Posted by
Ikester on Friday, May 16, 2008 1:29:09 PM
This great quote from Alexis de Tocqueville reads like front page news for our materialistically crazed society. He wrote the book Democracy in America in 1835 after his trip to America. His passion was to find out what made America so unique and great compared to the rest of the world. His observations bear our attention and application.
"It is odd to watch with what feverish ardor Americans pursue prosperity. Ever tormented by the shadowy suspicion that they may not have chosen the shortest route to get it. They cleave to the things of this world as if assured that they will never die, and yet rush to snatch any that comes within their reach as if they expected to stop living before they had relished them. Death steps in, in the end, and stops them before they have grown tired of this futile pursuit of that complete felicity which always escapes them."
"I cannot help fearing that men may reach a point where they look on every new theory as a danger, every innovation as a toilsome trouble, every social advance as a first step toward revolution, and that they may absolutely refuse to move at all for fear of being carried off their feet. The prospect really does frighten me that they may finally become so engrossed in a cowardly love of immediate pleasures that their interest in their own future and in that of their descendants may vanish, and that they will prefer tamely to follow the course of their destiny rather than make a sudden energetic effort necessary to set things right." -
Alexis De Tocqueville
But his ultimate quest was to find out what made America a great nation. His comments speak volumes on what America must return to in our day in order to restore goodness to our land. Every form of perversion has raised its ugly head in an attempt to take over the reigns of our nation. If we are wise, we will rise up and regain control from the crazed masses and restore America's foundations once again.
"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers - and it was not there . . . in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there . . . in her rich mines and her vast world commerce - and it was not there . . . in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution - and it vas not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great."
Well, there you have it! Christians, it is time to restore America's churches to flaming righteousness. It all starts with us. Pastors, move away from the sermonettes on felt needs and feel good topics and return to proclaiming the Word of God in its entirety. We must set the pace before others will follow suit. Our founding fathers did just that and the result was the America that amazed Alexis De Tocqueville.
In the room, at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, there were fifty-six men. Did you know that twenty-nine held theological degrees? These were godly men who used the Bible as the foundation for nation building. Let's do the same.