I have looked forward to seeing these sights that have historical interest, as our past has always captured my imagination. I have been the fortunate recipient of excellent history teachers and professors and at times have been an avid reader of distant times brought to life–all good history teachers are good story tellers.
One of these was my eighth grade U.S. history teacher, Mrs. H. She was not much over five feet tall, silver haired, a tough grader but excellent at making the lives of others seem relevant. One day she had a display of W.W. II paraphernalia laid out. My first inclination was to touch the German helmet, Japanese sword, etc. A fellow student, David R., said over my shoulder that we were not supposed to touch these articles, but that did not stop me. Suddenly I heard a high pitched samurai scream from behind and I turned to see this diminutive lady wearing a German helmet, holding a Japanese sword over her head coming in my direction! She backed me into a corner and Mrs. H. made it clear I was not to touch these historical artifacts. She succeeded in getting my attention, eliciting laughter from everyone in the class, but me.
The names of Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Adams had long been in my memory, so to see Monticello, Mt. Vernon, and Washington D.C. have made those names take on a greater three dimensional meaning. We had applied earlier to the office of our Congressman for any tours available at the capital. One they provided was for the Capitol building; legislative home of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Although God kept me indrawn on Monday, Tuesday found me ready to proceed.
We took the train into the city from our Greenbelt Campground, a lovely forested spot. Through miles of tunnels we emerged on “The Hill,” just blocks from The Rayburn building where our Congressman has his office. Two young men, extremely knowledgeable of history and the Capitol building gave Carla and I a most excellent tour for the next several hours. We made our way through a tunnel between buildings and literally made our way from the foundations up. We witnessed the first Supreme Court room, now kept as a museum, the House of Representatives room where the Joint Session of Congress meets to hear the president and other notables address them, and the extremely impressive Rotunda–with artwork, architecture and sculptures all on an impressive scale. Our two guides sorted fact from urban legend and gave us most interesting commentary on notable events and places. We crossed a threshold that was the only leave-over from the old capitol that was burned to the ground in the war of 1812–the only reason it was left standing was because this was the exit for the British soldiers at they left the fiery ruins.
The next day we ventured to Mt. Vernon, home of the indispensable man,” George Washington. His house sits on a lovely hill overlooking the Potomac River, with quotes from him saying he thought it is the most perfect place in the world. He loved being a farmer, studying the developments in crop rotation, seed production, etc. It made it poignantly clear what a sacrifice he made in being gone over six long years in a war that was against all the odds, and then another eight years as president with all the wrangling and posturing that politics brings. He had but two years of being home with his loving wife Martha before he suddenly succumbed to a bacterial infection and Hypovolemia.
And how do these historical and political visitations relate to a spiritual pilgrimage–other than the sense that God is all in all? I do think that this country’s origins has spiritual inspiration behind it. When we look at the number of despotic tyrannies that crowd our history books, it is a reminder what a unique moment in time it was when guarantees of freedom were stated and put into law.
When in Colonial Williamsburg we learned that all citizens had to pay taxes to the Anglican Church, whether you were a member or not. That to be a church you had to be approved of by the government–for instance Quakers were whipped and driven out of communities for their beliefs. These were just some reminders of what life was like before the revolution. A free thinker about religion, such as Jefferson and others of the “enlightenment era,” could be in danger of various retributions if their beliefs became public. The Western World waited for the collapse of the fledgling United States, believing that a nation could not survive without a monarch. It was tenuous at times whether it would survive at all after the revolution, but through courage, sacrifice and perseverance survive it did, and the world has been its beneficiary. Master one time stated that the overall karma of America is very good–this from a man who faced some of the ugly cultural undercurrents of the times.
Today it seems there is a rush to highlight any blemish under the guise of truth, but fact without context is not truth when it is used simply as a bludgeon. If it is national pride only that arises from seeing these historical treasures, then it has value limited to those of that nation. But, when there are universal principles embodied in the formation and development of this country, then it’s light extends beyond its borders and is an inspiration for all, for this world still has its despotic regimes, individuals or minority communities can be persecuted for their beliefs or way of life, and the rights of habeas corpus and a trial by jury of one’s peers is far from universal.
Jesus affirmed the most universal law of the land: [Matt 22:] “34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Until this is the ubiquitous observance in all the lands, then I suppose we will need just governments and laws to enforce good behavior, however none will ever surpass or replace this maxim as the most superior of guiding lights.
Picture: Mt. Vernon–home of George & Martha Washington
