Independance Day

On the back of our dollar bill we see both “In God We Trust” and above the all seeing eye and unfinished pyramid “Annuit Coeptis” (with God's favor or God is with us)- not just nice phrases, but slogans that held deep meaning to the Founding Fathers-

As summer of 1776 approached the nation was already at war with Briton. Washington’s troops had suffered large losses at Boston.

Thomas Jefferson showed up in Philadelphia as a delegate to Congress on May 14^th. He didn't really want to be there- His mother and one of his daughters had recently died; his wife was also very ill. On top of this, back home in Virginia, the state was working on a constitution, and Jefferson desperately wanted to help write it. He sent a letter requesting a leave from the Continental Congress, but his request was denied.

Jefferson had another divinely appointed role to play!

In early June a committee was chosen to write a document declaring their independence from the crown consisting of (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson). Rather than try to write the declaration by committee, they selected Jefferson to write it.

Thomas Jefferson was more prepared than any other of the Founders for the task at hand. He was relentless from a young age in the pursuit of knowledge. He started studying Greek and French at age nine; entered the College of William and Mary at age 16, graduated at age 19; immediately started five years of intensive study with George Wythe becoming a talented lawyer. During this time, he was known to spend 12 to 14 hours a day studying. He became proficient in five languages, studied Greek and Roman classics; European and English history; and the Old and New Testaments. He studied law, languages, physics, agriculture, mathematics, philosophy, chemistry, anatomy, zoology, botany, religion, politics, history, literature, rhetoric, and on and on.

Jefferson spent 17 days drafting the declaration. A large portion of it is the reciting of the abuses of the King which were mostly copied from other things that he had already written and would have only taken him maybe a day to put together. He spent the majority of time writing and re-writing the first two paragraphs. In these two short paragraphs he captured at least eight of what he called “ancient principles” on the proper role of government and the rights of man. He accomplished an amazing feat of packing the guiding principles of our new nation so clearly and briefly.

On July 4^th the Congress as a whole approved the declaration. It was read in public a few days later and celebrations followed. People cheered, bells rang, and many celebrated all night (The Making of America).

Trust in God is evident in the first paragraph when Jefferson wrote that they had the right to “…assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them…”

The start of the next paragraph was an eye opener to many who did not think this way…

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men…”

These were amazing words to a new nation looking for guiding principles regarding liberty and freedom. They set the founding principles that would guide the direction of the constitutional convention later.

Word of the Declaration got to Washington and his solders. It lifted their spirits and caused celebrations. It gave them clear purpose for why they were fighting…

Washington, that summer, was preparing to protect New York from invasion of a large British force that took place in August. He made a couple critical mistakes. First, he was afraid that the likely target of Long Island would be a ruse and that the British might attack first New York itself, so he split his army in half between the two. Second a road called Jamaica Pass leading into Long Island had largely been left ignored.

The British did attack on Long Island. When the battle started the Americans thought for a few minutes that they were winning, but did not realize that 10,000 solders that had marched down Jamaica Pass were about to attack their flank. The Americans retreated in chaos back through a swamp. They lost many men and were driven back to the East River. They joined a fort there where Washington was waiting. The army had nowhere to go. The British general ordered a stop to the attack and had to repeat it several times because the solders could tell they were about to crush the Americans.

How could Washington possible save these men? Loosing this much of his army would mean almost certain failure in the war. If the British fleet was able to sail up river there would be no possible path of retreat. A storm came up with a strong wind that made it impossible for the British fleet to sail up river. A plan to bring Washington's army across the river in small row boats was hatched. As they got started they found it impossible to row boats across the river against the strong winds and waves, but shortly the wind died down and switched allowing a quick row across the river. They were making progress, but morning was coming and still much of the army was on Long Island. They were sure to be seen now. As the sun started coming up a thick and dense fog rose all around the river. Men and trees were hard to see at 5 feet and completely disappeared at 10 feet. Washington was in the last boat to leave. The fog shortly lifted shortly after the last boat and within two hours, the British stormed the front lines and fort finding it deserted.

Impossibly out numbered and out maneuvered Washington and his army was saved by divine Providence and despite being demoralized and loosing many men, he still had an army which would be able to eventually secure the freedom of the new nation.

“In God we trust” and “Annuit Coeptis” from the Continental Congress to the battle fields culminating with victory at Yorktown God’s hand was certainly with these men as they set out to bring individual freedom and liberty back to the earth. Today as we remember the founding of The United States of America and the Declaration of Independence let us also remember and take note of the true source of our freedom and liberty and that they are granted by God and not by man or by governments. Let us put our “firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence” and “pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Happy Independence Day!