Men Who Will Lift Up Their Bleeding Country

 David Alan Black

During the darkest days of the American Revolution, George Washington exclaimed on one occasion: “Strip me of the dejected and suffering remnant of my army; take from me all that I have left; leave me but a banner; give me but the means to plant it on the mountains of West Augusta, and I will yet draw around me the men who will lift up their bleeding country from the dust and set her free.”

Beneath the shadow of Valley Forge, from whose sturdy sons the Continental Army was so largely populated, there came this past weekend a bugle call that even now echoes through America’s cities and towns. Two men – two humble but good and true Americans – have submitted to the will of God and affirmed before those assembled in the shadow of the Liberty Bell to lead the charge of freedom in the election of 2004. There is nothing in their demeanor to indicate that they consider themselves anything more than ordinary citizens. More than citizens, they are Christian men; and their piety sheds a hallowed luster over qualities naturally shining, investing them with a higher beauty than secular renown can bestow. If you will read their public essays you will see that they never fail, whenever opportunity offers, to call the attention of the people to the Great Disposer of all human events and to inspire them with gratitude and submission to the King of kings and Lord of lords. And now these men have taken upon themselves the vow to fight manfully as Christ’s soldiers.

Will you join this courageous band? John in his Gospel makes it plain that Jesus suffered much from those secret, timid, cowardly disciples whose fear of men gripped them as in a vise. Five times he mentions people who “believed” Jesus but cravenly feared to line up with Him. He even says that many of the rulers believed Jesus but that fear of the others drove them into the shadow when they could have helped Him the most. One of them “came to Jesus by night” – wanting to find out more about Him but shrinking back from exposing himself to criticism for his possible friendship with the young radical, as Jesus was regarded. Later he brought a box of precious spices with which to embalm the body of his dead friend. No doubt he loved Jesus, but he had no power for Him among men because of his timidity. He was so afraid of what they would think and say.

Is that the sort of Christian you are? Powerless for Jesus because of timidity – dare I say cowardice? Are you “a disciple secretly for fear of the Jews”? Today Christians have devised all sorts of ways to “fear the Lord” and still serve their own gods. The saints of earlier generations suffered loss of jobs, of property, of life itself rather than compromise with the spirit of the age. They refused to offer even a pinch of incense to Caesar.

We need a refresher course in the seventh chapter of Judges to straighten out our warped thinking when we measure political parties by quantitative, not qualitative, standards. Be not deceived by crowds or by popularity polls. Jesus often thinned out His followers, and when they departed He did not soften His message to hold them. The great tragedy today is that much of our activity, whether as Christians or citizens, is assumed to be of God merely because it is successful or well-attended.

Robert E. Lee once said, “Duty is the sublimest word in the English language.” Duty was the star that guided that great Christian throughout his eventful career – and it is duty that calls us today to forsake the path of ease and do whatever we can to defend the family and the American republic against her many enemies. The Minute Men of Concord are venerated for firing the “shot heard ’round the world.” The cause of Christ and liberty in these days needs “Last-Minute Men” who will stand like Gideon’s Three Hundred, ready for action, whatever the cost.

Michael Peroutka and Chuck Baldwin have set the example. They seek to “lift up their bleeding country from the dust and set her free.”

Will you join them?

June 28, 2004

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. His latest book is Why I Stopped Listening to Rush: Confessions of a Recovering Neocon.

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