[Faith-talk] {Spam?} The Bible in America's Memorials

[Linda Mentink]

Hi all,

I enjoyed this article very much, and thought many of you might 
as well.

Blessings,

Linda


THE BIBLE IN AMERICA'S MEMORIALS

October 26, 2016 (David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 
610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns at wayoflife.org.

The following is excerpted from THE BIBLE AND WESTERN SOCIETY. 
ISBN 978-1-58318-217-8. This is an examination of the Bible's 
influence on Western Society, particularly England and America. 
The nine chapters are as follows: 1. The Bible fashioned the 
English language. 2. The Bible fashioned England. 3. The Bible 
fashioned America. 4. The Bible produced high moral character. 5. 
The Bible produced missionary zeal. 6. The Bible produced great 
concepts of human liberty. 7. The Bible produced great social 
benevolence. 8. The Bible produced modern science. 9. The Bible 
produced beautiful music. This book documents the Bible's 
influence on America's founding fathers, America's founding 
documents, the American government, the American educational 
system, America's concept of human liberty, the abolition of 
slavery, and many other things. There are also chapters on 
"America a Christian Nation?" and "America in Bible Prophecy."

____________

The Bible's influence on American history is evident in its 
memorials.

References to the Bible and to the God of the Bible are inscribed 
everywhere on America's founding memorials in Philadelphia, New 
York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.

U.S. Capitol Building. Many of the eight large paintings in the 
rotunda depict America's Christian heritage, including the 
baptism of the Indian princess Pocahontas and the Virginia 
charter. One painting depicts Pilgrim leader William Brewster 
holding an open Bible inscribed with the words, "The New 
Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The chapel of the 
House of Representatives contains an open Bible on an altar in 
front of a stained glass window depicting George Washington in 
prayer and the words, "Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put 
my trust" (Psalm 16:1). Behind the Speaker's rostrum in the House 
of Representatives are the words of the national motto, "In God 
We Trust." This refers to the God of the Bible.

The White House. The Adams Prayer Mantel was installed in 1945 by 
Franklin D. Roosevelt and contains a prayer by John Adams, second 
president of the United States. "I pray heaven to bestow the best 
of blessings on this house and on all those that shall hereafter 
inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this 
roof."

Library of Congress. The Library of Congress was completed in 
1897 and was named the Thomas Jefferson Building. On the walls 
are inscribed the following verses: "The light shineth in 
darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not" (John 1:5);  
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom and with 
all thy getting, get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7);  "What doth 
the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, 
and to walk humbly with thy God" (Micah 6:8); "The heavens 
declare the Glory of God, and the firmament showeth His 
handiwork" (Psalm 19:1). On permanent display are two Latin 
Bibles. The Bible was the first book that was printed on a 
printing press and is the most popular and widely distributed 
book in human history. One of the Bibles on display at the 
Library of Congress is an original Gutenberg Bible of 1453, the 
first printed Bible. Of the 21 complete surviving copies, England 
and America own 12 of them.
The other Bible on display is the Great Bible of Mainz. It was 
handwritten and dates to 1453. Thus it was completed at the same 
time that Gutenberg was printing his Bible and is one of the last 
handwritten Bibles. The Great Bible and the Gutenberg Bible were 
not only produced at the same time, but also in the same town in 
Germany. The Mainz Bible represents the countless Bibles that 
were laboriously handwritten for a millennium and a half, from 
the time of the apostles until the invention of printing in 1454. 
The Library of Congress also has a statue of Moses holding the 
Ten Commandments and a statue of Paul. Above the Paul statue is 
the Micah 6:8 inscription.

Supreme Court Building. Above the main entrance are the words 
"Equal Justice under Law." It is only in Scripture that we find a 
truly just and equal concept of law. Men were not treated equally 
under Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Indian, Mayan, or 
Chinese law. The concept of equality does not come from Hinduism 
or Buddhism or Islam or ancient pagan idolatry. Consider 
Hammurabi's law code, which was published by the king of Babylon 
in about 1780 BC. It is one of the most famous law codes of the 
ancient pagan world, supposedly received from Hammurabi's sun god 
Shamash. But Hammurabi's laws were not just and equal. Penalties 
differed according to the social standing of the victim and 
perpetrator. In contrast, God's law says. "Ye shall not respect 
persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the 
great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the 
judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring 
it
unto me, and I will hear it" (Deuteronomy 1:17). In front of the 
Supreme Court building is a statue called "The Authority of Law." 
The solemn figure is alert and watchful, signifying the necessity 
for government to enforce law and order. The figure holds a law 
book and has a sword, signifying punishment of evildoers. This is 
the concept presented in Romans 13:4, "For he is the minister of 
God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be 
afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the 
minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth 
evil." Lady Justice holds a scale, meaning that law must be 
equal, just, true, and honest. She holds a sword, signifying 
punishment of evil doing. Lady Justice is based on the Roman 
goddess Justice and the Greek goddess Themis, but the concept of 
perfect justice goes back to the God of the Bible who is the 
original holy lawgiver and judge. At the top of the east entrance
of the Supreme Court building are images of three lawgivers: 
Moses of Israel, Confucius of China, and Solon of Greece. Moses 
is the central and largest figure and holds the tablets of the 
Ten Commandments. I am not sure what the artist intended, but I 
can see two important truths in this monument. First, America is 
not built solely on Scripture, but it is built prominently on 
Scripture. Second, The centrality of Moses in the monument 
reminds us that the teaching of the Chinese and Greeks or other 
ancient pagan people could never have created America. It is the 
Bible's influence on America that has made it so unique and 
great. On the wooden doors of the main entrance to the courtroom 
and on the outer bronze doors are images of the Ten Commandments. 
The Great Hall of the Supreme Court features images of Moses. 
There is another image of Moses on the outside of the building. 
He is inscribed between two lamps, signifying the giving of 
light.

Jefferson Memorial. Thomas Jefferson was the author of the 
Declaration of Independence and America's third president. The 
memorial features quotations from Jefferson's writings. God, 
Creator, and creation are mentioned at least eight times.  For 
example, from the Declaration of Independence are the words, "We 
hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created 
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain 
inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit 
of happiness."

Washington Monument. It memorializes America's foremost founding 
father, George Washington. Like Washington's writings and 
speeches, the monument is filled with references to God and the 
Bible. A Bible is enclosed in a capsule in the monument's 
cornerstone. (There was also a Bible in the foundation of the 
1815 Baltimore Washington Monument, and it was recovered during 
restoration work in 2015.) Inscribed on the east face of the 
6.25-pound aluminum capstone is Laus Deo ("Praise Be to God"). 
Many of the 36,000 marble and granite stones are inscribed with 
Bible verses and references to God, such as the following: 
"Holiness to the Lord" (Exodus 28:26); "Search the Scriptures" 
(John 5:39); "The memory of the just is blessed" (Proverbs 10:7); 
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he 
will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). In his address to the 
governors of the states in 1783, when he resigned as 
Commander-in-Chief,
Washington referred to the "Divine Author of our blessed 
religion," obviously testifying to his own Christian faith, and 
he said that the nation cannot be happy unless it obeys Christ's 
example and precepts. Washington founded the custom of American 
presidents swearing the oath of office on a Bible. When he ended 
the oath, he kissed the Bible. Washington proclaimed the nation's 
first national Thanksgiving day. The goal was to acknowledge 
"with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God 
especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to 
establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

National Archives. There is a bronze emblem of the Ten 
Commandments on the floor.

Lincoln Memorial. This was built in honor of Abraham Lincoln, 
America's 16th President (1861-1865). Lincoln promoted the 
Thirteenth Amendment that outlawed slavery in America. On the 
wall of the north chamber are the words, "Woe unto the world 
because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but 
woe to that man by whom the offense cometh" (Matthew 18:7); and, 
"the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether" 
(Psalm 19:9).

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. This memorial was 
opened in 1984 and is situated in Judiciary Square, which is the 
location of five American courts. The memorial contains the names 
of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, 
currently standing at more than 20,000. One of the quotations 
inscribed on the monument is Proverbs 28:1, "The wicked flee when 
no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a lion." There are 
also quotes by the pagan Roman leader Tacitus and others. The 
fact that the Bible is not the only book quoted at the monument 
reminds us that America is not strictly and only a biblical or 
Christian nation. There is a strong and unique Biblical 
influence, but there have been other strong influences even from 
its inception.

E. Barrett Prettyman United States Court House. In front of the 
building, which was completed in 1952, is a monument depicting 
freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of press. 
Freedom of press is signified by a book being printed on a 
Gutenberg type press. Freedom of speech is signified by a man 
giving a speech and a crowd listening to him. Freedom of religion 
is signified by a male worshiper facing a Cross and the Ten 
Commandments, and a woman praying over her food. The Ten 
Commandments are inscribed with Hebrew words.

Union Station. The Union railway station in Washington, D.C., was 
opened in 1907. Though it isn't a government building, it is an 
illustration of the Bible's great influence on American society 
even in the early 20th century. During World War II, 200,000 
people passed through the station every day, and it is still one 
of America's busiest stations. Three Bible verses are inscribed 
above the south entrance, which is the entrance facing the 
direction of the Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol. The verses 
are John 14:6, "The truth shall make you free"; Psalm 8:6, "Thou 
hast put all things under his feet"; and Isaiah 35:1, "The desert 
shall rejoice and blossom as the rose."

Daughters of the American Revolution building. A statue of George 
Washington is inscribed with "Remove not the ancient landmark 
which thy fathers have set" (Proverbs 22:28).

Federal Hall in New York City. The George Washington statue in 
front of Federal Hall also features the religious side of the 
nation's founder. New York was America's capital before it moved 
to Washington D.C., and Washington took the oath of office as 
president on the balcony of Federal Hall. Near the statue and 
associated with it is an engraving of Washington in prayer. He is 
depicted on his knees in the famous prayer scene at Valley Forge 
when the situation for the fledgling nation was so desperate. 
Earlier in these studies, we have given the evidence for this 
prayer scene.