"A French philosopher who visited our shores when America was a new young
nation left a similar warning. Alexis De Tocqueville said he came to the United
States to learn what magic quality enabled a handful of people to defeat the
mighty British Empire twice in 35 years. He looked for the greatness of America
in her harbors and rivers, her fertile fields and boundless forests, mines and
other natural resources. He studied America's schools, her Congress, and her
matchless Constitution without comprehending America's power.
Not, until he went into the churches of America and heard pulpits
"aflame with righteousness" did he understand the secret of her genius and
strength. De Tocqueville returned to France and wrote:
"America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be
good, America will cease to be great."
- John Stormer, Death of a
Nation, pp.20-21
"No nation has ever existed or been
governed without religion. Nor can be. The Christian
religion is the best religion that has been given to man and I, as
Chief Magistrate of this nation, am bound to give it the sanction of my
example." - Thomas Jefferson
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that
this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians;
not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
-
Patrick Henry, Statesman and Orator
"Never forget Americans, that yours is a spiritual country. Yes, I know
you're practical people. Like others, I've marveled at your factories, your
skyscapers, and your arsenals. But underlying everything
else is the fact that America began as a God-loving, God-fearing,
God-worshipping people."
- General Romulo, General of the
Philippines.
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity,
religion and morality are indispensible supports. It is
impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the
Bible."
- George Washington, 1st U.S. President
"While we give praise to God, the supreme disposer of all events, for His
interposition on our behalf, let us guard against the dangerous error of
trusting in, or boasting of, an arm of flesh…If your case is just, if your
principles are pure, and if your conduct is prudent, you need not fear the
multitude of opposing hosts."
- John Witherspoon, signer of the Declaration
of Independence
"Americans should select and prefer Christians
as their rulers."
- John Jay, The first Supreme Court Justice
" We have staked the whole of all
our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government,
upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control
ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten
Commandments of God."
- James Madison, the fourth president, known as "The Father of Our
Constitution"
"Oh Lord, Thou hast told us how to pray. Help us to shut the door,
shutting out the world, and the enemy and any fear or doubt which spoils prayer.
May there be no distance between our souls and Thee."
- John Wanamaker,
American Merchant and U.S. Postmaster General from 1889-93
"We all can pray. We all should pray. We should ask the
fulfillment of
God's will. We should ask for courage, wisdom, for the quietness of soul which
comes alone to them who place their lives in His hands"
- Harry Truman, 33rd
President
"Our prayer and God's mercy are like two buckets in a well; while one
ascends the other descends".
- Mary Hopkins, U.S. educator
"God would graciously pour out His Holy Spirit on us to bring us to a
thorough Repentance and effectual Reformation that our iniquities may not be our
ruin; that He would restore, preserve and secure the Liberties of this and all
the other British American colonies, and make the Land a mountain of Holiness,
and Habitation of Righteousness forever."
- Jonathan Trumbell, American Poet
"I pray Heaven bestow the best of blessings on this House and all that
shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under
this roof."
- John Adams, 2nd U.S. President
"I conceive we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly
supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world…that the confusions that are and
have been among the nations may be overruled by the promoting and speedily
bringing in the holy and happy period when the kingdoms of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ may be everywhere established."
- Samuel Adams, American
Revolutionist and signer of the Declaration of Independence
"Prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point
of view."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson", American author
"Remember that God is our only sure trust."
- Mary Washington, wife of
George Washington
"America was founded by people who believed that God was their Rock of
safety. I recognize we must be cautious in claiming that God is on our side, but
I think it's all right to keep asking if we're on His side."
- Ronald Reagan,
40th President
"Remember ever; and always, that your country was founded…by the stern
old Puritans who made the deck of the Mayflower an altar of the living God, and
whose first act on touching the soil of the new world was to offer on bended
knees thanksgiving to Almighty God."
- Henry Wilson, 18th Vice President
under Ulysses S. Grant
"There are good many problems before the American people today, and
before me as President, but I expect to find the solution to those problems just
in the proportion that I am faithful in the study of the Word of God."
-
Woodrow Wilson, 28th President
"If we work on marble, it will perish; if on brass, time will efface it;
if we rear up temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal
minds and imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God and the love of
our fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something that will brighten to all
eternity."
- Daniel Webster, American politician
"We think it is incumbent upon this people to humble themselves before
God on account of their sins…[And] also to implore the Divine Blessing upon us,
that by the assistance of His grace, we may be enabled to reform whatever is
amiss among us, that so God may be pleased to continue to us the blessings we
enjoy."
- John Hancock, American Revolutionist, and signer of the Declaration
of Independence
"The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the
healing of America….Our country is in need of and ready for a spiritual
renewal."
- Ronald Reagan, 40th President
