"When in the course of Human Events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another..."
That's how it all began. A revolutionary war and a revolutionary government and country.
But really it began a long time before those words ever flowed from the ink of Thomas Jefferson's quill pen.
Today I stood in the beautiful Rotunda in the National Archives, where lay in solemn majesty three documents that channeled the flow of the River of History down a completely new and unchartered course towards Life, Liberty and the Persuit if Happiness: The Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution and The Bill of Rights.
I mentioned spiritual fingerprints, it was interesting to feel how similar that Rotunda felt to Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It was the same story, it was the same event. It sent out the same wave of spiritual energy into the Universe, changing lives forever.
I was overcome by emotion as I looked at those documents; not the parchment and fading ink--but what they stood for and what they represented. These have become cornerstones of Liberty throughout the world, and the men who made them, examples of Manhood and Mission forever to be emulated.
The Rotunda is dimly lit, to preserve the ink and parchment; it also adds a fitting hallowed feeling--you want to whisper and walk quietly. Above the documents, about 15 feet off the ground are two huge murals: one of the signers of the Declaration and the other of the signers of the Constitution. The murals are beautifully painted and seem to personify perfectly these amazing Patriots; our Patriarchs of freedom.
I looked at the mural on the left, of the signers of the Declaration, and picked out the familiar faces: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, George Wythe, John Hancock among others. Each one willing to sign that document, knowing it was a blatant act of treason. Pledging their "Lives, Fortunes and [their] Sacred Honor", wasn't a trite phrase, they literally were putting their lives, the lives of their families, their wealth (for many of them, was considerable), and their honor as men, knowing that if they were wrong that any blood shed in this war would stain their hands at Judgement Day, before the Great and Eternal Judge. They understood all of that, and signed anyway.
As I looked at the mural, the words of the Declaration of Independence flooded my mind. I'd memorized it once upon a time, and my memory now is kind of fragmented and mixes it up. But I love the beautiful language Jefferson used, and also the powerful ideas. Jefferson and his founding brothers knew Socrates, Romulus, Moses, Locke, Blackstone and Montesquieu; the myriad of truths taught by every great teacher were like Legos blocks that Jefferson had accumulated through hours of study, pondering, and application. With these pieces of truth, he created a whole new work of art--a revolutionizing and distinctly individual masterpiece.
I was going to quote some favorite parts, but as I looked over the Declaration, I realized I would end up quoting basically the whole thing. Just go read the Declaration, its innate majesty is far greater than any I could add.
I'll only make one last comment.
As I looked at the grand Mural, I wondered, "how could they have done it?", "what gave them the strength to sacrifice their Live, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor?"
The answer came from the preceding clause: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a Firm reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge...." They really believed that they were in the right, and they believed that God would honor that. It didn't matter that they were opposing the most influential King of the 18th century world. It didn't matter that they had no official navy to fight the greatest fleet on the 7 sees. It didn't matter that George Washington was leading rag-tag farm boys against the most organized and armed army at the time. It didn't matter that it was impossible. It didn't matter.
There was a Power stronger that Armies, more powerful than Navies, more noble than Kings; in that Power they trusted, they hoped, they prayed.
The Protection of divine Providence did shine upon them, and against all odds these 13 struggling colonies pulled one of the greatest military upsets in all history that I've studied. It was a miracle. A miracle that happened because 26 men were willing to rest their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor on good things to come.
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