America's History......Stolen

     I have recently read a book that infuriated me, in a good way.  It is called The Rewriting of America's History by Catherine Millard.  This book exposes how our Christian heritage is being methodically removed from all American monuments and historic sites.  It also reveals why the study of history is so important.

     History illustrates God's love and providence in the lives of His people.  Providence includes the concepts of sovereignty and predestination.  Mainstream Christianity acknowledges God's active role (sovereignty) in the lives of humanity, but we do not live in a way that reflects that belief.  When we forget all that God has done for us and the Godly men and women who helped make our country great, we became prideful and trust only ourselves. 

     This is why the study of history is so important.  Our ignorance of our founding has led to the removal of all traces of God from our history.  Here are some examples of how our Christian heritage is being taken from us and most people do not even know about them!

     When you enter Plimoth Plantation, you go through the Meeting House.  This was the primary place of worship.  Governor Bradford proclaimed

            "All ye Pilgrims with your wives and little ones do gather at the Meeting House, on the hill… there to listen to the pastor, and render thanksgiving to the Almighty             God for all His blessings."

     Unless you understand the Puritan's goal of simplifying the church, you would not be able to recognize the Meeting House's true use because there is no plaque or marker to explain the importance it had in their daily lives.  The pulpit is pushed in a corner where no one can see it.  I doubt this is where it resided when the Puritans used it. 

     For years there has been an unwritten law in Philadelphia: nothing is taller then the statue of William Penn standing atop city hall. Tradition held that he watched over the city he founded.  However, in the late 1980's all this changed.  A developer decided to build a skyscraper.  The city council voted to allow this….over the wishes of the people of Philadelphia and without respect for a prominent Founder.

     The beautiful stained glass windows, which have adorned Christ Church in Philadelphia for more then a hundred years, were removed in the late 1980's and placed in storage.  The stained glass windows commemorated the patriots and their families worshipping God, and the first prayer at the first Continental Congress led by the minister of Christ Church, Reverend Duche.  There is no viable reason to remove these windows except to hide what they represent.

     I was indignant when I began reading, but by the end of the book I realized how weak many history curriculums are, even some of the ones I have used! It also showed me the importance of original writings.  Many historians have a tainted worldview and that must be considered when choosing works to read. This book has increased my interest in American history a hundred fold and I am very interested in reading more about the Puritans.