Interesting Facts and Incidents
By A. SMITH
It is a most interesting fact in our national history that the very first Congress of the United States performed the duties of a Bible society long before such an institution had an existence. In 1777, one year after the Declaration of American Independence, Congress appointed a committee on the subject of printing an edition of thirty thousand Bibles for the use of the people, our entire population then amounting to only three millions. Finding it difficult to procure the necessary material,—paper, type, etc.,—this committee recommended the importation of twenty thousand Bibles; to copy their own language, “The use of the Bible being so universal, and its importance so great.” Congress was advised “to direct the committee on commerce to import at its expense twenty thousand English Bibles from Holland, Scotland, or elsewhere, into the different ports of the States of the Union.” This report was adopted, and the importation ordered. “In 1781, when an English Bible could not be imported in consequence of the war with Great Britain, the subject of printing the Bible again was considered by Congress. Robert Aitken, of Philadelphia, had published an edition, and that body passed the following resolution:—
“‘That the United States, in Congress assembled, highly approve the pious and laudible undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interests of religion; and being satisfied of the care and accuracy of the execution of the work, recommend this edition to the inhabitants of the United States.’”—National Magazine, October, 1854. The American eagle was just breaking the shell, as it were, of his incubation, and merging into national life, and had not yet developed the instincts that afterward characterized him as a bird of prey; or, as viewed from the standpoint of prophecy, a wild beast. Happy had it been for the nation had the innocence and excellence of early life permeated the physical and mental growth of advancing years. But a change came, slowly evolved, but suddenly manifested. In 1892 the Supreme Court of the United States declared the nation to be Christian, basing the argument upon Roman Catholic premises. Congress having, in its early legislation, recommended the Bible to the citizens of the country, it now became an apparent policy to interpret the Bible in harmony with the avowed character of the nation. Accordingly, in 1892 Congress did assume the prerogative, and by act of that body declared that the first-day sabbath (the legitimate mark of a Catholic nation) to be the Sabbath in the meaning of the fourth precept of the decalogue. In this act the United States government became a false prophet, or teacher of religion upon a false exegesis of the Scriptures. It is a significant fact, as claimed, that prior to 1892 some of the silver coins of the country (quarters and half dollars) had on one side the impress of a beautiful female head looking toward the west, indicative of progress; and on the reverse side an American eagle. But all coins minted after that date bear on one side a Roman head looking toward the east, or sunrising, and on the other side a Roman eagle. Thus the finger marks of Baal are upon the currency of the nation; and the mark of the beast has become a distinguishing token of his abettor, the two-horned beast of the Western hemisphere. The culminating tragedy can not long be delayed.