Why I feel the way I feel about the new one dollar coin
While paper money wasn't printed with "In God We Trust" until the one dollar bill on February 12, 1964, coins have carried this testament to faith in our Lord and Savior since April 22, 1864. The first of many appeals came from Rev. M. R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania. He writes:
"Dear Sir: You are about to submit your annual report to the Congress respecting the affairs of the national finances.
One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins.
You are probably a Christian. What if our Republic were not shattered beyond reconstruction? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation? What I propose is that instead of the goddess of liberty we shall have next inside the 13 stars a ring inscribed with the words PERPETUAL UNION; within the ring the allseeing eye, crowned with a halo; beneath this eye the American flag, bearing in its field stars equal to the number of the States united; in the folds of the bars the words GOD, LIBERTY, LAW.
This would make a beautiful coin, to which no possible citizen could object. This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed. From my hearth I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.
To you first I address a subject that must be agitated."
Response from James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia:
"Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.
You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition."
During a time when the Civil War was ravaging the nation, people EVERYWHERE-north, south, east and west-rich and poor-the educated and the simple were lifting their eyes to God in faith and speaking out to glorify Him. Despite the war, these were a people UNITED not DIVIDED!
What are we now, if not a nation divided when we should be united under God? Is this world, this nation, and every person in it not His creation? Do we really dare to tell the Lord to stay out of the works of His own hands? Do we really think we know what this nation needs better than the Almighty Creator? We, with an expiration date, and a handful of years behind us call ourselves “experienced adults” while our Father God is eternal and ageless! We are but children playing pretend to Him! I shudder to think of living in such an egotistical world with people full of their own wisdom and self-righteousness!
Is God only to be called upon as a last resort? When we’ve made an impossible mess that we can’t possibly clean up? When arrogance led to demise, and good intentions to destruction? Are we doomed to repeat history and have our nation literally ravaged beyond human repair before trust is put in the Almighty? And most importantly, will it be too late?
His faithful daughter and servant,
Tuesday Moyle