Two Historic Quotes on this Day

July 2, 1776 and 1912…Founding Father John Adams extolling the Declaration of Independence versus Progressivist Woodrow Wilson reinterpreting it.

Teaching my worldview class for the past seven years has afforded great opportunities to study our nation’s history and find some great quotations. One of those great historic quotes was John Adams glorying on that day’s events in a letter to his wife, Abigail:

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 triumph in that Days Transaction, even although We should rue it, with I trust in God We shall not.

July 2, 1776 was the day Congress declared independence from Great Britain; July 4, 1776 was the adoption of the document, The Declaration of Independence. John Adams’ sentiments were only a couple of days early, but his heart was certainly on the pulse beat of every American.

Just 136 years later, presidential candidate Woodrow Wilson would declare his extremely progressivistic views on this same document–a view that would change the landscape of American politics and chart a departing course from that of our founding fathers. Wilson’s view predominates the liberal agenda of today’s politics. Wilson could invoke the name of God with the best of them, but that did not mean his politics were blessed of that God whom he quoted. Read this insightful introduction from The Heritage Foundation, then following, read for yourself the words of Governor Wilson who would months later become our 28th President and leader/charter of the progressive movement.

http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/first-principles/primary-sources/woodrow-wilson-asks-what-is-progress

Read it and weep for an America that has followed that course and that needs to repent and return to the course of John Adams and his contemporaries.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
“Righteousness exalts a nation…”
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”