening was led by the pastors and preachers of America’s Christian churches. Men like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and John Wesley lit up the colonies with their preaching. In History of the American Revolution, Reverence William Gordon wrote of the importance of these preachers in shaping attitudes toward not only God, but government: 

“The ministers of New England being mostly congregationalists, are from that circumstance, in a professional way more attached and habituated to the principles of liberty than if they had spiritual superiors to lord it over them, and were in hopes of possessing in their turn, through the gift of government, the seat of power. They oppose arbitrary rule in civil concerns from the love of freedom, as well as from a desire of guarding against its introduction into religious matters. . . . The clergy of this colony [Massachusetts] are virtuous, sensible and learned a set of men, as will probably be found in any part of the globe of equal size and equally populous. . . . [I]t is certainly a duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times; to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and to recommend such virtues as are most wanted. . . . You have frequently remarked that though the partizans of arbitrary power will freely censure that preacher, who speaks boldly for the liberties of the people, they will admire as an excellent divine, the parson whose discourse is wholly the opposite, and teaches, that magistrates have a divine right for doing wrong, and are to be implicitly obeyed; men professing Christianity, as if the religion of the blessed Jesus bound them tamely to part with their natural and social rights, and slavishly to bow their neck to any tyrant” (Ellis Sandoz, ed., Political Sermons of the American Founding Era, 1730-1805, Vol. 1, xiii). 

The Baptist minister John Allen gave a red-hot oration on Thanksgiving, December 3, 1772. It gives a flavor of some of the overtly political sermons that American Christians feasted upon during the period immediately before the War for Independence. The specific political controversy that occasioned the fiery thoughts was the Gaspee Affair which just had its 250th anniversary on June 9th. 

The HMS Gaspee was a British ship sent to enforce tyrannical maritime laws on the colonists. The latter resented the unjust impositions and, as the Gaspee sat grounded in a sand bar, fifty-five men snuck aboard, arrested the crew, and burned the vessel. One online source said: “The Gaspee Affair was one of the earliest acts of rebellion in the colonies, and acted as a catalyst in the revolution.” Indeed, it was sometimes called America’s “first blow for Freedom.” To learn a little more, watch this lecture by author Steven Park. 

I now quote from John Allen’s oration addressed to the Earl of Dartmouth: 

“When I view the original right, power and charter, confirm’d, sealed, and ratified to the province, or inhabitants of Rhode-Island, and its standing in full force, and unrepealed for more than an hundred years, which is as follows: “Be it enacted, that no freeman, shall be taken, or imprisoned, or deprived of his freehold, or liberty, or free custom, or be out-law’d, or exil’d, or othewrise destroy’d, nor shall be oppressed, judged or condemned, but by the law of this colony. And that no man of what state or condition soever, shall be put out of his lands of tenements, nor taken, nor imprisoned, nor disinherited, nor banished (observe this my Lord), nor any ways destroy’d, or molested, without being, for it, brought to answer, by a due course of law in this colony”: Methinks, that even your Lordship, will not blame them if they stand fast in the liberty wherein they were made free. 

“As a fly, or as a worm, by the law of nature has as great a right to liberty, and freedom (according to their little sphere in life), as the most potent monarch upon the earth: And as there can be no other difference between your Lordship, and myself, but what is political, I therefore without any further apology, take leave to ask your Lordship, whether any one that fears GOD, loves his neighbour as himself (which is the true scripture-mark of a christian), will oppress his fellow-creatures? If they will, where are the beauties of Christianity? . . . . 

“Are not the liberties of the Americans as dear to them as those of Britons? Suppose your Lordship had broke the laws of his king, and country, would not your Lordship be willing to be try’d by a jury of your peers, according to the laws of the land? How would your Lordship like to be fetter’d with irons, and drag’d three thousand miles, in a hell upon earth? No! but in a hell upon water, to take your trial? is not this contrary to the spirit of the law, and the rights of an Englishman? Yet thus you have given direction, as the king’s agent or the agent of the ministry to destroy the rights and laws of the Americans. How your Lordship can answer for this agency of injustice before GOD, and man, will be very difficult: . . . I think, my Lord, that such men, who will take away the rights of the people, are neither fit for heaven; nor earth, neither fit for the land or the dunghil. . . . 

“. . . [the King’s] attempt to destroy the rights of the people – destroys his right as king to reign over them, for according to his coronation oath, he has no longer a right to the British crown or throne, than he maintains inviolable firm the laws and rights of the people. For violating the people’s rights, Charles Stewart, king of England, lost his head, and if another king, who is more solemnly bound than ever Charles Stewart, was, should tread in the same steps, what can he expect? I reverence and love my king, but I revere the rights of an Englishman before the authority of any king upon the earth. . . . 

“. . . Then, surely, that man must be a tyrant in his soul, that shall deem it rebellion in the Rhode-Islanders, supposing they should kill every man, that shall attempt to destroy their laws, rights and liberties. . . . 

“. . . my Lord, there is no other idea arises in my mind . . . which is, if there is any law broke, it is the king and the ministry who have broke it; for I would be glad to know my Lord, what right the king and ministry has to send an armed schooner to Rhode-Island, to take away the property of the people, any more than they have to send an armed schooner into Brest, and demand the property of France? Know this, that the king of England has no more right, according to the laws of God and nature, to claim the lands of America, than he has the lands of France – America, my Lord, in the native rights of the Americans, it is the blood-bought treasure of their forefathers; and they have the same essential right to their native laws, as they have to the air they breathe in, or to the light of the morning, when the sun rises; and therefore they who oppress the Americans must be as great enemies to the rights of the laws of nature, as they who would (if it were in their power) vail the light of the sun from the universe. Remember my Lord, the Americans have a priviledge to boast of above all the world. They never were in bondage to any man, and therefore it is more for them to give up their rights into the hands of the Turks; consider what English tyranny their forefathers fled from, what seas of distress they met with, what savages they fought with, what blood-bought treasures, as the dear inheritance of their lives, they have left to their children, and without any aid from the king of England; and yet after this, these free-born people must be counted rebels, if they will not loose every right of liberty, which their forefathers bought, with their blood, and submit again to English ministerial tyranny – O America! O America! 

“. . . Therefore, my Lord, must it certainly be, that the Gaspee schooner has committed the transgression, & broke the laws of the freedom of this country. No doubt, my Lord, but they have a right to tax the strangers, that come to dwell in their country; but to tax the children, which are free in their own native country, this will not do! Nature forbids it; the law of GOD condemns it. And no law, but that of tyranny, can desire it. 

“And therefore it was, my Lord, that the children (who are by the law of GOD, and the law of nature free), looked upon the Gaspee schooner as a stranger, as such they treated her; but when the stranger attempted to gather tax of the children who are free then they looked upon her, as a pirate, who took away their property without their consent, by violence, by arms, by guns, by oaths and damnations. . . . 

“If there is any law broke, it is this, that the Gaspee schooner, by the power of the English ministry and admiralty, have broke the laws, and taken away the rights of the Americans. And yet the Americans must be punish’d for it, contrary to their own laws. O! Amazing! I would be glad to know my Lord, what right the king of England has to America? it cannot be an hereditary right, that lies in Hanover, it cannot be a parliamentary right that lies in Britain, not a victorious right, for the king of England never conquered America. Then he can have no more right to America, than what the people have, by compact, invested him with, which is only a power to protect them, and defend their rights civil and religious; and to sign, seal, and confirm, as their steward, such laws as the people of America shall consent to . . . consider then, my Lord, how cruel, how unjust, how unanswerable before God and man it must be, by any violence and power to destroy the rights of the Americans. . . . 

“. . . Supposing my Lord, that the Rhode-Islanders, for the sake of blood bought liberties of their forefathers, for the sake of the birthrights of their children, should shew a spirit of resentment against a tyrannical arbitrary power that attempts to destroy their lives, liberties and property, would it not be unsufferable, cruel, for this (which the law of nature and nations teachers them to do) to be butchered, assassinated and slaughtered in their own streets by their king? Consider, my Lord, that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and that it would be a cold cordial for your Lordship, at the bar of God, to have thousands of Americans rise up in judgment against you. Yet I would rather this was the case, tho’ I suffer’d death with them, than they should lose their essential rights as Americans. 

“But it may be meet to let your Lordship know, that if the Americans unite (as there seems a good prospect of it) to stand as a band of brethren for their liberties, they have a right, by the law of GOD, of nature, and of nations, to reluct at, and even to resist any military and marine force, surely they must be intended in readiness for the French, and not for Americans, for can it ever enter into the heart of a mother to murder her children? of a king to kill his subjects? of an agent to destroy the rights of the colonies he represents? But suppose my Lord, that this should be the bloody intent of the ministry, to make the Americans subject to their slavery, then let blood for blood, life for life, and death for death decide the contention. This bloody scene can never be executed but at the expence of the destruction of England, and you will find, my Lord, that the Americans will not submit to be slaves, they know the use of the gun, and the military art, as well as any of his majesty’s troops at St. James’s, and where his majesty has one soldier, who art in general the refuse of the earth, America can produce fifty, free men, and all volunteers, and raise a more potent army of men in three weeks, than England can in three years . . . they will not give up their rights; they will not be slaves to any power on earth” (John Allen, “An Oration, Upon the Beauties of Liberty, Or the Essential Rights of the Americans,” December 3, 1772, in Ellis Sandoz, ed., Political Sermons of the American Founding Era, 1730-1805, Vol. 1, 305-314). 

Revolutionary preaching of this sort filled America’s pulpits in the years leading up to 1776. Americans were instructed clearly and copiously in natural law. They knew their God-given rights. As Thomas Jefferson later expressed, these rights were self-evident and publicly acknowledged. Every true American then, and now, understood that the purpose of all government was to protect natural rights and defend Freedom. They recognized when their rights were being violated. This was due in part to the fact that pastors like John Allen raised their passionate voices against British abuses and roused Americans to take up arms in defense of their divine birthright of Liberty. 

It was the Christian pastors and preachers, and their congregants, who stood up against King George III and championed religious and political Liberty. It was the Reverend Jonas Clark who, with his parishioners, grabbed their weapons and stood toe to toe with the oppressive British Redcoat troops at Lexington in 1775. Pulpit patriots inspired red-white-and-blue-blooded Americans in armed rebellion against tyrants attempting to deprive them of their God-given rights. 

For all their flaws, these early Americans went forward to battle in the strength of the Lord. They had faith in Jesus Christ. They carried and read the Bible. They attended church services. They demanded and achieved a high level of public morality. Not only public, however, but private morality was common. All the sages of the day acknowledged and taught that virtue and religion were essential to free republics. 

Here are a few of their statements. Record them. Remember them. Heed them: 

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens” (George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796). 

“The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty. They will only exchange tyrants and tyrannies” (John Adams to Zabdiel Adams, June 21, 1776). 

“We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Galantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” (John Adams to the Massachusetts Militia, October, 11, 1798). 

“Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best constitution will be ineffectual, and slavery must ensue. On the other hand, when the manners of a nation are pure, when true religion and internal principles maintain their vigor, the attempts of the most powerful enemies to oppress them are commonly baffled and disappointed” (John Witherspoon, “The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Man,” May 17, 1776). 

“I love the People of Boston. I once thought, that City would be the Christian Sparta. But Alas! Will men never be free! They will be free no longer than while they remain virtuous. Sidney tells us, there are times when People are not worth saving. Meaning, when they have lost their Virtue. I pray God, this may never be truly said of my beloved Town” (Samuel Adams to John Scollay, December 30, 1780). 

“[W]e are generally apt to ascribe too much to the efficacy of laws and government, as if they alone could secure the happiness of the people; but no laws will be sufficient to counteract the influence of manners which are corrupted by vice and voluptuousness; and it is beyond the power of any government to render the circumstances of the citizens easy and prosperous, if they want the habits of industry and frugality. – Government is necessary, to preserve the public peace, the persons and property of individuals; but our social happiness must chiefly depend upon other causes; upon simplicity and purity of manners; upon the education that we give our children; upon a steady adherence to the customs and institutions of our ancestors; upon the general diffusion of knowledge, and the prevalence of piety and benevolent affections among the people. 

“Our forms of government, are, doubtless, like all other institutions, imperfect; but they will ensure the blessings of freedom to the citizens, and preserve their tranquillity, so long as they are virtuous; and no constitution, that has been, or can be formed, will secure those blessings to a depraved and vicious people” (Caleb Strong, January 17, 1806, in Patriotism and Piety, 138). 

George Washington attending Christ Church

“[O]nly a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters” (Benjamin Franklin to Abbes Chalut and Arnoux, April 17, 1787). 

“If ye be with God, become a praying and religious people, acting up to your covenant relation and engagements to him, walking in all holy obedience to his laws, and attendance upon his worship and ordinances; God will be with you, and give you the tokens of his gracious presence, in providential mercies. The name of your land will be Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. God’s presence with you, will be your surest defence, your highest glory, your truest felicity. This will derive a blessing upon all your labours, husbandry, merchandize, fishery, & whatever you set your hands unto – and upon all your enjoyments. This will make your governour a Nehemiah, seeking your prosperity; this will give you wise & faithful rulers, skilful and upright judges, zealous and godly magistrates; and will make your officers peace, and your exactors righteousness: this will give you holy & orthodox ministers, pure and peaceable churches, learned & flourishing academies; and, in time of war, valiant soldiers and victorious armies. Yea, if you are indeed religiously with God, he will afford his gracious spiritual presence with his word and ordinances; this will make you a holy, as his providential presence will make you, a happy people” (Samuel Dunbar, “The Presence of God With His People,” 1760, in Ellis Sandoz, ed., Political Sermons of the American Founding Era, 1730-1805, 229-230). 

These were the types of refrains echoing in our forefathers’ ears as they contemplated Independence, as they made war to defend their Liberty, and as they erected a new nation. They humbled themselves before God Almighty and He blessed their land according to His word:  

“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” (2 Chronicles 7:14). 

Even the most unperceptive recognized magnificent interventions from Heaven on their behalf. During the heavy fighting of 1778, as the Continental Army was being miraculously preserved time and time again, General George Washington declared: 

“The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations” (George Washington to Thomas Nelson, August 20, 1778). 

In his First Inaugural Address, President Washington also remarked: 

“No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.” 

On July 4, 1796, John Lathrop, commemorating the Declaration of Independence, proclaimed: 

“Liberty descended from Heaven on the 4th of July, 1776. . . . 

“The first promulgation of the Gospel of Liberty was the declaration of American independence . . . the Americans were elected by God to redeem from bondage the miserable victims of arbitrary power” (See Celebrate Liberty! Famous Patriotic Speeches and Sermons, compiled by David Barton). 

America is a special land. It is a promise land of covenant. It was prophesied about by ancient seers like Isaiah whose foretellings were recorded in the Bible and other holy scriptures. It is a safe haven reserved by God for a righteous people – a people that will serve Him and make Him their King. Christ is the only rightful King of America and to no other individual or authority will any real American bend the knee.  

The Puritan preacher Increase Mather was right when he said: 

“This is Immanuel’s land. Christ by a wonderful Providence hath dispossessed Satan, who reigned securely in these Ends of the Earth, for Ages the Lord Knoweth how many, and here the Lord hath caused as it were New Jerusalem to come down from Heaven; He dwels in this place” (Increase Mather, in Michael G. Hall, The Last American Puritan: The Life of Increase Mather, 1639-1723, 99). 

Christ dwells with the righteous. “[H]e loveth those who will have him to be their God” (1 Nephi 17:40). As He said: “I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:5). He will be with the American People if they will be with Him. He will defend them if they defend His name, love Him, keep His commandments, and stand for His truth. 

Again, I repeat, that America is a special land of covenant. An ancient prophet of Jehovah who lived here 1,600 years ago wrote to modern inhabitants of the land with this promise and warning: 

“And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity. 

“For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off. 

“And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done. 

“Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written” (Ether 2:9-12). 

I testify with all my strength and sincerity that this is true. Jesus is the God of this land. He is the God of the world. He honors, blesses, and protects those who serve Him faithfully. He has prospered and blessed America beyond any nation because we have traditionally been a righteous people. Our forefathers turned their hearts to Christ and were saved from British tyranny twice, from the destruction of civil war once, and from other national ailments. He has given us so many chances to be good, to deal justly, and to be a shining city on a hill for others nations. 

Today, our nation is crumbling. Our light is not as bright as it once was. We have lost the full exercise of many of our rights. Our wealth has been eaten up. Our people are not as virtuous as they were in the past. Yet, it is by looking to the past that we can gather strength, motivation, and dedication for the present struggle for our Faith, Families, and Freedom. 

Remember the captivity of our forefathers. They were on the brink of enslavement to the British. Their rights of jury trial and due process were being chipped away. Their wealth was being robbed through taxes. Their voice was being extinguished by top-down governance. Their weapons were targeted and the desire existed to disarm them and make them kow-tow to London. 

In these desperate circumstances, they humbled themselves, called upon the Lord, and He changed their hearts. With hearts full of faith in Jesus Christ, they marched into battle. Knowing that obedience was the price of discipleship, they bettered themselves and practiced virtue. Their judges, leaders, and generals became men of God who exercised their stewardships with honor. Freedom flourished because the American People were worthy of the blessing of self-rule. 

John Adams posited the idea that the War of Independence was not the main act of the American Revolution, but only a result of the true American Revolution that happened prior through the First Great Awakening and the religious revival that swept the nation: 

“But what do We mean by the American Revolution? Do We mean the American War? The Revolution was effected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the Minds and Hearts of the People. A Change in their Religious Sentiments of their Duties and Obligations. . . . 

“This radical Change in the Principles, Opinions Sentiments and Affection of the People, was the real American Revolution” (John Adams to Hezekiah Niles, February 13, 1818). 

Dr. Benjamin Rush concurred and stated: 

“There is nothing more common, than to confound the terms of American Revolution with those of the late American war. The American war is over: but this is far from being the case with the American revolution. On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the great drama is closed. It remains yet to establish and perfect our new forms of government; and to prepare the principles, morals, and manners of our citizens, for these forms of government, after they are established and brought to perfection” (Benjamin Rush, Address to the People of the United States, 1787, in Hezekiah Niles, ed., Principles and Acts of the Revolution, 234). 

Dear reader and fellow American, the American Revolution is ongoing! You are a part of it! The war is waged anew every day. The battlefield is your mind and your heart, your child’s school and your TV, the ballot box and in the courts, on the street and in your home. You have a say in all of this. Your part is not insignificant. Could George Washington have won the War for Independence without the thousands of nameless soldiers by his side? Of course not. 

The real fight is yours to decide. You can begin the fight by remembering your noble ancestors, by acknowledging what they suffered and sacrificed to make our nation free, and by studying the same ideas and principles they cherished and which made America great. You can start this journey today by sitting down and reading the Declaration of Independence. If you have children, sit them down and read it together. Teach them that their rights – such as Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness – are given by God the Creator. Teach the that government is designed with the sole purpose of securing those rights. And teach them that any government – including ours today – which fails to secure Liberty may be justly, rightly, and dutifully change, abolished, or overthrown.  

Yes, remember the captivity of your fathers. Remember that they were saved from bondage by the Lord, who is Jesus Christ. Remember that He saved them because they humbled themselves, became a moral and upright people, and fought in faith for what they believed was right. Never forget that America today must become as equally righteous, humble, and devoted to Christ as our forefathers if we hope to salvage our waning Republic and restore our birthright blessings of rule of law, self-government, and Freedom. 

I want to close on a personal note. This is the fifth Independence Day I have spent outside of my beloved country. I miss her and I love her! It pains my heart to think that my lovely wife and amazing daughter have not yet laid eyes on America or stepped food on our blessed soil. I wish I was there, with them, on this singular day – a day of gratitude, devotion, and celebration for the blessings of Liberty that have been secured to our People by God, our inspired Constitution, and our own goodness; a day when we sing the song of redeeming love for ourselves and our nation. 

America is a special place. It is a land of promise and covenant. It truly is Immanuel’s land. There are millions of good-hearted, faithful, sincere, Liberty-loving, patriotic Americans left. Rise up, patriots! Stand on your feet, Sons of Liberty! Take back your country in the name of your Faith, Family, and Freedom! Begin today by remembering your forefathers, cherishing their sacrifices, and humbling yourself before the God of this land who has freed, blessed, and prospered our nation and who will do so again if we turn to Him. 

Zack Strong, 
July 4, 2022 

Enemies of the State

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“Fifty-six men with a price on their heads said we’ll be free or we’ll be dead.” – Song lyrics by Zack Strong 

Happy Independence Day, my fellow rebels! Independence Day is the day that we Americans celebrate enemies of the state who risked their lives for Freedom. Some of these enemies of the state are now national heroes. You know their names: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, and, the biggest revolutionist of them all, George Washington. These “rebels,” as they were usually called, had death sentences placed upon them by their government for daring to declare Independence and stand up to the regime in defense of their God-given rights. 

What the American Founding Fathers did in 1776 was nothing short of remarkable. In Common Sense, Thomas Paine described the world situation at the time like this: 

“O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth! Every spot of the old world is overrun with oppression. Freedom hath been hunted round the globe. Asia, and Africa, have long expelled her. Europe regards her like a stranger, and England hath given her warning to depart. O! receive the fugitive, and prepare in time an asylum for mankind.” 

America was the gathering place for rebels. It was the common home of all who hated oppression. People from around the world traveled to America to fight for Freedom shoulder to shoulder with the remarkable rebels who dared “oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant.” America was in 1776, and remains, the last best hope for mankind. 

Let me emphasize this point. Prior to the American War for Independence, the British Empire spanned the globe. Europe was dominated by kingdoms, empires, and oppressive rulers. The Catholic Church’s grip had waned, but the papacy still maintained an excessive stranglehold on the minds of millions. Africa, Asia, and the Middle East were governed by warlords, pirates, or emperors. The shackles of despotism sat heavily on the human race and the little light of Liberty that faintly flickered was threatened with elimination. 

It was in this environment of worldwide tyranny that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington, and their fellows, planted the flag of Freedom in America. Separated from the quarrels, vices, and poisoned ways of thinking of Europe and Asia, the inhabitants of the New World developed their systems of government in an atmosphere of reason and enlightenment. Early Americans were highly schooled in history, languages, and government. They read original Latin, Greek, and Hebrew works, understood Anglo-Saxon institutions, and drew enduring lessons from all ages past. They knew what tyranny was, what Liberty was, how Liberty dies, how Liberty is maintained, and how to deal with tyrants. 

Critically, the people of America, detached from the complicated, bloated governmental systems in Europe, learned how to govern themselves. Self-rule was a precious right to our forefathers. “No taxation without representation” was no hollow slogan; it was a way of life. They knew that the most effective government is that which is administered directly by the People. That is, good government relies on the individual taking care of his own business in a responsible way. It requires each citizen to be a faithful steward over his own property, rights, and deeds. If each person actively engaged in self-rule, there was no need to giant government bureaucracies, kings, or rulers. 

Thomas Jefferson, drawing upon the Anglo-Saxon tradition, described the ideal government like this: 

“[T]he way to have good and safe government, is not to trust it all to one; but to divide it among the many, distributing to every one exactly the functions he is competent to. let the National government be entrusted with the defence of the nation, and it’s foreign & federal relations; the State governments with the civil rights, laws, police & administration of what concerns the state generally; the Counties with the local concerns of the counties; and each Ward direct the interests within itself. it is by dividing and subdividing these republics from the great National one down thro’ all it’s subordinations, until it ends in the administration of every man’s farm and affairs by himself; by placing under every one what his own eye may superintend, that all will be done for the best. what has destroyed liberty and the rights of man in every government which has ever existed under the sun? the generalising & concentrating all cares and powers into one body, no matter whether of the Autocrats of Russia or France, or of the Aristocrats of a Venetian Senate. and I do believe that if the Almighty has not decreed that Man shall never be free, (and it is blasphemy to believe it) that the secret will be found to be in the making himself the depository of the powers respecting himself, so far as he is competent to them, and delegating only what is beyond his competence by a synthetical process, to higher & higher orders of functionaries, so as to trust fewer and fewer powers, in proportion as the trustees become more and more oligarchical. the elementary republics of the wards, the county republics, the State republics, and the republic of the Union, would form a gradation of authorities, standing each on the basis of law, holding every one it’s delegated share of powers, and constituting truly a system of fundamental balances and checks for the government. where every man is a sharer in the direction of his ward-republic, or of some of the higher ones, and feels that he is a participator in the government of affairs not merely at an election, one day in the year, but every day; when there shall not be a man in the state who will not be a member of some one of it’s councils, great or small, he will let the heart be torn out of his body sooner than his power be wrested from him by a Caesar or a Bonaparte” (Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, February 2, 1816). 

This was revolutionary thinking then and it’s still uncommon today. The idea that man could control his own destiny and govern himself was as foreign to Europe as to Asia. It was rejected by corrupt religious authorities and autocrats alike. Yet, a band of Americans led by the Sons of Liberty fellow “rebels,” insisted that God made man a free agent and that he therefore had the right, and ability, to govern himself. 

As Jefferson said, good government is not centralized in the hands of the state. Good government is “the administration of every man’s farm and affairs by himself.” Self-government is the only good government. No state, king, ruler, emperor, pope, tsar, guru, president, or judge has authority over the individual because the individual received his rights and responsibilities from the God who created him. Man may delegate portions of his authority to a government, but he never gives away his power – not even the majority of it. 

This is what the American Founding Fathers understood. This is the idea they tried to spread. They wanted all people to be free and they opposed all systems that oppressed the human mind. 

Unbeknownst to most Americans is the fact that when the Founding Fathers declared Independence for America, they invited the world to join them. They specifically invited other oppressed British colonies, from Ireland to Canada and beyond, to join in their Revolution for Freedom. The others, for various reasons, did not join the cause, though some were sympathetic. As noted, individuals from many nations, sensing that something special was occurring in America, left their homelands to fight for the “rebels” in the name of personal Liberty. 

The American War for Independence was never intended to be a war for the People of the New World alone. Rather, it was intended to be the opening salvo in a war against tyranny everywhere. Early Americans often called what they were creating an “Empire of Liberty.” They wanted that “empire” to span the globe. They wanted Freedom to be found in every corner of the earth. It is that fact that caused America’s enemies to hate her in her infancy and it is that fact that causes her enemies to loathe her today. 

At the same time the Founding Fathers were declaring Independence and showing mankind the path toward Freedom, another entity was perfecting a plan to enslave the world. Adam Weishaupt formed the Order of Illuminati on May 1, 1776. As I’ve detailed repeatedly here, in other articles and podcasts, and in my books, the Illuminati were the literal and ideological forebears of the communists. Their plan was published by Karl Marx, who was hired by an Illuminati offshoot known as the League of the Just to write The Communist Manifesto. Weishaupt, Marx, Lenin, Stalin, and the rest, were following the same blueprint and working toward the same goal. Thus, when we talk about America as the “main enemy” of the Soviet Union, we’re also saying that America is the “main enemy” of the Order of Illuminati and of all world conspiracy. 

Though the U.S. government has de facto joined, or been largely captured by, the communist-Illuminati conspiracy, there are tens of millions of armed and awake Americans who reject that conspiracy. Some 80 million people voted for Donald Trump, just to give an indication of how many people refuse to comply with the cabal. Our combined enemy can’t suffer recalcitrant “rebels” like the “bitter clingers” in the flyover states. It makes their blood boil to know that the blood of patriots flows in our veins. The Founding Fathers were the enemies of the British monarchical state and today the American constitutionalist patriots are the enemies of the global Marxist state. 

This Independence Day, we need to remember how special America is. America is an experiment in self-government. She’s an attempt to expand natural law and God-given rights to every part of the earth in a gigantic “Empire of Liberty.” Nothing like this has ever been undertaken. America today – particularly armed, Christian, white America – is the standard-bearer. The global conspiracy has marshalled all its forces against us. 

There are others in different lands who love Freedom, too, but none of them are in a position to do much about it. Only Americans are capable of rebelling. Only we, armed with our Second Amendment, Constitution, and heritage of Independence, can truly be “up in arms” against the one-world Marxist Establishment. We can’t let the world down. We can’t let ourselves down. We can’t betray the memory of those who risked it all to give us a free nation. It’s time to declare “Liberty or death!” and mean it. Happy Independence Day.

Zack Strong,

July 4, 2021

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Blood-Bought America

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American Freedom was purchased with the blood of patriots. Liberty has always required tremendous sacrifices to obtain and maintain. Thomas Paine said it best in 1776: 

“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 his 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. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: It is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to set a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated” (Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, 1776). 

To sum up Paine in modern lingo, “Freedom isn’t free.” As an American, you are indebted to your ancestors for the Liberty and Independence you enjoy. They slogged through the hell of war, waded through affliction and tears, and risked everything dear to them in order to hand down a heritage of Freedom, self-rule, and peace. 

John Adams colorfully said: 

“Posterity! You will never know, how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good Use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it” (John Adams to Abigail Adams, April 26, 1777). 

It cost a great deal to purchase American Freedom. It cost blood, toil, and treasure. Lives were cut short, families were split asunder, and civic life was upended. Yet, what patriot would dare say it was all in vain? If our forefathers were willing to fight and die for the gift of Liberty, surely we, the beneficiaries of that gift, should feel the stir of gratitude for the patriot blood that was spilled to quench the parched tree of Liberty in 1776. 

When you gather with fellow believers and attend the church of your choice this Independence Day Sunday, remember that without patriot blood you might not be able to enjoy this inestimable blessing. The next time you purchase a firearm, consider that it’s not your Visa card that’s buying it, but the patriot blood of ages past that affords you the opportunity to arm yourself as a freeman. The next time you express a political opinion in public, or go to the polls to vote, or throw your name in the hat in a local election, consider that there are billions of people in other countries who cannot do so because the blood of patriots has not fertilized their ground sufficiently for the tree of Liberty to grow. 

We live in a blessed land. America is a land of covenant. It’s a sacred spot chosen by Almighty God for special purposes. In 1630, John Withrop envisioned a glorious future for this continent. He expressed it this way: 

“The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell among us, as His own people, and will command a blessing upon us in all our ways, so that we shall see much more of His wisdom, power, goodness and truth, than formerly we have been acquainted with. We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, “may the Lord make it like that of New England.” For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God, and all professors for God’s sake. We shall shame the faces of many of God’s worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us till we be consumed out of the good land whither we are going.” 

For many years, America fulfilled Winthrop’s vision. We became, and remain, the envy of the world. The hand of the Lord prospered us, gave us technology, revealed systems of good government, and kept us out of the perpetual wars of other countries. No People has ever been so richly blessed. So startlingly remarkable are these manifestations of divine favor that President George Washington, in his First Inaugural Address, stated: 

“No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States. Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.” 

Yet, as we view our beloved America today, we see that she has fallen from her former glory. She’s not as free as she once was. She’s not as virtuous and just as she once was. She’s not even as proud, peaceful, or prosperous as she once was. Lady Liberty took sledgehammer blows to the kneecaps in 2020 and 2021. The hammer (and sickle) wielders are gearing up to swing again even more violently and maliciously as she falters and attempts to rise – as millions of good-hearted Americans realize they’ve been conned and attempt to extricate themselves from the jaws of political despotism, medical tyranny, and media lies.

Some of the finest branches of the American tree of Liberty have wilted and withered. Some have stopped bearing fruit while others produce slightly bitter fruit. Yet, there are many new buds blossoming on some of the younger branches and the harvest looks promising. These new buds must be guarded and nourished as they grow stronger. But how can we nourish and cultivate this precious plant? Long ago, Thomas Jefferson explained the only sure way to do it when he said:

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. it is it’s natural manure” (Thomas Jefferson to William Smith, November 13, 1787). 

It will require a Herculean effort to revive the tree of Liberty. Tragically, as the Sage of Monticello observed, it will require, as it always has, the blood of patriots and tyrants. But the prize is worth the price.

It won’t be easy, though. Restoring our lost rights will require a dramatic change in our hearts and minds. Our forefathers didn’t just pick up their muskets one day and fight their British oppressors. Rather, they were schooled in the principles of Liberty for years prior to the fighting. They understood their religious and civic duty to rebel against tyrants and to defend their Faith, Families, and Freedom. They knew about, and participated in, self-rule. They understood what being freemen was all about.

Our patriot forefathers knew that principled patriotism – in private conduct as well as public life – was the panacea to their national maladies. John Adams affirmed: 

“This radical Change in the Principles, Opinions Sentiments and Affection of the People, was the real American Revolution” (John Adams to Hezekiah Niles, February 13, 1818). 

If we want things to be different, we have to be different. We have to alter our ways of thinking, raise our standards and principles, and adjust our behavior accordingly. Ultimately, we have to turn our hearts and minds back to the Lord of Liberty, Jesus Christ. Atheists did not win the American War for Independence; Christians did.

America’s fiery patriot leaders did not trust in themselves, but, like General Washington who found himself praying mightily for deliverance, had faith in their Creator and Redeemer. Had they not shouted from the rooftops that “for the support of this Declaration [of Independence], with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor”?

Without turning to Christ, everything else we do is a half-measure and will fail. But, with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). The Lord has clearly promised to prosper and protect those who turn to Him. He said: 

“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” (2 Chronicles 7:14). 

And again, through Isaiah, the Lord promised to shine upon those nations who embrace His covenants and repent: 

“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. . . . 

“And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city” (Isaiah 1:16-27). 

America is the greatest land on earth; the most blessed and amazing nation to be found anywhere. I love her! I love her Constitution, her heritage of Freedom, her pantheon of heroes, her promise of guaranteed natural rights, and her unrivaled opportunities for growth and ingenuity, prosperity and joy. Her fruited plains are beautiful to my eyes and I marvel at how special, how unique, and how blessed America truly is by the hand of the Almighty. 

Yet, America needs restoring. She needs mending. She needs once more to bask in the shade of the tree of Liberty. It will be difficult. It demands gut-wrenching sacrifices. The tree of Liberty requires the blood of good men and women – patriot blood – to nourish its fledgling blossoms. With John Adams, I recognize what it will cost. But, with John Adams, I also excitedly envision what we will gain: 

“I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. – Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction” (John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776).

This Independence Day, and every day, let’s triumph in our ancestors’ War for Independence. Let’s remember that we live in a blood-bought Republic. Let’s recall with tender gratitude the sacrifices it took to achieve the Liberty we so abundantly enjoy and let’s steel ourselves for the daunting task ahead – the restoration of our rights and the nourishing of the tree of Liberty. With God’s help, we and our children will one day breathe free air and again bask in the ravishing light and glory of Freedom.

Zack Strong 

July 2, 2021 

“Illegal Fireworks” on Independence Day

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“No fireworks on Independence Day, said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. To hell with that, said the people.” – Bruce Haring, “Los Angeles County Residents Ignore “No Fireworks” Order, Celebrate With Massive Display,” Deadline, July 5, 2020.

Yesterday was Independence Day. Independence Day marks the glorious moment that our forefathers declared their total Independence from British tyranny and embarked on the experiment of republican self-rule. It was the formal beginning of the Liberty movement that had been sweeping through the colonies and which today is gaining renewed strength among American patriots. It was, in short, the authoritative expression of our People’s desire to be free.

America281

When the Sons of Liberty finally secured their Freedom and established the United States of America, Independence Day was celebrated from one end of the Republic to the other. As the Union expanded, so, too, did the celebrations. And why should they not have? Independence Day was not only the most significant day in U.S. history, but one of the most defining moments in world history.

John Adams fondly envisioned a day when every American could commemorate their Independence:

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

“You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. – I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. – Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not” (John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776).

By and large, Americans have faithfully fulfilled Mr. Adams’ hopes. Though the custom has fallen to the wayside, our People traditionally gave rousing sermons and speeches praising God for delivering us from tyranny and thanking Him for setting us up as a free People. To this day, we host large and colorful parades, brilliant firework shows, and community barbecues. You can still find historical reenactments and readings of the Declaration in locations. Bells are sometimes still sounded from church towers. Patriotic music blares over the airwaves. And in rural areas, we still shoot off guns on this special day.

However, a group of anti-American traitors has wormed their way into positions of power in our federal government and in our states. They control governorships, city councils, seats in Congress, judgeships, and so forth. This is particularly true in states like California, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Illinois where hardcore socialists now rule. This cabal of traitors has used their influence to gradually extinguish the American spirit, stifle our patriotism, and transform our country into a soulless Marxian state.

The hyped Coronavirus “pandemic” has provided the whole nation with proof of how eager this group of gangsters is to throw out the Constitution, restrict our rights, and dominate our lives. They’ve banned church services, arrested mothers playing with their children in public park, dumped tons of sand in skate parks to prevent kids from enjoying the outdoors, mandated the public wear masks that even the communist-controlled World Health Organization (WHO) admits do not work to stop viruses, forced us to stand six-feet-apart from one another like prison inmates, closed down our businesses, arrested people for trying to make a living, freed violent criminals from prisons to allegedly protect them (what about protecting us from them?), restricted travel, closed down schools, prevented people from attending doctors because they were trying to make room for “Coronavirus” patients who never arrived, and so on and so forth.

trading-safety-for-liberty

So blatant have been the attacks on our Freedom – in particular our Freedom of religious expression – that a prominent religious leader, Elder David A. Bednar, said in frustration:

“We cannot deny, and we should not forget, the speed and intensity with which government power was used to shut down fundamental aspects of religious exercise. These decisions and regulations were unprecedented. For nearly two months, Americans, and many others throughout the free world, learned firsthand what it means for government to directly prohibit the free exercise of religion. . . .

“. . . Government power can never be unlimited. In our political system, the government “derives its just powers from the consent of the governed,” to quote the Declaration of Independence. But the just powers of government cannot be unlimited because they exist most fundamentally to secure the God-given rights of life and liberty so that each of us can exercise our moral agency, the ability to act for ourselves and not to be acted upon, and to be accountable before God for our choices and actions. Constitutions, representative government, checks and balances, and the rule of law help constrain the tendency of government to exercise unlimited power. . . .

“. . . despite the obvious need for a proper response to COVID-19, we must not become accustomed to sweeping assertions of governmental power. Invoking emergency powers, government executives summarily impose numerous orders and directives that in many ways are analogous to martial law. These executive orders are unlike laws enacted through the ordinary give and take of the democratic process. No doubt an emergency on the scale of COVID-19 justifies strong measures to protect the public, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that many of these measures are extraordinary assertions of governmental power that can dramatically constrain our basic freedoms. The power of government must have limits. . . .

“. . . we can no more disregard the valid claims of religious freedom in a time of crisis than we can disregard the valid claims of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, or freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. Nor should we prioritize secular interests above religious ones. A health crisis should not become an excuse for a religious freedom crisis.”

Despite common sense of this sort, many states have used the “crisis” as a pretext for ushering in blatant tyranny that strangles our Liberty and extinguishes a multitude of our most precious rights. The abuses have been “sweeping.” They have been unapologetic. And they have been deliberate. Not only have they taken aim at everyday rights like the right to peaceably assemble, but they have been brought to bear on our most sacred national holiday – Independence Day.

If the concocted Coronavirus charade hasn’t been enough to convince you that those in positions of public trust don’t give a tinker’s dam about your Liberty, their blatant display of contempt for Independence Day should have done the trick. California is a case in point. The Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, outright banned fireworks. The L.A. Department of Public Health published a news release ordering beaches closed from the 3rd through the 6th, “prohibiting fireworks displays,” banning “large crowds and gatherings,” and going so far as to tell people they could not spend time with anyone except those they lived with – as if they had such authority!

To quote these mini-tyrants in Los Angeles: “Physical distancing isn’t optional, wearing a face covering isn’t optional, spending time only with those you live with isn’t optional – these are requirements.” Los Angeles has essentially become a dictatorship with the Democratic Party calling the shots – your Liberty be damned.

tree-of-liberty

Despotic California Governor Gavin Newsom came out and supported the de facto canceling of Independence Day and declared similar measures across the whole state. Newsom threatened to cut off funds to local governments who did not go along with the plot to cancel Independence Day in California. He bullied local governments in these words:

“A local government that refuses to abide by, ensure compliance with, or take enforcement action against noncompliance with these statewide public health directives, or that takes action that is otherwise incongruent with these directives, could jeopardize their eligibility for state funding.”

California has been enacting Marxist measures for a lot of years, but now, using the 99.8% survivable Coronavirus as an excuse, they have gone full-blown Bolshevik. Various state agencies have created ominously-named “strike teams” to go after those violating “public safety” measures (i.e. exercising their God-given, constitutionally-protected Liberty). Office of Emergency Services spokesman Brian Ferguson warned how the strike teams would be used this Independence Day weekend:

“We will be going directly to those who thumb their nose at public health and safety. State government will be out in force this weekend to make sure all California businesses and service providers are doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

In other words, the Almighty Californian State will use its police power to force compliance with Liberty-violating measures allegedly enacted to “keep you safe.” What makes this all the more insulting is the fact that this comes on Independence Day – a time for the explicit celebration of Freedom from tyrannical government! Surely no right thinking individual can miss the irony of prohibiting Americans from celebrating Freedom on their cherished Independence Day!

In spite of government threats and bullying, thousands of people in Los Angeles disobeyed the mayor’s and governor’s dictates yesterday. A broadcast on KCAL 9 aired helicopter footage of the city. In every direction, fireworks illuminated the night sky. Red, white, yellow – the dazzling colors exploded in nearly every neighborhood. One Californian commenter on Facebook said that the city felt like “Baghdad.” On the same thread, another person replied: “It’s friggin Iraq in the city!! I’ve never heard it like this!”

An involuntary smile crossed my face as I watched Americans doing what Americans do best – defy tyrants and exercise their rights. I watched multiple clips of the fireworks in L.A. Everywhere you looked you could see phenomenal pyrotechnics, reminding me of the “rocket’s red glare” in Francis Scott Key’s immortal anthem.

The same KCAL 9 newscast mentioned earlier noted that police had received over a thousand complaints from people snitching on their neighbors for launching “illegal fireworks” (i.e. any fireworks). The LAPD finally asked people to stop calling 911 about fireworks. Apparently, a lot of people get offended by Independence Day and Freedom in Los Angeles. However, a larger number apparently still retain some sense of love for their country.

Though these same people were the ones who elected those public servants who are now trying to dominate and tyrannize them, this very public display of defiance demonstrates that many are fed up with the oppression and want their Freedom back. At the very least, they don’t want to be treated like children who can’t take care of themselves without a government commissar hovering over them. To be sure, some of the revelers just wanted to party. Who can blame them? But I believe many were using the Independence Day season as a chance to show their disapproval of the government’s heavy hand in their lives.

One article explained that Californians have been defying their government’s fireworks bans for weeks:

“[E]xplosions and roman candles have been going off for weeks, culminating in a massive display on Saturday night.

“Police claimed more than 1,000 fireworks complaints came in to various branches, and they tried to respond. But the task was akin to shoveling the ocean with a spoon . . . the city was ablaze with lights and sounds for many hours on Saturday night.”

I repeat: The fact that governments tried to prohibit us celebrating and exercising our Freedom on Independence Day shows that they hold our rights in utter contempt and seek, regardless of their alleged concern about “public safety,” to control our lives.

All would-be-dictators who seek to dominate the United States need to know that we won’t tolerate it. When our back is pushed up against the wall, we won’t surrender – we’ll fight. Freemen don’t live on their knees. We don’t kneel before thrones. We don’t bow to emperors. We don’t kiss the rings of kings. And we certainly don’t kow-tow to our elected representatives.

American citizens are the masters of their government, not the other way around. We are not governed “masses” or servile subjects. We are American freemen! The blood of patriots runs in our veins. Our ancestors called themselves Sons of Liberty, defied tyrants, and forged their Freedom from the chains created to enslave them.

America has suffered many dark days because we’ve been too kind and forgiving. We’ve tolerated abuses that our forefathers never would have tolerated. We’ve permitted those very things that the Declaration of Independence denounces in plain language, such as allowing government bureaucrats to make us “dependent on [their] Will alone,” establishing “Arbitrary government,” creating “a multitude of New Offices” which send their “swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance,” and “destroy[ing] the lives of our people.”

Yes, we have been far too lenient! We’ve given our public servants the benefit of the doubt that they just want to help us. It should be painfully obvious now to everyone that our representatives look down on us, view us as children to be micromanaged, and spit upon our rights. Their oaths to the Constitution mean nothing to them; they certainly don’t follow them. They’re in it for power, wealth, and fame regardless of how much We the People suffer or how many rights we lose.

I applaud Los Angeles’ defiant fireworks display. It was a very visible symbol of resistance to tyrannical government overreach and a sign that there are few a still embers of Freedom burning in California. However, this defiance must translate into daily acts of resistance or it ultimately means very little. To shoot off fireworks on Independence Day in defiance of government mandates, but to turn around and wear silly masks or comply with “social distancing” dictates, is inconsistent with logic. It also shows that people did not truly comprehend the special meaning of the event they were celebrating.

Independence Day should have been a time for us as a People to regroup, recommit ourselves to the cause of Liberty, and humble ourselves before our Creator. This day, the Lord’s Day, we have the opportunity to again bow ourselves before God, thank Him for His blessings upon our favored land, and petition Him for deliverance from the shackles that our “representatives” are attempting to place on our wrists.

To a great extend, we’ve already fallen from grace and lost must of our Freedom. But the sacred fire of Liberty is not out yet. Millions of Americans honor our forefathers, love our unique American institutions, and will not go down without a fight. Even in California, of all places, thousands are willing to risk police visits and fines by shooting off fireworks to celebrate our nation’s Independence. This should give us hope that though the struggle will be fierce, we can succeed and win back our rights. If we go forward in the power of Jesus Christ, we can restore our Republic.

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I express my unshakable belief that Americans will restore their Republic eventually. Our flag will wave proudly on the flag pole. Independence Day will be celebrated precisely as John Adams envisioned – with devotions to God and shows and parades and guns and bells from one end of this blessed continent to the other. However, it will likely require the “Toil and Blood and Treasure” that John Adams said was required to win our Independence in the first place.

God bless this nation! God bless the good-hearted people who inhabit America by the tens of millions! And God help us maintain our Constitution and the precious rights it safeguards, even if it means defying tyrants to do it!

Zack Strong,

July 5, 2020

The Ongoing American Revolution

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The American Revolution was not an event that began and ended at two fixed points in time. We mark the beginning of the War for Independence on July 4, 1776, and traditionally say the Revolution ended in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris, but the reality is that Independence Day merely marked a boiling point in a sweeping Liberty movement that began much earlier and which has not yet reached its culmination. The American Revolution is ongoing! The War for Independence is being waged today as fiercely as when our patriot forefathers squared off against the British invaders.

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In 1787, Dr. Benjamin Rush made an illuminating remark. He said:

“There is nothing more common, than to confound the terms of American Revolution with those of the late American war. The American war is over: but this is far from being the case with the American revolution. On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the great drama is closed. It remains yet to establish and perfect our new forms of government; and to prepare the principles, morals, and manners of our citizens, for these forms of government, after they are established and brought to perfection” (Benjamin Rush, Address to the People of the United States, 1787, in Hezekiah Niles, ed., Principles and Acts of the Revolution, 234).

According to Dr. Rush, the genuine American Revolution consisted of the transformation and improvement of the “principles, morals, and manners” of the American People. What’s more, he saw this as a gradual process that, years after the War for Independence ended, had not yet finished. It was one thing to create a new nation with a novel system of government, but quite another thing to create a citizenry prepared for life under that government. Molding such a people – one worthy of republican institutions of self-government – was the true revolutionary task.

Another Founding Father, John Adams, concurred that the real American Revolution was not the short War for Independence, but a vastly more significant undertaking. He observed:

“But what do We mean by the American Revolution? Do We mean the American War? The Revolution was effected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the Minds and Hearts of the People. A Change in their Religious Sentiments of their Duties and Obligations. . . .

“This radical Change in the Principles, Opinions Sentiments and Affection of the People, was the real American Revolution” (John Adams to Hezekiah Niles, February 13, 1818).

Both Dr. Rush and Mr. Adams agreed that the betterment of American principles and morals – both religious and political – was the real American Revolution. This Revolution happened in the hearts and minds of our countrymen long before the shot heard ‘round the world and continued long after the cannon ceased firing. One could look back to the Reformation or Renaissance to find the origin of the Liberty movement that eventually found its true expression in America. But for our purposes, we can trace the origin of the flame of Freedom to the First Great Awakening that took place roughly between the 1730s and 1760s.

It was during the First Great Awakening, when Americans turned their hearts back to the great God of the universe, that the revolution of principles spoken of by John Adams occurred. Church pulpits were ablaze with fiery sermons on Freedom. Preachers led the way in social reform and prepared Americans to defend their rights and stand like real men against despots. Schools were no less valuable. Teachers instructed children not only in constitutional principles and the science of good government, but in the “perfect law of liberty” given by Jesus Christ (James 1:25). In short, American Christians kneeled before the Lord in genuine humility, and then rose with staunch determination to follow Him and safeguard their God-given rights.

It was a band of Christian militiamen, inspired by their Reverend Jonas Clark, who defiantly stood with Captain John Parker on Lexington green in 1775 as an army of 700 Redcoats came to confiscate their firearms. It was a band of 56 patriots who signed and published the Declaration of Independence, announcing their determination to be free and their proclaiming their “firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence.” And it was the Christian Father of our Country, George Washington, who told the nation during his First Inaugural Address:

“No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States. Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”

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It was this acknowledgment of God and His laws, including the “perfect law of liberty” noted earlier, that gave our forefathers the strength and tenacity to stand against monarchical tyranny. They were an educated and bright People. They understood self-government and cherished their Freedom to worship their God according to the dictates of their conscience, their Freedom to speak, their Freedom to assemble, their Freedom to bear and use arms to protect themselves and their rights, and so forth. In short, it was their mental and spiritual devotion to their Faith, Families, and Freedom, and their fidelity to these loyalties, that called down Heaven’s blessings on their behalf.

Our noble forefathers did not stop progressing when they went back to the business of daily life after the Revolution. Rather, they went on to produce the inspired Constitution and Bill of Rights, expand the borders of the Republic, and, thus, the borders of Liberty, alter their local laws and customs, prepare to end the vice of slavery, and generally became an industrious, enlightened, and patriotic People.

According to one contemporary figure of significant renown, American greatness reached its zenith during the Age of Jackson. He observed:

“In continuation of such noble sentiments, Gen. [Andrew] Jackson, upon his ascension to the great chair of the chief magistracy: said, “As long as our government is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of person and property, liberty of conscience, and of the press, it will be worth defending; and so long as it is worth defending, a patriotic militia will cover it with an impenetrable aegis.”

“General Jackson’s administration may be denominated the acme of American glory, liberty and prosperity, for the national debt, which in 1815, on account of the late war, was $125,000,000, and lessened gradually, was paid up in his golden day; and preparations were made to distribute the surplus revenue among the several states: and that august patriot, to use his own words in his farewell address, retired leaving “a great people prosperous and happy, in the full enjoyment of liberty and peace, honored and respected by every nation of the world”” (Joseph Smith, General Smith’s Views of the Powers and Policy of Government of the United States, February, 1844).

Andrew Jackson was one of the greatest American heroes. Today, he is hated and castigated by an ignorant generation that has lost touch with America’s original values and has been deceived by culture-destroying Marxists. But the truth is that General Jackson put America first, fought for his country his whole life as a soldier and statesman, fastidiously upheld the Constitution as president, waged veritable war against the conspiratorial banking cartel that wanted to enslave the Union, and was an honorable man of his word.

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Additionally, President Jackson was the only president to ever pay off the national debt in full. The American People prospered under his hand and it was during his administration that Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States and remarked:

“The progress of society in America is precipitate, and almost revolutionary. . . .

“. . . The Americans of the United States must inevitably become one of the greatest nations in the world; their offset will cover almost the whole of North America; the continent which they inhabit is their dominion, and it cannot escape them . . . Riches, power, and renown, cannot fail to be theirs at some future time” (Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, Vol. 1, 434-435).

The American People did not stop their rapid progress and march toward destiny after the War for Independence. That was but a prelude to greater things. For them, as for Benjamin Rush, the American Revolution was ongoing; a process, not an event.

However, after the Age of Jackson, the Republic began to decline in important ways. Over time, we became so prosperous, powerful, and prominent in the world that we began to shed our humility, forget our past, and neglect our participation in self-government. We became reluctant to enforce the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and apply the Constitution as broadly as it was intended to be applied. The Civil War later rocked the nation, caused deep wounds, and resulted in a massively enlarged government that began intruding into our lives as never before.

In spite of the trials of the Nineteenth Century, on the whole, our People put their trust in God and looked to the Constitution and the men who made it for guidance. As the decades slipped by, the pull of prosperity and allure of modern conveniences took us away from the pursuit of Liberty and thrust us into the pursuit of materialism. We stopped studying the art of law. We ignored our governmental duties, allowing an organized group of traitors to come to power over us. We lived our lives in relative peace and disinterest as they hijacked our economy through the Federal Reserve. They put their men – FDR, Wilson, Carter, Bush, Obama, and others – into the presidency. They changed our laws and amended the Constitution in frightful ways. They thrust a dagger in Lady Liberty’s back and began twisting it menacingly.

Closer to home, the agents of cultural Marxism went to work to warp our view of marriage and families. They promoted hedonism and placed sex on a pedestal. They pushed filth and degeneracy, greed and selfishness, perversion and humanism. We began to lose our faith in the Creator – the source from whence our forefathers said came our unalienable rights of life, Liberty, and property. And so it has gone for over a century until now we see the fruit of the gruesome harvest – chaos, rioting, violence, hatred, division, unchecked governmental power, neglect of the Constitution, scientific and medical tyranny, anti-Christian bullying, high-tech censorship, societal distrust, and rampant unbelief in God.

Despite this growing darkness, many of the good people of this nation are waking up. It is in darkness, after all, that the light shines brightest. People from coast to coast have realized that the conspiracy – call it the “swamp,” “deep state,” the “Establishment,” or whatever name you will – is very real and threatens to overturn our Faith, Families, and Freedom. The American giant is beginning to stir and push back against the bands that traitors have tied around her. Lady Liberty is waking up from her deep sleep.

A general feeling is beginning to filter out and permeate the nation wherever good people still reside. It’s palpable and vibrant. The feeling is that revolution is upon us – the time for cleansing and refreshing is nearly here. Perhaps unconsciously, millions of Americans feel what Thomas Jefferson felt and articulated. He said:

“[W]hat country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure” (Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, November 13, 1787).

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But how will we rally ourselves and refresh the tree of Liberty? Everywhere I go, on every social media page I visit, in church congregations, and in private conversations, I see people asking roughly the same questions: “Where is the next George Washington? Where is our generation’s Thomas Jefferson? When will the next Boston Tea Party happen? When will someone step forward to lead another revolution to reclaim our Freedom?”

As these questions demonstrate, the sincere desire for change – for a return to our roots – is there. It may be in its infancy, but it is growing and rapidly gaining strength. It needs focus, however. It needs leaders. It needs experienced patriots to form us into a fighting force for Freedom.

In an attributed letter of Samuel Adams to James Warren on October 24, 1780, we find these relevant words: “If ever the Time should come, when vain & aspiring Men shall possess the highest Seats in Government, our Country will stand in Need of its experienced Patriots to prevent its Ruin.”

Where are we to find such men and women? Where are the John Adamses and George Washingtons? Where are the Sons of Liberty and militiamen of Concord Bridge? Who will step forward to lead the next chapter in the ongoing American Revolution?

The answer is two-fold. First, though you and I may not be the next George Washington, we may be like those men who marched in his army, crossed the frigid Delaware with him on Christmas morning, and together endured winter in Valley Forge. We may not command the patriot force, but we may be part of it. It may be our eternal honor to march alongside other patriots, either figuratively or literally, to victories as glorious as Yorktown.

No, we may never wear the general’s cap, but we can wear the revolutionary uniform. What good is even the greatest general without his fighting men? What good are fighting men without virtuous women supporting them? And in the war of ideas and principles, women – as mothers and as homemakers – have an absolutely essential role to play. We cannot effect a new revolution without their selfless service in the home, for as goes the home goes the nation.

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To elaborate, I ask, what good is a Declaration of Independence without men to win, and then maintain, Independence? There could have been no Age of Jackson with its prosperity and expansion without those willing to establish and sustain the great institutions of our Republic. Thankfully, earlier patriots have already established beautiful constitutional institutions for us. We don’t need to think outside the box – we need to merely dust out the box of the filth that has cluttered it. And we can kick-start the process by educating ourselves in correct principles.

To repeat, this war is primarily waged on the battlefields of the mind and heart. It is waged on Facebook and Twitter, in public school classrooms and around the dinner table, in private conversations with friends and worship services with your neighbors. It is waged on election day as well as every other day. Our just and holy cause is furthered by acts of service in our communities, by giving proper instruction to our children, by coherent and sincere social media posts, by participation in peaceful assemblies, and by a million other little acts, words, and moments that come in daily life.

Together, these seemingly small deeds constitute a revolution in principles, morals, and manners. Do not think you need George Washington to ride before you in order to participate in the ongoing American Revolution. It is your distinct privilege to fight these battles every day in your home, at church, at work, online, and in the most basic interactions with your countrymen. There will be no great political revolution until we first reform our minds and hearts as our ancestors did prior to challenging the British at Lexington and Concord.

Second, though we all must be engaged in the daily acts of revolution just described, there must be individuals who step forward to rally, unify, and lead those who love Liberty. These figures must have dignity and credibility. They must be men of honor, goodness, virtue, truth, and stability. They must be men of high ideals and lofty standards. They must be noble in heart, valiant in spirit, but humble enough to kneel before their God and petition His blessings upon our cause.

Patriot leaders must be found and thrust to the forefront. As it often goes, the most qualified for leadership are those who want nothing more than to live in peace. They don’t seek the limelight, but merely to do their part, quietly, to support their Faith, Family, and Freedom.

It is instructive to know that George Washington did not want to lead the Continental Army. Yet, he threw himself into the task when the People’s representatives called on him to do so. After the War for Independence, he retired to the peace and quite of his farm. Yet, when his countrymen selected him to be the first president, he came out of retirement and fulfilled that duty honorably. The same is true of Thomas Jefferson, who retired to Monticello before being drafted by his country to serve in the government. And that is the key word – serve. We don’t need self-important politicians, but public servants who labor on our behalf to secure for us the blessings of Liberty.

Today, we must find those people in our communities who are prepared for a call to service. They may not want to serve, they may not want to hold a position of public trust, they may not want to wade into the treacherous swamp of modern politics, but they will respond to the call the serve because their hearts burn with the fire of Freedom. It is our duty as citizens to find the next Thomas Jefferson and draft him into leadership. It is our duty as freemen to find the next George Washington and urge him to lead us against the traitors who have entrenched themselves in our nation. In short, we may say that the next George Washington will not appear unless We the People call him into service.

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Dear reader, America is the greatest nation on earth, bar none. There has never been a greater Republic. There has never been a People who did more good for the cause of Freedom than the People of the United States. Our country is sick with an alien virus – the Red Plague of communism with its horrid atheism, immorality, and totalitarianism. We must recognize that this plague is hostile to everything our People stands for and that it will result in our demise as a free nation if we do not recognize it, quarantine it, and exterminate it.

Let’s first extinguish the virus in our hearts and minds by turning back to the God who granted us life and Liberty, to the Constitution which holds our Union together, and to the Founding Fathers who marked the path to Freedom for all peoples in all generations. Let’s rekindle the unique American spirit. On the eve of battle in 1776, George Washington encouraged his men to “remember . . . that you are Freemen, fighting for the blessings of liberty” (George Washington General Orders, August 23, 1776). Let’s do our part to remind ourselves, and teach our precious children, that we are freemen fighting for our Faith, Families, and Freedom!

Speaking at Mount Rushmore on July 3, 2020, President Donald Trump made the following pledge which we can all claim as our own. It can be our starting place as revolutionary Americans. It can be our promise to ourselves and our children:

“[L]et us go forward united in our purpose and re-dedicated in our resolve. We will raise the next generation of American patriots. We will write the next thrilling chapter of the American adventure. And we will teach our children to know that they live in a land of legends, that nothing can stop them, and that no one can hold them down. They will know that in America, you can do anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything.

“Uplifted by the titans of Mount Rushmore, we will find unity that no one expected; we will make strides that no one thought possible. This country will be everything that our citizens have hoped for, for so many years, and that our enemies fear — because we will never forget that American freedom exists for American greatness. And that’s what we have: American greatness.

“Centuries from now, our legacy will be the cities we built, the champions we forged, the good we did, and the monuments we created to inspire us all.

“My fellow citizens: America’s destiny is in our sights. America’s heroes are embedded in our hearts. America’s future is in our hands. And ladies and gentlemen: the best is yet to come.”

Yes, the best is still to come! We will yet see dark days. They will inevitably grow darker than they are now. But even as our enemies make their final, vain attempt to subjugate our nation, our People will awaken, arise, and rally behind the inspired standard of Liberty. We will recapture the Faith of our forefathers, fortify our Families, and reclaim our Freedom. Victory will be ours!

My soul gushes with thanksgiving to my God for the blessings He has rained down upon America! I love America! I love the Constitution and the honorable men who created it, which includes one of my own ancestors, Caleb Strong, to whom I pay tribute. I love the unrivaled heritage of Freedom we posses here in America. Let us never take it for granted. Let’s gather our children around us today, read to them the Declaration of Independence, and convey to them how much we love this land and the unparalleled rights we enjoy here.

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This Independence Day, be more than a spectator; participate in your Independence. I urge my fellow Americans to fall on their knees, cry to their Father in Heaven, petition the Lord for His strength, and then rise with renewed determination to be Sons of Liberty. We are American freemen. Liberty is our birthright and our destiny. May God help us become soldiers in this sacred struggle, to find and support our Washingtons and Jeffersons, and honorably play our part in this ongoing American Revolution!

Zack Strong,

July 4, 2020

Independence Day Reflections

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As July Fourth fades into July fifth, and the rockets’ red glare ceases to illuminate the night sky, I sit on my bed pondering about this great land of America and the challenges we face. My heart is somber. I feel like I want a cosmic megaphone so I can shout to the whole world and warn them of the fate they are rushing towards – to alert them to the trap that has been laid for them by humanity’s enemies. As we wave our flags, sing patriotic songs, and boast of our Freedom, I fear that we lose sight of the seriousness of our present situation.

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It appears that we are fulfilling in every particular the old scriptural warnings against complacency, naïveté, and ignorance. In one place we are told: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1). And in another ancient holy book, we are similarly warned:

“And others will [Satan] pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

“And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance” (2 Nephi 28:21).

I see so many conservatives applauding what they think are improving conditions under President Trump. The economy appears to be a booming. Unemployment numbers seem to be dropping. Some taxes have been cut. President Trump has slashed some of the myriad of bureaucratic regulations that entangle us. We are pumping and exporting more oil than ever before. We are extending the hand of diplomacy and friendship to belligerent nations like North Korea. We are making “deals” with everyone. And so forth. In all these things, conservatives believe they see the winds of change – a revolution in favor of sound government, national stability, and personal Freedom.

Yet, I must question whether any of these are indicators of true change and betterment. We have been so indoctrinated with Marxism that we see everything in terms of economics and materialism. If the economy appears stable, we think things are peachy. If unemployment drops, we think the government is doing wonderful. If a small tax cut puts a few extra dollars in our bank accounts, we assume everything is on track.

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But what of our spiritual health and cultural well-being? Is church attendance on the rise? Is faith in Jesus Christ increasing? Are we following the Ten Commandments as a People? Are our families stronger? Are more marriages weathering the storms of life and resisting the Siren song of easy and “no-fault” divorce? Have we done away with the barbaric practice of slaughtering our newborns? Are we having large families again like our forefathers? Are we less sex-obsessed than before? Are people obeying the Lord’s law of chastity and abstaining from sex before marriage and remaining faithful in marriage? Is entertainment abandoning the trend of throwing profanity and lewdness into everything?

And how are our social relations? Are we less divided than before? Do we agree and unite on more issues than before? Do we ignore superficial issues like race and gender, or are we obsessed with them? Do we heed the ludicrous demands of political correctness or ignore them? Do we go along with Marxist hate speech legislation or cherish free speech and expression? Are our public demonstrations peaceful or more violent and heated? Are mobs and mob mentality increasing or decreasing? Is our social media interaction friendlier than it was in the past or worse?

And legally speaking, are things on the upswing? Is the Constitution followed more often now or less? Is the First Amendment under attack or defended? Is the Second Amendment under assault or held inviolate? How are privacy rights doing – or is there such thing as privacy these days? Do we have more or fewer police swarming our streets? Are we emptying or filling our prisons?

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Folks, I could keep asking leading questions all day, but let me get to my point. Although the economy, on the surface, appears to be in a moment of upsurge (our $22 Trillion in debt, the existence of the parasitical Federal Reserve, and numerous other factors belie the claim of a booming economy), other indicators are blaring a “RED ALERT!” warning signal. The three great standards and institutions of any nation – Faith, Families, and Freedom – are all suffering massively. In fact, each is imploding before our eyes.

What good is a so-called “booming” economy when our Faith in the Savior gives way to pagan beliefs and reprobate behavior? How does a small tax cut assist us when our Families are decreasing in size, decreasing in effectiveness, and disintegrating altogether? What good is it to be a net exporter of oil when our Freedom is consumed by collectivist attitudes, Marxist-style Social Justice laws, and open calls for socialism by presidential candidates and the crowds who back them?

America is more divided than ever before. And the segment of the population who wants to drive the wedge even further and break us apart as a nation is succeeding largely because those of us who truly care and who ought to know better are ignoring the real problems. The honorable Ezra Taft Benson warned:

“If American freedom is lost, if America is destroyed, if our blood-bought freedom is surrendered, it will be because of Americans. What’s more, it will probably not be only the work of subversive and criminal Americans. The Benedict Arnolds will not be the only ones to forfeit our freedom. . . .

“If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers—normally good Americans, but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free—Americans who have been lulled away into a false security” (President Ezra Taft Benson, “Americans Are Destroying America,” Conference Report, April, 1968).

Is this what is happening? Are good, seemingly patriotic Americans responsible for the cultural destruction we see around us because they have been apathetic, naïve, and ignorant? I submit that this is precisely the case. There will always be subversives who want to overthrow the established government and set up a self-serving system with themselves in charge. However, this criminal element can only succeed when the population as a whole turns a blind eye and allows them to. We have for generations been so obsessed with bread and circuses that we allowed the communist cancer to spread to every community in the Union. We’ve slept while Rome burned. We’ve sold our Liberty for a mess of pottage!

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Ezra Taft Benson delivered another powerful warning that should’ve been heeded decades ago:

“For a quarter of a century I have seen, at close range, the insidious forward march of creeping socialism and its ruthless companion godless communism. It is a shocking record of bluff, bluster, deception, intrigue, bondage, and mass murder. Never in recorded history has any movement spread itself so far and so fast as has socialistic-communism in the past few years. The facts are not pleasant to review. Communist leaders are jubilant with their success. They are driving freedom back on almost every front. . . .

“I say to you with all the fervor of my soul: We are sowing the seeds of our own destruction in America and much of the free world today. It is my sober warning to you today that if the trends of the past thirty years – and especially the past three years – continue, we will lose that which is as priceless as life itself – our freedom – our liberty – our right to act as free men. It can happen here. It is happening here.

“Our greatest need in America today is to be alerted and informed” (Ezra Taft Benson, “We Must Become Alerted and Informed,” speech, December 13, 1963).

The seeds of destruction that were sewn decades ago are being harvested now before our eyes. Our enemies are “jubilant with their success.” Our level of healthy religion and morality – the pillars of free society – is declining. Our families are falling apart. Freedom is being pushed back “on almost every front.” And what do we do in the face of this awful situation? We cheer and celebrate, wave our flags and shoot off our fireworks, and believe that President Trump will save us!

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Instead, we need to become “alerted and informed.” We need to comprehend that there exists an international Satanic cabal which seek to obliterate our Liberty and consolidate the United States into a Marxist world order. We need to understand that communism never died, the USSR faked its “collapse,” and the West lost the Cold War. We need to admit that we have not done enough for to save our Republic – that it is our fault for allowing this clique of gangsters to abuse us for all these many years. We need to wake up and heed the warnings of men who have been awake all this time and who have screamed themselves hoarse trying to alert and save their country.

After this Independence Day, will anything change? Are our hearts stirring with emotion for our lost Liberty? Are we pricked with the terrible realization that all is not well in Zion? Will we push forward with more vigor for the restoration of our land to its godly roots? Will we work harder to preserve and replenish our Faith, Families, and Freedom? Will anything change at all? Or is July Fourth it just another day? Was it just another holiday – an excuse to BBQ, take the day off, and blow off some fireworks? Only you can decide what this day meant for you and what you will do from here on out.

From where I sit, it is not “morning in America.” But there should be mourning in America. The blast of the fireworks last night should have reverberated in our souls. We should feel the urgency which our situation presents. We should feel stirred to action in defense of our smoldering homeland. We should feel a greater determination to push back the communists who have gained so much ground that they are openly parading with hammer and sickle flags, burning Old Glory in D.C., beating people to within an inch of their lives in violent public demonstration while the police do nothing, and relishing the notion that one of their chosen candidates will likely be the Democratic Party nominee for president in 2020.

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My fellow Americans, we are losing this war. We are losing. Donald Trump is president, yet we are losing. So-called conservatives have a majority on the Supreme Court, yet we are losing. Republicans control the Senate, yet we are losing. Our culture is sinking under the weight of hedonism and selfishness. Public schools are little more than communist indoctrination centers. Even public libraries, those places that gave me so many hours of joy as a child, are scenes of debauchery and indoctrination. Yes, Christian constitutionalists are being pushed back on almost every front.

If I sound overly pessimistic, it is because I am. We are losing the war and the casualties are mounting. I know we will win the war in the end, but at what cost? How much will we lose along the way? How many of our friends and family members will fall in this struggle? How many more good people will have their lives, careers, and reputations destroyed because of the cowardice of their neighbors to defend their rights against oppression? How many more children will be stolen from good homes because of the political or religious views of their parents? How much more lewdness and depravity must we be forced to witness? How much more suffering must we endure before we wake up and thrash the enemy who feeds off of our pain like the American Indian god Okee?

As wonderful and fun as it is to watch fireworks, have BBQs, wear patriotic apparel, and read The Declaration of Independence with my family, I can’t help but mourn for my country. America is on fire. And if my home is burning, will I remain silent? If my family is in danger, will I remain inactive? If I’m on the verge of losing everything I love, will I shout, “USA! USA! USA!” or say “All is well”? No! And if you are a patriot, you must not fall into this fatal trap of complacency and inattention!

Now is the time to wake up. Now is the time to become informed. Now is the time to study the Constitution as well as the tactics of the communist enemy. Now is the time to educate your family and neighbors. Now is the time to act in behalf of your country. Now is the time!

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I love America! America is the greatest nation on earth! We are the most blessed People in history. This is a special land – a Promised Land. It is a land reserved by God for humble, righteous People. It is the Lord’s base of operations in these last days. America must be defended!

I pledge my life to the restoration of the Republic, the defense of our God-inspired Constitution, and to the maintenance of the principles of Liberty and rule of law. I pledge myself to the defense of Faith, Family, and Freedom. Whatever little I have to offer, I offer to my nation, to my People, and to my God. God help America!

Zack Strong,

July 5, 2019

The Noble Free

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The great patriotic hymn “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” contains these memorable lines:

“My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills. My heart with rapture thrills Like that above.”

America, a precious land dotted from one coast to the other with the beauties, blessings, and bounties of God’s superintending love, is the greatest land on earth! It is a special land of promise – a land of special covenants and promises. It is a land sanctified with the blood of patriots and martyrs. It is a land saved and set apart by the Almighty to be inhabited by a God-fearing, righteous, honorable, industrious, worthy people.

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The American People, in the early days, was a society of such spiritual stature that they won this land for their inheritance and were blessed with political, religious, social, economic, military, and technological advancement unrivaled by any other nation at any time in history. No honest and objective observer can deny that the America is the greatest nation to have ever existed when measured by nearly any metric.

The very perceptive scholar and statesman J. Reuben Clark, Jr. noted that:

“[U]nder our form of government the people of the United States have made a progress never before made by any other people in the world in an equal time during the whole period of recorded history.

“. . . standards of life and of living of the entire American people are far beyond those enjoyed by any other people in any other part of the world, either now or at any other time, which is a living testimony and evidence of the kindly beneficence of our free institution. . . .

“. . . I believe that the destiny of America is to be the abiding place of liberty and free institutions, and that its own practice and enjoyment of these blessings shall be to the world a beacon light which shall radiate its influence by peaceful means to the uttermost parts of the world, to the uplifting of all humanity” (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., June 11, 1940, cited in Jerreld L. Newquist, ed., Prophets, Principles and National Survival, 129).

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America indeed has risen to greater heights than any other nation before her. Today, even in our degraded state brought on because of years of deliberate attack by our enemies, the United States is the most influential, powerful, prosperous, respected, and free nation in the world. Without one ounce of doubt, we possess the greatest potential of any people on the planet. The Lord has not only blessed this Promised Land with the riches of minerals and natural resources, but with the far richer blessing of an unequaled heritage of Freedom, rule of law, and Christian devotion.

Our ancestors were “the noble free.” They were true freemen. They were patriots. They were the Sons of Liberty and the daughters of the Revolution. Our forefathers were great. They were honorable. They were pious and faithful. They were fervent Christians and fierce patriots. They were not perfect, but they were sincere and grounded, honest and true.

Our forefathers forged a free, civilized, and prosperous nation out of a wild wilderness. They made the Gospel of Christ and the Ten Commandments the basis of our society. We were founded as a nation of laws, not a nation of tyrants. Rule of law prevailed – not the whim of the mindless majority. Of these early Americans, George Washington Adams recounted:

“Our forefathers were a patient and persevering people; their devotion was simple but earnest; their theories were circumscribed but conscientious; their morality was rigorous but practical. They were from necessity frugal; from their position circumspect; from their situation vigorous and hardy. Obliged alike to brave the savage and the European foe – acquainted equally with the implements of husbandry and with the weapons of war – they guarded the state till she had cleared the dangers of her infancy. Such was the early character of the people of New England. It shows a race of men fit to be free. History presents no parallel to such a people mid all her records . . . she shows no other state originating in devotion and in liberty of thought – no other nation whose foundation was the pure worship of the living God” (David Barton, ed., Celebrate Liberty: Famous Patriotic Speeches and Sermons, 47).

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As noted, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was the rock foundation of this American nation. With the love of the Lord came a love of the Liberty He bestowed upon mankind. Defending the Liberty “wherewith Christ hath made [them] free” (Galatians 5:1) became paramount for the colonists. Therefore, when British persecution became severe enough, our patriot forefathers burst the political bands that tethered them to enslaved Europe and created the first free nation in modern times, opening a new epoch in mankind’s history.

Our Founding Fathers published the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming that this nation acknowledged God as their Sovereign, that their rights came from Him, and that they would rely upon Him for protection. The Lord heard our People’s cries for deliverance and divine intervention was forthcoming. In his First Inaugural Address, President George Washington affirmed God’s intervention in our nation’s behalf during the War for Independence. He stated:

“[I]t would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes, and may enable every instrument employed in its administration to execute with success the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the Great Author of every public and private good, I assure myself that it expresses your sentiments not less than my own, nor those of my fellow-citizens at large less than either. No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”

It was widely believed by those of our founding generation that America had been set up and protected by the hand of God for a special reason; that reason being the preservation of Liberty for mankind. For instance, in an Independence Day oration in 1826, George Bancroft stated:

“The dearest interests of mankind were entrusted to our country. It was for her to show that the aspirations of former ages were not visionary – that freedom is something more than a name – that the patriots and the States that have been martyrs in its defense were struggling in a sacred cause and fell in the pursuit of a real good. The great spirits of former times looked down from their celestial abodes to cheer and encourage her in the hour of danger. The nations of the earth turned towards her as to their last hope. And the country has not deceived them” (David Barton, ed., Celebrate Liberty: Famous Patriotic Speeches and Sermons, 98).

The American freemen cherished the thought that Heaven had appointed them to be the guardians of Freedom on the earth – that America was a shining city on a hill beckoning to the oppressed of mankind. They knew, from the generous intervention of Almighty God in their favor, that America was not just another nation; she was special. I also know that America is a blessed land, a favored land, a choice land, a Promised Land. There is nowhere on earth more favored and watched over than America. And no people has received as many blessings as the American People.

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We owe a massive debt of gratitude to our Creator and God for the privilege and blessing of living in this the greatest nation on earth. At this time of the year when we turn our minds back to our patriot forefathers who won for us our sacred Freedom, we should humble ourselves and recommit our lives to the service of God. John Adams famously said that our system of government is only sustainable by a “moral and religious people.” He was right. Our forefathers knew it and I know it. Either we will turn back to the Lord and cut out the cultural cancer consuming us, or we will collapse as a nation.

Another great American, Ezra Taft Benson, issued a warning in 1979. It is even more applicable in 2019:

“Never before has the land of Zion appeared so vulnerable to so powerful an enemy as the Americas do at present. And our vulnerability is directly attributable to our loss of active faith in the God of this land, who has decreed that we must worship Him or be swept off. Too many Americans have lost sight of the truth that God is our source of freedom—the Lawgiver—and that personal righteousness is the most important essential to preserving our freedom. So, I say with all the energy of my soul that unless we as citizens of this nation forsake our sins, political and otherwise, and return to the fundamental principles of Christianity and of constitutional government, we will lose our political liberties, our free institutions, and will stand in jeopardy before God.”

If we wish to be “the noble free” like our ancestors, we must cherish this land of Liberty enough to live as our forefathers lived and worship as they worshiped. Our devotion must be to law – rule of law and divine law. The Savior should be the center of our lives, the center of our families, the center of our communities, the center of our laws, and the reason we so fiercely contend for Liberty under our inspired Constitution. America, this citadel of Freedom we so love, is worth every effort to defend.

Truly, it is not enough to remember the sacrifices our forefathers made all those years ago. We must imitate them and step forward to defend our Republic in our own day. It is time to show whether you are a freeman or a slave, a patriot or a turncoat. Now is the time to honor your forefathers by making our America the bastion of Liberty – the shining city on a hill – they hoped to create. The power is in our hands. What will we do with it?

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Happy Independence Day. God bless you and yours. And God bless America.

Zack Strong,

July 1, 2019

Festival of Freedom

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“My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!” – Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, June 17, 1785.

The United States of America is the greatest nation on earth! With all of our numerous flaws and serious disruptions and contentions, this Republic is still, without question, the best nation in the world and the last hope for mankind. No other country has as much raw potential as the United States. And certainly no other nation has as glorious a heritage of Freedom, rule of law, and godly society as does America. We are a blessed land with a special mission to fulfill.

In order to fulfill our singular mission, however, we must recognize and be grateful for our unsurpassed blessings, embrace our unique American heritage, revive the principles and ideals enshrined in our founding documents, and press forward in faith. We must defend our faith, families, and Freedom against all attacks – both from within and from without. We must imbibe the same spirit our forefathers possessed that caused them to risk life and limb to forge a free nation. Independence Day is the perfect time to do just that.

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During an Independence Day oration in 1826, George Bancroft referred to this exceptional holiday and stated:

“The festival which we keep is the festival of freedom itself – it belongs not to us only but to man. All the nations of the earth have an interest in it, and humanity proclaims it sacred!”

Independence Day is not just another day. It is a special day; a sacred day. It was the opening of a new epoch. This holy day marks the founding of the first free nation in modern times – a nation which grew from its humble beginnings to become the greatest nation in recorded history. America is not just another nation, and her birthday is not just another day.

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In 1796, a full generation before Bancroft delivered his oration, John Lathrop gave an Independence Day address wherein he affirmed:

“Liberty descended from Heaven on the 4th of July, 1776. . . .

“The first promulgation of the Gospel of Liberty was the declaration of American independence . . . the Americans were elected by God to redeem from bondage the miserable victims of arbitrary power.”

America was the vessel which the Lord designed to carry Liberty to a safe harbor. When fifty-six men signed their names to the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and proclaimed their reliance upon “the protection of Divine Providence,” Freedom began to burst forth. America is the modern birthplace of Liberty and has remained its sole incubator for 242 years. Truly, Independence Day is no ordinary day.

John Quincy Adams, in an Independence Day speech delivered in 1837, rhetorically asked:

“Why is it that next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day?”

He went on to provide the answer:

“Is it not that in the chain of events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? – that it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? – that it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?”

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To our forefathers, the birth of America was not a raucous “rebellion,” but a sacrosanct religious event. It was an act of Providence. It was a fulfillment of ancient Biblical prophecy. So many profound miracles poured forth from Heaven that General George Washington, in the heat of the conflict with tyrannical Britain, wrote to a fellow general that:

“The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations” (George Washington to Thomas Nelson, August 20, 1778).

Speaking in 1793, just a few years after Washington penned his letter, Elias Boudinot told an audience gathered for their Independence Day celebration the following:

“The late revolution . . . is big with events that are daily unfolding themselves and pressing in thick succession to the astonishment of a wondering world!

“It has been marked with the certain characteristic of a Divine overruling hand in that it was brought about and perfected against all human reasoning and apparently against all human hope – and that in the very moment of time when all Europe seemed ready to be plunged into commotion and distress.

“Divine Providence, throughout the government of this world, appears to have impressed many events with the undoubted evidence of His own almighty arm.”

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On April 30, 1789, newly elected President George Washington delivered his First Inaugural Address. In it, he stated:

“[I]t would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official Act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the Universe, who presides in the Councils of Nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that his benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the People of the United States, a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes: and may enable every instrument employed in its administration to execute with success, the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the Great Author of every public and private good I assure myself that it expresses your sentiments not less than my own; nor those of my fellow-citizens at large, less than either. No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States. Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”

Through the intervention of Almighty God, the American Republic came into being. Without His divine aid, our War for Independence would have floundered, our Founding Fathers would have been hanged as traitors, the U.S. Constitution would have never come into being, and America would have been once more subjected to European tyranny. Yet, God did intervene, America did win her bid for Independence, and the Founding Fathers went on to draft the U.S. Constitution under inspiration and set America on the path to unrivaled greatness.

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Today, how many of us stop to remember and express gratitude for the Lord’s hand in our nation’s birth and progress? How many of us truly comprehend how significant Independence Day was in the course of world history? How many of us understand the great mission America has been given – the mission of preaching the Gospel of Liberty to mankind? How few of us thank our God for His bountiful blessings upon this special land!

As Americans, we are unique. The eyes of the world are, and truly have been, upon us. No other People has a history and a heritage like we do. No other nation boasts such a large group of Founding Fathers so thoroughly brilliant, honorable, and wise. No other nation has founding documents as inspired as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. No other country anywhere witnessed such conspicuous intervention by Deity in its founding. The American Republic is not just another nation, and her birthday is not just another day.

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Be proud to be an American. Be proud of your unmatched heritage of Freedom. Feel honored you were born here in the cradle of Liberty and that you have the privilege of participating in this ongoing struggle. Defend your faith, family, and Freedom against all attacks. Cherish the history of the American founding and the memory of the men who sacrificed so much for this Republic. And never take for granted this special day, this Independence Day, this festival of Freedom. Long Live Liberty!

Zack Strong

July 1, 2018.