Christmas Day, 1776

As we approach Christmas Day in this unpredictable year of 2020, regardless of our circumstances or station in life, without doubt we have much for which to be thankful.    There is no other country on earth that exists to provides the liberty and system of political, economic and religious freedom intentionally created by our Founding Fathers.  Let us never forget that the fifty-six signers of our Declaration of Independence took an oath:  

   “We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”  

And indeed, while none forfeit their sacred honor, not even one, nearly half, or twenty-six were held to account for their pledge: nine gave their lives during the Revolution and seventeen more lost their fortunes, every penny and piece of property they owned.  Such was the price these great men were willing to pay for liberty.  Outside the military, are there men and women of comparable timber willing to fight for freedom today?

Upon swearing into service members of the armed forces and public servants take an Oath of Office to defend our Constitution, which oath concludes with ‘So help me God.’  And, our Founders’ pledged their ‘sacred ‘honor connecting them with, and dedicating them to, God.  The curious might ask, “What place then does God have in our Nation? And what would connection with and dedication to God look like for American Citizens?”

The Bible is full of somewhat ordinary people like Mary and Joseph, who trusted and obeyed God and so became parts of extraordinary stories as they received God’s gracious blessings.  Many may think the Bible too remote in time or too wonderful in aspect for us to grasp as the literal Truth.  Yet, to galvanize our faith we can look to what came after Biblical times, even to our Country’s  history – some call it His Story.

In many ways we see the truth of God working to bless an America that honored Him. America was first settled by Christians seeking a new home where they could worship Him freely and safely and build a new God-honoring culture.  And our Founding Fathers were Christians steeped in the Biblical truth that Jesus came to set us Free: 

          “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”   Galatians 5:1

Further, that we are to conduct ourselves accordingly:

           “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty”   James 2:12

“The law of liberty.”  At what other time, or in what other place in human history have the thoughts, words and deeds of Man worked for such a sublime purpose?  Honoring God our forefathers designed a new type of government for political, economic and religious freedom, while believing that devotion to God was the essential “moral compass” necessary to guide the exercise of those freedoms.  Beyond personal prayers, our leaders repeatedly called for the entire community to observe days of “Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer to implore God’s mercy.”

One example of God’s divine providence in our affairs is attested by George Washington. Washington frequently prayed for God’s blessings and mercy, privately and by proclamations for the army and community alike.  For the success of the War for Independence and creation of America, historians tells us Washington was simply the Indispensable Man.  With Christmas Day tomorrow, let’s remember another time:

The scene:  Northeast of Newtown Pennsylvania,  the temporary marching camp of the retreating Continental Army on the West side of the Delaware River, Christmas Day, 1776. 

The weather, miserably cold.

Since the beginning of the War in April ’75 there has been one defeat after another.  The Patriots had been driven out of New York losing the main of their army and retreated across New Jersey, chased into Pennsylvania.  The outlook for the American cause was bleak.

The term of enlistment for most of the army was due to expire at the end of the year, less than one week away.  They were without pay, low on ammunition and food, most wearing ragged uniforms and many without coats or shoes – all near freezing and starvation.  Across the river, the British were the most well trained, well equipped and well fed army in the world.  General Washington wrote a relative, “I think the game is pretty near up.”

The General needed a victory to reenergize the failing war effort – to revitalize Colonial morale, bring in new money, men, supplies and resolve – to renew hope.  A surprise pre-dawn counter-attack was decided upon – an all or nothing gamble.  

“Victory or Death” was Washington’s mission and operational password.  After praying for success, past sundown on Christmas Day the 5,000 man army began to cross the stormy, ice clogged river in boats amid driving sleet and snow, “a near hurricane” one said.  The conditions were so poor that more than half failed cross the river, the balance of the army, 2,400 men, not across until 4AM, already hours behind schedule.  

Consolidating his wet and freezing disembarking forces, Washington ordered the advance, many men without shoes wrapped their feet in rags as their bloody march turned the snow red over the nine mile jog toward Trenton and battle.  Two men died of exposure en route.  

The Patriots achieved a complete surprise and total victory.

One thousand British soldiers were captured, 83 wounded and 22 killed.  Of Washington’s’ army, only 3 deaths and 6 injuries were reported.  

In 1776, David McCollough quotes British historian Sir George Trevelyan,

“There is little doubt whether so small a number of men ever employed so short a space of time, with greater and more lasting effects upon the history of the world.”  

Simply extraordinary.

And so true, because though the War lasted another 6 years, the tide had been turned, defeat dispatched, hope renewed and a God-honoring America eventually made free.

Let’s remember that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress, ratified and signed July 4, 1776, but was not widely released until January 1777.  As it happened, Washington’s victory at Trenton the day after Christmas 1776, and his defeat of Cornwallis at Princeton a week later, signaled a shift of momentum in the great contest, and the Declaration was published with all the signatures within weeks.

Family leaders may consider that all but four signers risked their lives and fortunes along with considerable family obligations. Together they had some 305 children and the number of their grandchildren ran well into four figures. The average number of children for each signer was six. According to historian Tourtellot, “Ten signers had ten or more children, and two of them, John Adams and Benjamin Harrison of Virginia, had sons who became Presidents.”

George Washington not only believed in God – in his words “the Almighty being who commands the universe” but this firsthand witness and main actor at the exact center of all of the great events, plans and battles later said he believed that “the Hand of Providence” had delivered America in the Revolution –  that “there was no other way to explain it.”

Can such a credible and powerful testimony assure us again today that God works in us and through us – for us, our families, community and country?

The Biblical ‘Law of Liberty.’  An American system of government guaranteeing liberty and political, economic and religious freedom.  A national culture that has done more to save lives and improve the human condition around the world than any other in Man’s long terrible history.  At Christmas 2020, it may profit us to consider that Christians believe Jesus Christ is the savior of the World, commanding them to ‘so speak and so act’ as to uphold the ‘law of liberty’ mutually pledging anew ‘our lives, fortunes and sacred honor’ that while we inhabit a world of tyranny and oppression, yet sustain a home for liberty.

Scotus

Arthur Bernon Tourtellot, American Heritage, 1962

David McCollough, 1776, 2005

photo credit: Washington Crossing the Delaware, Emanuel Leutze, 1851, Metropolitan Museum of Art