From the August 1996 Prophecy in the News Magazine
George Washington may not have been a prophet, but the concluding statements in his draft inaugural address are coming to pass today!
The last page of Washington’s speech, handwritten by the first president, himself, was discovered and sold at auction in London for $306,000. Washington had handwritten 60 pages intended to be delivered at his inauguration in New York City, on April 30, 1789. Each page of the discourse was sold to autograph hunters in America and Europe. It is believed that this page was brought to England in the 1840s by the wife of Charles Lyell, a British scientist. It was found under a sofa in an album of American memorabilia.
Though Washington did not actually deliver this speech at the ceremony, opting for a shorter one instead, he clearly intended to share his vision of America’s future: “until the people of America shall have lost all virtue: until they shall have become totally insensible to the difference between freedom and slavery: until they shall have been reduced to such poverty of spirit as to be willing to sell that pre-eminent blessing, the birthright of a freeman, for a mess of pottage: in short, until they have been found incapable of governing themselves and ripe for a master …”
Four of his points appear to be coming to pass.
Lost All Virtue
First, Washington warned that America would be in danger of foreign rule when “… the people of America shall have lost all virtue.” That appears to be the case today as America faces the possibility of losing its sovereignty to a world governing body. The so-called “New World Order,” sponsored by the United Nations, is moving quickly to establish a world government by the year 2000. Our political policymakers are presently preparing to hand over our sovereignty to this malignant cancer growing in the very city where George Washington took his oath of office — in the very city that served as the first capital of the United States in 1789 – New York City.
Why is our government allowing us to fall under foreign rule by the U.N.? Because our politicians have lost all virtue. They have turned their backs on the Constitution they swore to uphold.
Why are the people across our vast country allowing this treasonous situation? Because most Americans have lost the virtue that once made us a great nation! Today, one-third of all births are illegitimate. Couples think nothing of living together out of wedlock, products of a corrupt school system that actively discourages moral values taught in the Bible. God, holy living and prayer are not only unwelcome but despised in classrooms. This scourge upon America is ripe for God’s judgment.
President Clinton demonstrated his lack of virtue when he vetoed a bill that would ban partial-birth abortions. A court in Hawaii recently ruled in favor of allowing homosexual marriages! Everyone does what is right in their own eyes.
This action prompted our Congress to pass a law defining what constitutes a marriage. It seems no one knows the definition of decency anymore. Congress has to define morality because they no longer open the old black book and say, “Here it is! The Bible tells us what is right, and we stand on the basis of God’s definition!”
We are reaping the result of the Supreme Court’s decision to ban prayer and the Bible from the classroom. There is no foundation for morality left in our nation. We have lost all virtue.
Incapable of Governing
Today, honesty and ethics are declining across the broad spectrum of American society. The Disney Corp. is an example of declining ethics in business. Originally offering only family entertainment, they now produce so-called adult movies and actively support homosexuality.
Many corporations are downsizing in our nation while opening factories in Third World countries where they take advantage of poverty wages. I was shocked to find that most major brand-name clothes are made in third-world countries. Some are made by slaves in communist China. Some are made by enslaved children! Unethical business practices by U.S. corporations fulfill Washington’s prediction. America has lost its virtue.
Never have we seen such a drought of ethics in our government. Mike Barnicle, columnist for the Boston Globewrites, “There is something wrong with the way this president and his wife behave. Ironically, it has little to do with day-to-day governing and everything to do with character, arrogance, and hypocrisy …”
It is a sad commentary upon society when there is no moral leadership in the nation. During the days of Israel’s judges, anarchy ruled over the land: We are told, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). In like manner, America is on the brink of anarchy. No one feels safe. Even the White House has closed off Pennsylvania Avenue. Drive-by shootings, drug infestation and gang-related crimes reveal the spiritual drought Washington predicted.
Totally Insensible
The first president warned that America would be ripe for a takeover when “… they shall have become totally insensible to the difference between freedom and slavery.”
Washington’s statement concerned the right of citizens to live unencumbered by a dictatorial government. Our forefathers formed a government that was deliberately kept from interfering in the lives of its citizens. There were no direct taxes of any kind, no sales or income tax. The government was funded by the states. Today, however, state rights have eroded in favor of a power-hungry federal bureaucracy. The “Income Tax” was imposed in 1913 and has gained a stranglehold on every citizen. We have become virtual slaves to an ever-growing bureaucracy just as Washington predicted.
Throwing Away the Future
Washington knew his Bible. He quotes from the story of Jacob and Esau. For the desire of free food, Esau was willing to give up his posterity. He had no forethought for the generations that would come. He thought only for himself at the moment. Washington drew an analogy from this story and warned that someday Americans would be willing to throw away their future for a mess of pottage.
Look at Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and welfare. Legislators bought votes with a promise they could not keep. Unsuspecting citizens liked the idea of letting the government feed and house them.
There are many who would argue that the Social Security check is a godsend, and the government forcibly took your hard-earned money. Why shouldn’t you get it back? But the government has raided the Social Security fund so many times that there is little money left.
Medicare and Medicaid are other government programs that have caused more harm than good to our economy, and welfare is another drain. Free food will never take the place of self-reliance and responsibility for one’s own freedom. Who will get the last laugh? God has never run out of funds.
Incapable of Governing
Finally, Washington warned that America would be ripe for a master when “… they have been found incapable of governing themselves.” When the voter no longer informs himself about the facts and when character and integrity no longer matter, our nation is ready for a dictator. Not only America, but the entire world is ripe for the Antichrist.
