“There is nothing new under the sun”: “The past is prologue” Two adages or saws that come to mind as I re-read the Declaration of Independence and a chapter in the Book of Samuel in the Old Testament. Whether these sayings are ‘adages’, i.e., a short maxim or proverbs or ‘old saws’, i.e., a familiar saying, I can’t discern. But they both make the point that we should learn from the past since somewhere ‘under the sun’ the same idea or ideas have been considered. So what do these two documents have in common: In one, the Lord warns the people of Israel who want a King what he, a king, will bring with him, and in the other, the same, “. Supreme Judge of the world of rectitude…” is appealed to by the American Colonies for help in removing these similar forecasted tyrannies.
Most people in United States, including those, who have immigrated and become citizens, are aware of the Declaration of Independence. But it is usually only the preamble that is recalled. “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve, the political bond which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them.,. they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” The rest of it listing the offenses of the King is not often recalled. In addition, it is incredible that a great number of people in America under our present culture ignore the acknowledgements set forth therein of God’s part in these gifts of laws and rights. The Declaration begins and ends with calls to the Almighty –in the beginning “…nature’s God” and in the closing “…appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for rectitude of our intentions….” He is the same Lord appealed to by Samuel (1Sam 8) in an attempt to dissuade his people from seeking a King. The Lord gives him information and warnings as to what a King will do. He’ll take your men and ‘…make them serve in his chariots and make them run before his chariots. He will tax you for his treasury. He will enslave your people with his rule. You will then cry out in vain against his tyranny… but it will be too late” (Emphasis added)
This advice and warnings were all given around 1050 B.C. and now in 1776 A.D. they are listed as the reasons for the men of one nation to separate themselves from such tyranny. What was predicted, in the past, has occurred. The past was ‘prologue’ to what a king will do, and now Thomas Jefferson lists in detail those tyrannical acts. He says, “..The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpation (to establish) “an absolute tyranny over these states.”
(To digress from this subject for a moment, I wish to complain about another “new” idea when listing dates. It is “B.C”.” which it is now suggested by academia to be written “B.C.E”. One reads as “Before Christ” the other “Before the Common Era””! Likewise the use of “A.D”., from the Latin, Anno Domini, the year of the Lord, becomes “C.E.” or the Common Era. It is another move, it seems, to get Christ out of the culture after some 2000 years of including Him indirectly in every historical date. I wondered where they came up the ‘common’ era? What is “common” about it? How do we know it began with the birth of Christ? With B. C. you had the recognition of an historical event, not some vague reference to an unknown era. It is a wonder that they didn’t do what they have tried to do with Christmas, namely, changed it to “”Xmas”. X equals the unknown. So why didn’t they make it B.X.E., “before the unknown era” and X.E. the “unknown era””? It would have made more sense then creating a new indefinable ‘common era’. But then some people will go to absolutely the strangest extremes to keep any reference to the Almighty out of their lives. It is an act of “denial, hoping that having repressed the idea it will somehow go away! As far as I’m concerned, I’m sticking with B.C. and A.D. due to their long history of use and that it refers in fact to an historical event.)
There are probably hundreds of examples of the past giving us a forecast as to what is to come. It just happened for me that I had been reading the book of Samuel and a book on the Declaration when the similarities occurred to me. I saw the forecast of around 1000 B.C. being itemized in 1776 A.D. There are admittedly differences in what was said in one and the other, but the bottom line was they both noted what a King or monarchy could bring about. I noticed too an attribute of the Declaration that Garry Willis refers to in “The Declaration of Independence: Inventing America””, namely, “America is the only nation in the world that is founded on a creed. That creed is set forth with dogmatic and even theological lucidity in the Declaration of Independence, perhaps the only piece of practical politic that is also theological politics…” Theology was in both documents and the advice was the same: Kings can and do bring tyranny.
Theology, of a sort, is presently before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case regarding the use of the word “God” in the pledge of allegiance. One of the parties noted that the Declaration of Independence referred to the ‘Supreme Judge of the World’ and no one ever considered that a violation of the Constitution’s First amendment. It reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” As the U.S. Solicitor argued, the pledge is a ceremonial act not a “law”. One can remain silent if they so desire while others speak it. It is like the oath of a witness she or he need not swear to the truth on the Bible or before God, if they do not wish to do so. This entire idea that this is a violation of the Constitutions is about as reasonable as fat people claiming McDonald’s is responsible for their obesity . Or as valid as the excuse one of Flip Wilson’s characters use to claim as to why he did dumb things, “the devil made me do it” .
Our stay in Philadelphia has now extended for over a month. The end however is in sight. Mary Lou, our daughter and stepdaughter has left the hospital and begun recovery at home.
I have been living in my son’s duplex in Philadelphia. It is a half a block from the family home we lived in from 1958 till 1977.Seven children, five boys and two girls, were raised in that house. So looking down the street and walking pass the old homestead brings back many memories. The street on which Paul’s duplex and the home are located is a small one and made even smaller by cars parking on both sides of the street. One of the memories is that of playing touch football in the street with some of the sons and their friends. I was always the quarterback for both sides. I later recalled a routine by Bill Cosby about his playing football on a small city street. One of the usual huddle instructions were something like “Now you go down to the Chevy and fake as if you were going behind it, and then run across to the Ford and I’ll toss the ball”, or words to that effect. The home was only a few blocks from a recreation center. There we watched them play baseball, football, and hockey on roller skates. I began my running career from those premises in 1969 and 70. I would ride over to a place called “Burholme Park” which had a hilltop and down which the kids often sledded. So I’m back in my old neighborhood. One day this week while taking a walk I saw a former client, and our plumber of those days, driving by. He stopped and rolling down the window said, “Oh! Old lawyers never die! Do they?” To which I responded, “No, they just lose their appeal” It got a laugh. He also said in a disbelieving manner, “What are you doing up here from Florida?” The weather has been cold. He is familiar with Tampa area weather since he is a Bass fisherman, and goes down to Tampa for competitions. I explained our mission. Incidentally when I told my grandson Sean of the exchange about ‘old lawyers’ and ‘dying’ he gave me a “6”on the laugh meter. For me to get that from Sean is a real accomplishment.
Until next time I wish “Pax tecum!” (Peace be to you)