First, the discovery of the Americas. Christopher Columbus shares his testimony about his epic voyage, recorded in a letter to the Spanish hierarchy and reads as follows: "Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?"
Concerning the Revolutionary War, George Washington said: "The success which has hitherto attended our united efforts, we owe to the gracious interposition of heaven, and to that interposition let us gratefully ascribe the praise of victory and the blessings of peace."
The convictions of two delegates at the Constitutional Convention, Charles Pinckney: "When the great work was done and published, I was struck with amazement. Nothing less than the superintending hand of Providence that so miraculously carried us through the war . . . could have brought it about so complete upon the whole." Here is another testimony, this from James Madison, sometimes referred to as the "Father of the Constitution": "It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution."
And lastly, the words of Benjamin Franklin: "I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?
We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this. And I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little, partial, local interest. Our projects will be confounded, and we, ourselves, shall become a reproach and a byword to future ages; and what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.
I therefore make the move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business and that one or more of the clergy in this city be requested to officiate in that service."In the Book of Mormon we read of a general named Moroni, he is a man who did not delight in bloodshed, but delighted in the freedom and liberty of his people. At one point in the history of his people, a man desires to rise up and become king in order to subject the people in bondage. Moroni rallies his forces in defense of his nation. He tears his coat, taking a piece of it and writes :" In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children" ( Alma 46:12 )
Moroni then takes this piece and fastens it to a pole, riding from town to town gathering the people in defense of these freedoms. Moroni was willing to keep the commandments and to fight for his right's to worship his God. The Lord revealed to a prophet named Nephi: "And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper", and if we do not keep God's commandments we will not nor cannot prosper!
Thanks be to God for His continual blessing of us for following Him and keeping His commandments, and for the freedoms and liberties He has given us, to be able to worship as we please without fear of punishment! Like Moroni, let us always be willing to stand up for our God and do what is right. I know as we do the Lord will strengthen us. Let us remember the words of our Founding Fathers and always acknowledge the hand of God in our lives and the blessings we enjoy now today because of Him.
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