JULY 4 -- WATCHMEN John Winthrop cultivate a spirit of subordination and call a little wooden boat; and like the The earliest settlers in Massachusetts, the obedience to government; and entertain other Pilgrims [Puritans], he was looking ON THE WALL II Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony in 1620 (500 a brotherly affection and love for one for a home that would be free. I’ve spoken July 4, Independence Day, is upon us this years ago!), and the Puritans at the Massa- another and for their fellow citizens of the of the shining city all my political life, but weekend. Duhhh, you say. How observant! chusetts Bay United States at large. I don’t know if I ever quite communicated What should we be celebrating on that Colony in And finally that Thou wilt most graciously what I saw when I said it. But in my mind day? In years past, July 4 was a joyous oc- 1630, came be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, it was a tall, proud city built on rocks casion for parades, picnics, and fireworks, all to the New to love mercy, and to demean ourselves stronger than oceans, windswept, God- acknowledging our thankfulness to God for World in or- with that charity, humility, and pacific blessed, and teeming with people of all this nation, for our good fortune to be Ameri- der to escape temper of mind which were the character- kinds living in harmony and peace; a city cans, for those who suffered much to create religious istics of the Divine Author of our blessed with free ports that hummed with com- such an exceptional nation that we might live persecution merce and creativ- in security and prosperity! and to be St. Paul's Chapel where George ity. And if there This year, in Lucerne Valley, there are free to follow Washington prayed for our country had to be city no parade and no fireworks. Yes, some God as they walls, the walls dedicated souls are planning a carnival believed He had doors and the for the kids. But the fun of the parade and wanted. John Winthrop led the Puritans to doors were open fireworks is gone. The spirit of July 4 is found the Massachusetts Bay Colony and to anyone with the severely dampened. what became the city of Boston. He wrote will and the heart Certainly this reflects the true state of our these words in a sermon to them, in which to get here. That’s nation at this moment in time. If we celebrate he declares this new country to be in cov- how I saw it, and the United States enant with God, under His protection. see it still. as an exceptional The Lord will be our God, and delight In a speech in nation, then we to dwell among us, as His own people, 1984, Reagan said, are labelled white and will command a blessing upon us in This is our supremacist bigots. all our ways, so that we shall see much moment. Let us Worse, if we ac- more of His wisdom, power, goodness unite, shoulder knowledge God and and truth, than formerly we have been religion, and without a humble imitation to shoulder, behind one mighty banner His blessings on acquainted with. For we must con- of whose example in these things we for freedom. And let us go forward from this nations, we are sider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. can never hope to be a happy nation. here not with some faint hope that our right-wing evangeli- The eyes of all people are upon us. So Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, cause is not yet lost; let us go forward cal haters. Pride in, and appreciation for, our that if we shall deal falsely with our God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." confident that the American people country is sidelined, discarded, and even at- in this work we have undertaken, and so share our values, and that together we tacked, just as statues of our nation’s heroes cause Him to withdraw His present help will be victorious. are defaced and destroyed. from us, we shall be made a story and a And in those moments when we grow We’ve been under the collective thumbs by-word through the world. tired, when our struggle seems hard, of the various levels of government for well Winthrop also wrote this: remember what Eric Liddell, Scotland’s over a year now, allowing petty bureaucrats And to shut this discourse with that Olympic champion runner, said in Chari- control our lives and actions, driving many of exhortation of Moses, that faithful servant ots of Fire: “So where does the power us into depression and/or financial insolven- of the Lord, in his last farewell to Israel, come from to see the race to its end? cy. We’ve been subjected to lies, disinfor- Deut. 30. "Beloved, there is now set From within. God made me for a purpose, mation, and the fog of confusion about a before us life and death, good and evil," and I will run for His pleasure.” virus plague that somehow never seems as in that we are commanded this day to If we trust in Him, keep His word, and horrible as “they” want us to believe. And love the Lord our God, and to love one live our lives for His pleasure, He’ll give Abraham Lincoln why are they so adamant that we believe it? another, to walk in his ways and to keep us the power Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, To add insult to injury, our masters seem his Commandments and his ordinance we need proclaimed a national day of prayer in 1863, desperate to convince us to allow into our and his laws, and the articles of our – power to during the darkest days of the Civil War. This bodies a form of DNA manipulation, falsely Covenant with Him, that we may live and fight the was his prayer for the nation at that time: calling it a vaccine, and putting into place be multiplied, and that the Lord our God good fight, Almighty God, Who has given us this controls like the vaccine passport that will may bless us in the land whither we go to finish the good land for our heritage; We humbly disrupt our lives even more. And it will divide to possess it. But if our hearts shall turn race and beseech Thee that we may always prove us into the approved Vaccinated and the away, so that we will not obey, but shall to keep the ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor severely disapproved Neanderthal Unvac- be seduced, and worship other Gods, our faith. and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land cinated, with freedom of movement curtailed pleasure and profits, and serve them; it Thank you very much. God bless you and with honorable ministry, sound learning, and privileges withheld from the Neander- is propounded unto us this day, we shall God bless America. and pure manners. Save us from vio- thals. Again the question: why are “they” surely perish out of the good land whither lence, discord, and confusion, from pride Does this shock you, to read these words so anxious that we allow our bodies to be we pass over this vast sea to possess it. and arrogance, and from every evil way. of some great leaders of our past? Is it invaded in this way? Therefore let us choose life, Defend our liberties, and fashion into not more shocking how far we have fallen? It makes this holiday this year feel empty, that we and our seed may live, one united people, the multitude brought Reagan mentions how “the American people like a charade. We act out certain parts of by obeying His voice and cleaving to Him, hither out of many kindreds and tongues. share our values”, but who are the “Ameri- the holiday, like camping, picnics, and bar- for He is our life and our prosperity. Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those can” people anymore, as we are flooded with becues, but there’s no heart and soul for the non-Americans who are not coming here to uniqueness of the United States anymore. Since most Americans are ignorant of true whom in Thy name we entrust the American history, most of us are ignorant of authority of government, that there may become Americans but to get the goodies be- Last week, we wrote here “Watchmen on ing thrown at them. Let your mind’s eye rove the Wall”, to give warning that God’s judg- this covenant declared at our earliest found- be justice and peace at home, and that ing, a covenant that we have repudiated and through obedience to Thy law, we may the American landscape, seeing the riots, ment on this world and this nation is immi- murder, mayhem, and masks all over. Wow! nent. We described several factors pointing broken into a thousand pieces. show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity fill our No wonder we are under God’s judgment! to the precarious situation in which the world George Washington We began in a covenant with God to become finds itself. Those who pay attention know After taking hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to His light to the world, His shining city on a in their hearts that things are not right, that the oath of office hill, and now we violate everything He cares something out of the ordinary, something in 1789, George fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.