The American Soul
The American Soul
You Cannot Ignore God and Expect a Strong Faith
What do you make time for each day? In this thought-provoking exploration of spiritual priorities, Jesse Cope challenges listeners to examine the uncomfortable truth about our relationship with God. While Americans excel at investing time in athletics and career development, we often attempt to "shove God in around the edges" of our busy schedules, then wonder why our faith lacks depth.
Children intuitively understand that relationships require time investment. When asked how they know someone loves them, they respond: "you have to spend time, you have to put effort in." This fundamental truth applies equally to our relationship with God. As Cope emphasizes, "if you really want a great faith, you're going to have to put some time in each day and it's going to have to be noticeable." The same principle applies to marriage – consistent, deliberate investment is non-negotiable.
The episode explores Peter's experience during the Transfiguration, where despite witnessing Christ's glory, hearing God's voice, and seeing Moses and Elijah appear, he still later denied Christ. Yet Jesus didn't abandon him. This powerful narrative offers profound hope to those who feel they've failed God repeatedly – Christ continues to use imperfect vessels. Through powerful historical examples, including Medal of Honor recipients and Douglas MacArthur's 1951 warning about America's spiritual crossroads, listeners are invited to consider what they're truly willing to sacrifice for – the things that matter eternally versus temporary worldly values.
Whether you're questioning your faith priorities or seeking encouragement in your spiritual journey, this episode provides practical wisdom for developing a meaningful relationship with God. Subscribe to the American Soul podcast and join our community as we strive to draw closer to God as individuals and restore America's spiritual foundation.
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Hey folks, this is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American soul podcast. Hope y'all are doing well, wherever y'all are and whatever part of the day you're in. I sure do appreciate y'all joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and little piece of your day. I will try and use it wisely. Hopefully it will give us all some extra tools for our toolbox and hopefully it will help draw us all a little closer to God and Jesus Christ, both as individuals and as a nation. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast and tell others about it, thank you so much. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast and tell others about it, thank you so much for those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast I'm incredibly grateful for your prayers and for those of y'all who have been around for a while, year after year. We're almost at the end of year four, going into year five, thank you. And for those of y'all who are new, I'm glad you're here. Hope you enjoy it, hope you get something out of it, hope you come back. So, Father, thank you for today. Thank you for you, father, and your Son, jesus Christ, and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for all the many blessings that you've bestowed upon us Air to breathe, clean air to breathe for those of us who haven't Father. Clean water to drink, clothes to wear, food to eat healthy food to eat for those of us that haven't Father. Cars that run, healthy children, healthy spouse. Healthy children, healthy spouse, healthy parents, friends, family. Be with those that don't have these things, father. Be with those of us who are heartbroken, those of us who are sick or injured, scared. Help us to trust in you. Help us to lean on your understanding, not on our own. Help us to turn to you for peace and comfort and hope, knowing that you're the only place we can really turn to for hope. Please be with our nation here in America and be with the nations of people who are listening around the world. Be with those who are suffering for the sake of your name, father, in places like Syria and Nigeria, iran, china, north Korea. Comfort them. Help us to ease their suffering in any way possible. Give us determination and perseverance and courage. Wisdom. Show us what to do, how to do it. Be with our leaders. Help them to rule in fear of you, father, and not in fear of man. Be with those who are listening, father, today. Thank you so much for them. Be with them and their families, guide them, bless them, surround them with your angels. Protect us from evil, father. Help us to do your will. Guide my words, please. In your son's name, we pray, amen.
Speaker 1:Have you made time for God today? Have you made time to read his word? Have you made time to pray? Is he your top priority? Is he at the bottom of the list? Is he not even on the list? Or do you just try and shove him in around the edges and then hope that he does whatever it is that you want him to do?
Speaker 1:Same with your marriage. Do you make time for them only when you want something from them? Are they only important to you when you want to get something out of the deal or when you need something? It's interesting. I've had the privilege I've told you all this before of working with kids over the years, and one of the things that they intuitively know is you ask them something like how do you know when somebody loves you? Or how do you develop a relationship, friendship, and they'll tell you time, you have to spend time, you have to put effort in, and they know that and it's pretty much. You get different versions of the answer, but that's pretty much what it is across the board, and we know this as a country in America we're really good at that. As far as athletics, professional career development, right, we understand that you have to put time in if you're going to get something out, especially if you're going to be successful at it right. But we don't seem to do that with our faith and with our marriages. Folks, if you really want a great faith, you're going to have to put some time in each day and it's going to have to be noticeable. And if you want a great marriage, you're going to have to put time in each day. You cannot sit there and look at your phone, your TV, watch sports, do your workouts, whatever else, and ignore God and ignore your spouse and expect to have any kind of success except being successful at a weak faith and destroying your marriage.
Speaker 1:Matthew 17, the Transfiguration. Six days later, jesus took with him Peter and James and John, his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them and his face shone like the sun and his garments became as white as light. And behold, moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. Peter said to Jesus Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three tabernacles here one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud said this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him. When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said Get up, do not be afraid. And lifting their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down from the mountain.
Speaker 1:Jesus' command had been saying Tell the vision to no one until the Son of man has risen from the dead. And his disciples asked him why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? And he answered and said Elijah is coming and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of man is going to suffer at their hands.
Speaker 1:Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist the demoniac. When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling at his knees before him and saying Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill, for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to your disciples and they could not cure him. And Jesus answered and said you unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to me. And Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him and the boy was cured at once.
Speaker 1:Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said why could we not drive it out? And he said to them Because of the littleness of your faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain Move from here to there, and it will move and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. And while they were gathering together in Galilee, jesus said to them the Son of man is going to be delivered into the hands of men and they will kill him and he will be raised on the third day and they were deeply grieved the Tribute Money.
Speaker 1:When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two drachma tax came to Peter and said Does your teacher not pay the two drachma tax? He said yes, and when he came to the house, jesus spoke to him first, saying what do you think, simon, from whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll tax? From their sons or from strangers? When Peter said From strangers, jesus said to him Then the sons are exempt. However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them.
Speaker 1:For you and me, there's a lot here that's over my head, over my pay grade books. You'll have to find somebody that's a much better biblical scholar to explain some of this to you. But one of the things that has been encouraging to me at least it was encouraging while I read this today certainly is the transfiguration story. You look at verse 2, right, and he was transfigured before them and his face shone like the sun and his garments became white as light. And behold, moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him, and Peter's there, right. Peter's just such a great comfort. I'm very much looking forward to meeting a lot of people in heaven one day, and he's one of them, along with David, that I want to tell thank you, because they gave me a lot of courage, and also Thomas in this life.
Speaker 1:But you look at Peter. Peter's there, right, he's up on this hillside and Jesus Christ, who he believes is the Son of God, is transfigured before his very Imagine if you were by anybody, even a stranger, and all of a sudden their face shone like the sun and their garments changed and they were white as snow and bright. I think you might be pretty interested in what that person had to say. You think you might believe whatever it was that they told you and want to stick to them, right, no matter what. And then you see these two heroes of your life appear. You know, maybe in America it would be similar to at least as far as our foundation of our nation. You know some of the pilgrims appearing suddenly, or George Washington or Abraham Lincoln or John or Abigail Adams, right appearing there next to this person, and you've got it. I mean so, you've got these wonderful, just experiences and then God's voice. You hear God's voice saying this is my son, who I am well pleased with. Listen to him.
Speaker 1:And yet Peter still abandons Christ later on, still denies even knowing him, runs away, abandons him to be killed, and yet Christ doesn't abandon him and nor will he abandon us. So if you feel like a failure which at times I assume pretty much everybody does that has any kind of character or conscience. If you feel like maybe you've just failed at everything School, college, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife, life, school, college, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife, life, job, career, athletics, particularly if you feel like you've failed God, you've done things that you know you shouldn't have done and you've done them over and over again, maybe Things that you're ashamed of, things that you don't even want people to know about, it's okay. It's not that there aren't going to be consequences for those actions, folks, but there's still forgiveness through Jesus Christ for eternity. He's not going to turn away from you. Peter saw this miraculous event, saw Moses and Elijah. Saw Jesus Christ transfigured, shining like the sun, heard God's voice and yet he still abandoned Christ and yet Christ still used him. Take some courage and some comfort from that. So, medal of Honors today we're going to start with Robert N Anderson, us Civil War Quartermaster, highest rank acting master's mate US Civil War Unit command was the USS Crusader and the USS Hewitt, us Navy Medal of Honor. Action Date July 10, 1863, charleston, south Carolina. Citation Served on board the USS Crusader and the Keowick during various actions of those vessels, carrying out his duties skillfully. While on board the USS Crusader, qm Anderson on all occasions set forth the greatest intrepidity and devotion. During the attack on Charleston, while serving on board the USS Kiewik, qm Anderson was stationed at the wheel when shot penetrated the house and, with the scattering of the iron, used his own body as a shield for his commanding officer.
Speaker 1:New Hampshire, not awarded posthumously. Born December 15, 1843 in Ireland. Died June 20, 1900. Portsmouth, new Hampshire, united States. Buried Calvary Cemetery, portsmouth, new Hampshire, united States. Buried Calvary Cemetery, portsmouth, new Hampshire, united States.
Speaker 1:Robert N Anderson, thomas Anderson, us Civil War Rank Corporal, india, company 1st West Virginia Cavalry. April 8, 1865, apotemus Station, virginia. No, I said that wrong, I did. Capture of a Confederate flag. That's the entire citation Accredited to Wheeling, ohio County, west Virginia, not awarded. Posthumously revealing. Ohio County, west Virginia. Not awarded. Posthumously. Presented May 3, 1865. Born July 12, 1841, seenery Hill, washington County, pennsylvania, died September 8, 1912, washington County, pennsylvania. Buried Dunkert Cemetery, lone Pine, pennsylvania, united States.
Speaker 1:Thomas Anderson, webster Anderson. Ranked Sergeant First Class, ranked at the Time of Action Staff Sergeant. Vietnam War, alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 320th Artillery, 101st Airborne Division, air Mobile, us Army, 15 October 1967, tam Kai, republic of Vietnam. Citation as follows. Citation as follows Sergeant First Class Anderson, then Staff Sergeant, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action.
Speaker 1:While serving as Chief of Section in Battery A's defensive position was attacked by a determined North Vietnamese Army infantry unit supported by heavy mortar recoilless, rifle, rocket-propelled grenade and automatic weapons fire. The initial enemy onslaught breached the Battery defensive perimeter. Sergeant First Class Anderson, with complete disregard for his personal safety, mounted the exposed parapet of his howitzer position and became the mainstay of the defense of the battery position. Sergeant First Class Anderson directed devastating direct howitzer fire on the assaulting enemy while providing rifle and grenade defensive fire against enemy soldiers attempting to overrun his gun section position. While protecting his crew and directing their fire against the enemy from his exposed position, two enemy grenades exploded at his feet, knocking him down and severely wounding him in the legs.
Speaker 1:Despite the excruciating pain and though not able to stand, sergeant First Class Anderson valorously propped himself on the parapet and continued to direct howitzer fire upon the closing enemy and to encourage his men to fight. On Seeing an enemy grenade land within the gun pit near a wounded member of his own, of his gun crew, sergeant First Class Anderson, heedless of his own safety, seized the grenade and attempted to throw it over the parapet to save his men. As the grenade was thrown from the position, it exploded and Sergeant First Class Anderson was again grievously wounded. Although only partially conscious and severely wounded, sergeant First Class Anderson refused medical evacuation and continued to encourage his men in the defense of the position. Sergeant First Class Anderson, by his inspirational leadership, professionalism, devotion to duty and complete disregard for his welfare, was able to maintain the defense of his section position and to defeat a determined attack. Sergeant First Class Anderson's gallantry and extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army Accredited to Winsboro, fairfield County, south Carolina, not awarded.
Speaker 1:Posthumously Presented November 24, 1969 at the White House by President Richard M Nixon, born 15 July 1933, winsboro-fairfield County, south Carolina, united States. Died August 30, 2003,. Winsboro, south Carolina, united States. Buried Blackjack Baptist Church Cemetery, winsboro, south Carolina, united States. Buried Blackjack Baptist Church Cemetery, winsboro, south Carolina, united States.
Speaker 1:Webster Anderson, thomas Anderson and Robert N Anderson Just some names, folks to add to your list of names, to remember, maybe to share with somebody else. Remember them, their families, who are willing to sacrifice them. Although these men, all three, happened to live through the ordeal, but with loss of body parts and pain, unbelievable pain in a couple of cases, they didn't end up with millions of dollars at the end of this. They didn't end up with fame and fortune, but with a good name, and God tells us that's to be chosen over riches.
Speaker 1:Douglas MacArthur, supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific during World War II, liberated the Philippine Islands from oppression. Received the surrender of Japanese forces in Tokyo Bay on the USS Missouri 3 September 1945. Five-star general and commander of the UN forces during the Korean War, got a couple quotes. I've got a couple quotes. October 22, 1944, upon landing on Lait I should know that he said I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil. He had been run out. Another quote Build me a son, o Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud in unbending and honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory. Reminds me of Churchill's quote I don't have it in front of me talking about the way we need to act in different circumstances victory, defeat, etc. This is the one, though, that I really wanted to read, and I got these. A couple of these quotes wanted to read, and I got these, a couple of these quotes America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations and the Patriots Bible edited by Dr Richard Lee, and they may be in the Founders Bible as well. I just haven't looked in there.
Speaker 1:Today. This is December 1951. In this day of gathering storms, as moral deterioration of political power spreads its growing infection, it is essential that every spiritual force be mobilized to defend and preserve the religious base upon which this nation is founded, for it has been that base which has been the motivating impulse to our moral and national growth, that base which has been the motivating impulse to our moral and national growth. History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline, there has either been a spiritual reawakening to overcome the moral lapse or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster. That's us today, folks. That's absolutely us. There is no choice between a spiritual reawakening or ultimate national disaster for America.
Speaker 1:You can make the same argument about most of the countries in Western civilization Certainly the UK comes to mind, australia, canada. There are only two choices, and those two choices are a spiritual reawakening right, a great awakening like we had in the early to mid 1700s, again early to mid 1800s, prior to the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, which probably means that if we go through it again, we're going to end up in another war. Right, history repeats itself, but if we don't, the alternative is even worse. The alternative is what we saw in the 20th century from Soviet Russia, north Korea, nazi Germany, iran right, from soviet russia, north korea, nazi germany, iran right.
Speaker 1:And one of the things I saw a post on x within the last few days and it was a, a mall in america that was full of, that was full of people that follow Islam, and that's not well. The comment, I guess, is probably irrelevant too, but the point is, folks, that there's no peaceful coexistence inside the United States with citizens that insist on following the left, leftism, right, leftism, socialism, communism, nazism, fascism or Islam, those ideologies which go hand in glove. Right you look back at the 20th century, you see Islam working in concert with socialism, communism, leftism, right. Those ideologies are mutually exclusive with liberty. You cannot have liberty and have those ideologies because they're at the core. All of those ideologies are anti-Christ and the only way you can have liberty is with the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, right God, the Father of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, with the spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, right God, the father of Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. And so if you have citizens that demand on following the principles laid out in those ideologies, which are anti-Christ and therefore anti-liberty, you're going to lose liberty. So your choices, like MacArthur said here, your choices are either total, ultimate national disaster or spiritual reawakening, which typically leads to a fight. And those really are the choices barring a miracle, by God Almighty that are before us in America today and really in most of the countries in Western civilization Either a fight or willing slavery under the tyranny of that group of isms, leftism, socialism, communism, nazism, fascism, which are all just different shades of the same evil folks, or Islam, which goes along hand in glove with those. Those are the choices, and MacArthur knew it 70-plus years ago. Right? A lot of people did. We're the ones today that seem to want to pretend and hide.
Speaker 1:All right, foxes Book of the Martyrs, pick up where we left off. We were on the seventh persecution. Let me go back here every once in a while. As we're going through this, I need to read the title Fox's Book of the Martyrs, or A History of the Lives, sufferings and Triumphant Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs, from the introduction of Christianity to the latest periods of pagan, popish and infidel persecutions, the persecutions of the Methodist and Baptist missionaries in the West India Islands, and the narrative of the conversion, capture, long imprisonment and cruel sufferings of Assad Shaddiq, a native of Palestine. Likewise, a sketch of the Martyrs and other authentic sources Published Philadelphia, e Claxton and Company, 930 Market Street 1881. Alright, I went way too far. Let's see I'm getting there, folks. I'm going to look for the page where we left off. The sixth persecution, or no, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1:The seventh persecution under Decius, ad 249. Ad 249. This was occasioned partly by the hatred he bore to his predecessor, philip, who was deemed a Christian and partly to his jealousy concerning the amazing increase of Christianity, for the heathen temples began to be forsaken and the Christian churches thronged, interesting. You see that kind of today in China and Africa and places. You're seeing some pretty explosive growth in the church in places where people are punished, raped, pillaged under tortured, killed for following Christ. And then so sadly, here in America and much of Western society, where we have the freedom to read our Bible at home and to worship Jesus Christ, we're letting it go willingly and there's no great faith or awakening apparent.
Speaker 1:These reasons stimulated Decius to attempt the very extirpation of the name of Christian and it was unfortunate for the gospel that many errors had about this time crept into the church. The Christians were at variance with each other, self-interest divided those whom social love ought to have united, and the virulence of pride occasioned a variety of factions. Folks. That's a huge sentence right there, just to see that denomination is absolutely inexcusable when it comes over Christ. And there are some denominations that seem more guilty of this than others at current, but all of them have been at some time or another. Any denomination, folks, that is putting their doctrine above scripture. They're not preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to you, they're preaching the gospel of their particular little church to you.
Speaker 1:The heathens, in general, were ambitious to enforce the imperial decrees upon this occasion and looked upon the murder of a Christian as a merit to themselves. The martyrs upon this occasion were innumerable, but the principle we shall give some account of. Fabian, the bishop of Rome, was the first person of eminence who felt the severity of this persecution. The deceased emperor Philip had, on account of his integrity, committed his treasure to the care of this good man, but Decius, not finding as much as his avarice made him expect, determined to wreak his vengeance on the good prelate, he was accordingly seized and on the 20th of January AD 250, he suffered decapitation.
Speaker 1:Julian, a native of Cilicia, as we are informed by St Chrysostom, was seized upon for being a Christian. He was put into a leather bag together with a number of serpents and scorpions and, in that condition, thrown into the sea. Peter, a young man amiable for the superior qualities of his body and mind, was beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to Venus. He said I am astonished you should sacrifice to an infamous woman whose debaucheries even your own historians record and whose life consisted of such actions as your laws would punish. No, I shall offer the true God the acceptable sacrifice of praises and prayers, prayers.
Speaker 1:Optimus, the procouncil of Asia, on hearing this, ordered the prisoner to be stretched upon a wheel by which all his bones were broken, and then he was sent to be beheaded. Nicomachus, being brought before the procouncil as a Christian, was ordered to sacrifice to the pagan idols. Nicomachus replied I cannot pay that respect to devils, which is only due to the Almighty. This speech so much enraged the procouncil that Nicomachus was put to the rack. After enduring the torments for a time, he recanted, but scarcely had he given this proof of his frailty. Then he fell into the greatest agonies, dropped down on the ground and expired immediately. Denisa, a young woman of only sixteen years of age, who beheld this terrible judgment, suddenly exclaimed O unhappy wretch, why would you buy a moment's ease at the expense of a miserable eternity? Optimus, hearing this, called to her and Denisa, avowing herself to be a Christian, she was beheaded by his order. Soon after, andrew and Paul, two companions of Nicomachus, the Martyr AD 251, suffered martyrdom by stoning and expired calling on their blessed Redeemer. Alexander and Ipomachus of Alexandria were apprehended for being Christians and confessing the accusation, were beat with staves, torn with hooks and at length burnt in the fire. And we are informed, in a fragment preserved by Euspius, that four female martyrs suffered on the same day and at the same place, but not in the same manner, for these were beheaded.
Speaker 1:Lucian and Marcian, two wicked pagans, though skillful magicians, becoming converts to Christianity to make amends for their former errors, lived the lives of hermits and subsisted upon bread and water only. After some time spent in this manner, they became zealous preachers and made many converts, the persecution, however raging at this time, they were seized upon and carried before answer that the laws of charity and humanity obliged all men to endeavor the conversion of their neighbors and to do everything in their power to rescue them from the snares of the devil. Lucian having answered in this manner, marcion said that their conversion was by the same grace which was given to St Paul who, from a zealous persecutor of the church, became a preacher of the gospel. The procouncil, finding that he could not prevail with them to renounce their faith, condemned them to be burnt alive, which sentence was soon after executed and Respicius. Two eminent men were seized as Christians and imprisoned at Nice. Their feet were pierced with nails. They were dragged through the streets, scourged, torn with iron hooks, scorched with lighted torches and at length beheaded.
Speaker 1:February 1st AD 251, agatha, a Sicilian lady, was not more remarkable for her personal and acquired endowments than her piety. Her beauty was such that Quintian, governor of Sicily, became enamored of her and made many attempts upon her chastity, without success. In order to gratify his passions with the greater conveniency, he put the virtuous lady into the hands of Aphrodite, a very infamous and licentious woman. This wretch tried every artifice to win her to the desired prostitution, but found all her efforts were vain, for her chastity was impregnable and she well knew that virtue alone could procure true happiness. Aphrodisia acquainted Quentin with the inefficiency of her endeavors, who, enraged to be foiled in his designs, changed his lust to resentment. On her confessing that she was a Christian, he determined to gratify his revenge as he could not his passion. Pursuant to his orders, she was scourged, burnt with red-hot irons and torn with sharp hooks. Having borne these torments with admirable fortitude, she was next laid naked upon live coals intermingled with glass, and then being carried back to prison. She there expired on the 5th of February 251.
Speaker 1:Cyril, bishop of Gortania, was seized by the order of lucius, the governor of that place, who nevertheless exhorted him to obey the imperial mandate, perform the sacrifices and save his venerable person from destruction, for he was now 84 years of age. The good prelate replied that, as he had long taught others to save their souls, he should only think now of his own salvation. The worthy prelate heard his fiery sentence without emotion, walked cheerfully to the place of execution and underwent his martyrdom with great fortitude, his martyrdom with great fortitude. The persecution raged in no place more than the island of Crete. For the governor being exceedingly active in executing the imperial decrees, that place streamed with pious blood.
Speaker 1:Babilus, a Christian of a liberal education, became bishop of Antioch, ad of Antioch, on the demise of Zebanus. He acted with an imitable zeal and governed the church with admirable prudence during the most tempestuous times. The first misfortune that happened at Antioch during his mission was the siege of it by Sappur, king of Persia, who, having overrun all Syria, took and plundered this city, among others, and used the Christian inhabitants with greater severity than the rest, but was soon totally defeated by Gordian. I think we'll stop here. Yeah, you have to wonder. Hope, pray. God, give us strength to run the race all the way to the end. And then you have to wonder if the end isn't being willing to trade your life for someone else's. To prevent America, for example, from falling and to keep her a beacon of freedom and liberty leading toward Christ for the rest of the world Seems like a pretty noble goal, folks.
Speaker 1:Chapter 2. History of the Rise, progress and Termination of the American Revolution. Mercy Otis Warren. The project of an American taxation might have been longer meditated, but the memorable error of the Stamp Act in 1764 was the first innovation that gave the general alarm throughout the continent. By this extraordinary act, a certain duty was to be levied on all bonds, bills of lading, public papers and writings of every kind, for the express purpose of raising a revenue to the crown.
Speaker 1:As soon as this intelligence was transmitted to America, a universal murmur succeeded, and while the judicious and penetrating thought it time to make a resolute stand against the encroachments of power, the encroachments of power, the resentment of the lower classes broke out into such excesses of riot and tumult as prevented the operation of the favorable project. Multitudes assembled in the principal towns and cities and the popular torrent bore down all before it the houses of some who were the avowed abettors of the measure, and of others who were only suspected as inimical to the liberties of America. In Boston and Newport, connecticut and many other places were razed to the ground. The commissioners of the stamp office were everywhere compelled to renounce their employments and to enter into the most solemn engagements to make no further attempts to act in this obnoxious business. At New York, the act was printed and cried about the streets under the title of the Folly of England and the Ruin of America. In the ruin of America. In Philadelphia, the cannon were spiked up and the bells of the city, muffled, tolled from morning to evening, and every testimony of sincere mourning was displayed on the arrival of the stamp papers.
Speaker 1:Nor were any of the more southern colonies less opposed to the operation of this act, and the House of Burgesses in Virginia was the first who formally resolved against the encroachments of power and the unwarrantable designs of the British Parliament. The novelty of their procedure and the boldness of spirit that marked the resolutions of that assembly at once astonished and disconcerted the officers of the Crown and the supporters of the measures of administration. These resolves were ushered into the House May 30, 1765, by Patrick Henry Esquire, a young gentleman of the law till then unknown in political life. He was a man possessed of strong powers, much professional knowledge and of such abilities as qualified him for the exigencies of the day. Fearless of the cry of treason echoed against him from several quarters, he justified the measure and supported the resolves in a speech that did honor both his understanding and his patriotism. The governor, to check the progress of such daring principles, immediately dissolved the assembly. But the disposition of the people was discovered when, on a new election, those gentlemen were everywhere re-chosen who had shown the most firmness and zeal in opposition to the Stamp Act.
Speaker 1:Indeed, from New Hampshire to the Carolinas, a general aversion appeared against this experiment for administration of administration. Nor was the flame confined to the continent. It had spread to the insular regions whose inhabitants, constitutionally more sanguine than those born in colder climates, discovered stronger marks of resentment and prouder tokens of disobedience to ministerial authority. Thus, several of the West India Islands showed equal violence in the destruction of the stamp papers, disgust of the Act and indignation toward the officers who were bold enough to attempt its execution. Nor did they, at this period, appear less determined to resist the operation of all unconstitutional mandates than the generous planters of the southern or the independent spirits of the northern colonies. When the General Assembly of the Massachusetts met this year, it appeared that most of the members of the House of Representatives had instructions from their constituents to make every legal and spirited opposition to the distribution of the stamped papers, to the execution of the Act in any form and to every other parliamentary infringement on the rights of the people of the colonies of the colonies. A specimen of the spirit of the times may be seen in a single instance of those instructions, which were given to the representative of the town of Plymouth, the capital of the cold colony. Similar measures were adopted in most of the other provinces, in consequence of which petitions from the respective assemblies, replete with the strongest expressions of loyalty and affection, of the kind and regard to the British nation, were presented to his majesty through the hands of colonial agents.
Speaker 1:There's a couple notes at the end of the chapter that she references here, that she references here. Yeah, we'll come back maybe and read those. Oh, we've got. We'll read through note two at least. So this was about Patrick Henry, I think.
Speaker 1:Virginia resolves. On May 29th 1765, the House of Burgesses of Virginia came to the following resolutions Whereas the Honorable House of Commons in England have late drawn into question how far the General Assembly of this colony has power to enact laws for laying taxes and imposing duties payable to the Pope of this His Majesty's most ancient colony, for settling and ascertaining the same to all future times. The House of Burgesses of this present General Assembly have come to several following resolutions Resolved that the first adventurers and settlers of His Majesty's colony and dominion of Virginia brought with them and transmitted to their posterity and all others His Majesty's colony and dominion of virginia brought with them and transmitted to their posterity, and all others, his majesty's subjects, since inhabiting in this his majesty's colony, all the privileges and immunities that have at any time been held, enjoyed and possessed by the people of great britain, resolved that by the two royal charters granted by King James I, the colonists aforesaid are declared entitled to all privileges of faithful liege and natural-born subjects to all intents and purposes, as if they had been abiding and born within the realm of England. No-transcript Assembly of the colony, together with His Majesty or His Substitute, have, in their representative capacity, the only exclusive right and power to levy taxes and impositions on the inhabitants of this colony, and that every attempt to vest such a power in any person or persons whatsoever other than the General Assembly aforesaid is illegal, unconstitutional and unjust and has a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American freedom. The following resolves were not passed, though drawn up by the committee. They are inserted as a specimen of the first and early energies of the old dominion, as Virginia is usually called. Resolved that his majesty's liege people, the inhabitants of this colony, are not bound to yield obedience to any law or ordinance whatsoever designed to impose any taxation whatsoever upon them other than the laws and ordinances of the General Assembly aforesaid. Resolved that any person who shall, by speaking or writing, maintain that any person or persons other than the General Assembly of this colony have any right or power to impose or lay any taxation whatsoever on the people here shall be deemed an enemy to fight for.
Speaker 1:Anymore folks, anymore folks. What are we willing to die for? What are we willing to suffer for? What are you willing to suffer for, to sacrifice for? To die for what God tells us to, what will help the widow and the orphan, the poor and the needy, or what the world tells us is worthy of sacrifice? There's one example. This is a small example, folks. Maybe it's not small, but it's at least not physically painful most of the time.
Speaker 1:The world tells us today that once a couple that gets married has kids, those kids become their priority. Everything, everything is resolved, revolved around those kids. And so a lot of parents suffer, their marriage suffers, their sleep suffers, but not in the way of taking care of a newborn infant, but in the fact that they go running up and down the road for all sorts of events. They spend all their money, you know, pleasing their kids. They work extra hours so that they can pay for these sports, et cetera, et cetera, and so they are suffering, the marriage is suffering, their body's suffering, their sleep's suffering, and we act as if it's noble because the world says it is. But when you go and you look at scripture, it doesn't match up. You don't see that comment that the marriage and the family should revolve around the kids. It's the other way it's the family revolves around. It's not a big example, but it is at the same time because it's widespread.
Speaker 1:Folks, but what are we willing to suffer for? We willing to suffer for the things that God says to that will serve to protect those around us, even if it means that we lose our property, our lives, our fortunes, if we keep and maintain our honor and our salvation through Jesus Christ. It's worth it. God bless you all and be with you. God bless your families. God bless your marriages if you're married. God bless y'all and be with you. God bless your families. God bless your marriages If you're married. God bless America. God bless your nation, wherever you are around the world. Listen, folks, we'll talk to y'all again real soon. Looking forward to it.