The National Prayer Minute

Washington’s Famous Amos Reference Notes

More on Washington’s Famous Amos Reference:

The pertinent lines from Washington’s Farewell Address from Today’s Minute are:

From the 15th line: One of the expedients of party to acquire influence, within particular districts, is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts. You cannot shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and heart-burnings, which spring from these misrepresentations; they tend to render alien to each other those, who ought to be bound together by fraternal affection.

From the 10th line:  The name of american, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the Independence and Liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.

The full text of Washington’s address may be viewed at:
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/farewell/text.html

The famous passage from Amos, found in chapter 3 verse 3 states “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” This principle was directed at Israel’s rejection of God’s ways, but the principle is universal.  If two people cannot agree on where they are headed- what their destination is- they have to part ways… they cannot continually walk together.  Early Americans shared the common goals of liberty, worship of God, and individual freedom and responsibility.  And so they walked the road of nationhood together, overcoming their minor differences- as Washington noted in his Address.  Today, Americans have diametrically opposed destinations and are therefore seeking incompatible political systems necessary to achieve those ends… and something will soon have to give way.