One final note on Nephi's vision of America: after seeing that the Gentiles who had been brought to the land humbled themselves before God, he noted that because they kept the Covenant, they had freedom and prosperity. They developed an identity of free-born Englishmen who would not tolerate being submitted to crippling legislation passed by a Parliament on the other side of the ocean. They were not permitted to send representative to the governing body to plead America's case. Initially, most Americans were simply seeking redress from the British King, George III. They wrote that they supported him as king, but felt that Parliament was out-of-line. As the British king tightened rather than loosened his grip on the colonies, infringing upon their rights and freedoms, the Patriots (for so they called themselves) began to face the reality that it was an out-of-control King who was causing America grief.
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| Lexington and Concord |
Some of the Patriots called for war, but many were still hoping for a peaceful resolution of their differences. Nevertheless, they began to store arms and munitions to protect themselves, their families, and their freedom if it became necessary. A large stock of these supplies were stored in the little towns of Lexington and Concord Massachusetts, not far from Boston where the British had quartered their army. When the British marched on those towns, bent on confiscating their guns and ammunition, a group of volunteers rose up to counter them. These men had been prepared for just such an eventuality for months. They called themselves the Minute Men because they were ready to pick up their weapons at a minutes notice. They were not the aggressors, but they were ready to defend what was important to them, just as Captain Moroni had.
Nephi had seen it all in his vision. His prophecy is recorded in Chapter 13 of 1 Nephi:
And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them. And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered against them to battle. And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations. (1 Nephi 13: 17 - 19)
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| Marquis de Lafayette |
Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles. (2 Nephi 10: 9)
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| Baron von Steuben |
In truth, there should have been no way for groups of farmers and artisans to have won a war against the greatest military power on the Earth at the time. Other individuals and nations in Europe rose to support what was then a rag-tag army of volunteers. Most notable of these were the Marquis de Lafayette from France and the Baron von Steuben from Prussia. It was von Steuben who drilled the young army at Valley Forge and turned them into a fighting force to be reckoned with. Lafayette served as a general officer and fought alongside the Americans.
In my mind, the greatest asset we had was our own Commanding General, George Washington. Washington was a devout Christian and a prayerful man. When the Continental Army wintered at Valley Forge, Washington forbid profanity among the troops. He held church services in the camp every week. He admonished his men to pray.
From reading his writings and speeches, one can see that Washington understood that this was a land of promise and that America indeed had a covenant with God. The power of God did indeed deliver the nation out of the hands of other nations. (1 Nephi 13:9)
He was a true believer, a true Christian who lived and taught his faith. It is little wonder that we call him the Father of his nation.
©January 2020, Dr. Kathleen Rawlings
Buntin Danielson
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