p. 7 | Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 9, 1908

Note and Comment

Restoring Trust in God

WHEN the bill to restore the motto “In God We Trust” to the coins of the United States was under consideration in the House of Representatives, the Hon. Ollie M. James, of Kentucky, spoke in part as follows:—

The country is to be congratulated that our trust is again to be restored in God. The President of the United States made a great mistake in the judgment of the Christian people of this republic when, by order, he directed that the motto “In God We Trust” should be removed from our coins. This country is not only a Christian nation, but we are engaged in sending to foreign countries and to distant people our missionaries to preach the religion of Jesus Christ, and we want our money so that when this gold that you say is so good goes across the ocean and is held in the hands of those who do not know of the existence of the Saviour of the world, we can say: “Here is the dollar of the greatest nation on earth, one that does not put its trust in floating navies or in marching armies, but places its trust in God. [Loud applause].”

And so the House of Representatives, with only five dissenting members, voted to restore our trust in God. Thus, if this bill becomes a law, while the people are groaning under the weight of the burden imposed in increasing the army and navy, the coins will proclaim to the untutored heathen that the trust of this great nation is reposed in God. What a farce it would all be, if it did not involve principles of such importance! But this is the inevitable hypocrisy of a national religion.