A Paragraph from that History.com article: "George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and five of the six other Virginians who would later sign the Declaration of Independence were in attendance that day. Historians say that Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech helped convince those in attendance to begin preparing Virginia troops for war against Great Britain."
"Give me liberty, or give me death!"
St. John's Church, Richmond, Virginia
MARCH 23, 1775
MR. PRESIDENT: No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do, opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely, and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself guilty of treason towards my country and of an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.
Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves, and the House? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these war-like preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask, gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!
They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!
I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
Matthew 7:11
King James Version
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Doctrine and Covenants 59:7, 21
7 Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.
21 And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.
Book of Mormon; Alma 34:38
38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
Luke 17:11–19
New Testament
11 ¶ And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
When we say our prayers, we mostly follow a particular format: We address our Father In Heaven and we thank Him for our blessings. It's this first part of our prayers that I wish to address today.
I'm sure you've heard this before. When you look at a person's headstone, the birth and date years are separated by a dash. Their story is in that tiny dash. It usually stands for a long and eventful life story. Well, the word "blessings" is much like that dash. It's a powerful word because it brings into two syllables an incredible multitude of things, many of which we just take for granted.
I can't speak for everyone but I know that I often skip blithely over this word and move on to "more important things". There are just so many things I didn't take in to account, until one day...they were gone. I can look back at how little importance I placed in thanking our Father for the life he had given me, until it was, effectively, revoked and I was back to nothing and nobody. I don't believe I was truly grateful as I never really considered how many really powerful blessings I enjoyed.
As I took care of my Grandmother, my Uncle and then Joann in their last days on the earth, I gained even more insight into the meaning that simple, easily glossed over word contains.
How about the Plan of Salvation? As pitiful, weak human animals, we often don't grasp the significance of the fact that we are eternal beings. That we will move back into the spirit world one day and find that we've messed up so MANY things in our lives! No way would our Father allow such unclean creatures into His presence. When your kids have been playing outside and gotten all muddy, do you just let them run through the house or do they have to clean up first? Our Father knew we'd get dirty, even filthy. He knew how we'd react to complete freedom. Just as we know that our kids will get into trouble if we aren't standing right next to them. What if you told them that they can't live in your house any more because they just won't follow your rules? Our all wise Father in Heaven sent his Son to clean us up and make us whole again so that we CAN live in His house, where we belong. That is the most important and profound blessing of all.
Certainly, just the fact of our existence is an incredible blessing. That our bodies just automatically work...most of the time. As we draw breath, our heart beats and all the mechanisms function which keep us warm or cool. That our spirits were granted this incredible "blessing" of life itself. How often do we contemplate the wonder of it all?
But there is so much more. That feeling of the sun on our shoulders on a nice warm day...do we thank our Father for that warmth and comfort, or do we complain because it's too hot? The feel and smell of a long, cool rain and the sound of it on the roof. The majesty of the flashing lightning or the crashing thunder. Do we gaze out our window at the beauty of this majestic storm, or do we complain because we're stuck inside for a day? Do we take a moment to think how much comfort we enjoy, inside a nice, warm, dry house during such cold, wet weather? Or, for those of us here in Montana, how often do you really consider the incredible gift of a nice warm house when it's 20 below outside? When you come in to a house that is 100 degrees warmer than the frigid outdoors, do you take a moment to give thanks? Do we thank God for the moisture that our crops need or are we impatient because the field work is paused for a storm?
Can you hug your children or your spouse; or everybody, all together? Let your mind consider the incredible blessing of the love you share with other people. That indescribable feeling of looking at your spouse, your children; all your family. Do you ever really FEEL the thanks, the gratitude for such fabulous gifts from a loving Father? Or do you just take it all for granted. The American Dream realized.
Speaking of which, here we sit, all together, worshipping God as we wish, enjoying each others company and learning the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ restored to the Earth by a Prophet. Could any of that have happened any where else? We know that God guided the foundation of this country and the drafting of our Constitution, which guarantees our freedom to be here today. Do you ever really consider that? A well conceived plan, put into action, which we just take for granted. We all know there are countries in the world where any consideration of Jesus Christ is punishable, sometimes by death and has to be done in secret, at risk to life and freedom. We are SO blessed to live in this land, "Choice above all other lands".
Some blessings can be hard to appreciate, especially if they are hardships we endure. I look back on a long and eventful life, filled with joy and sorrow. Sometimes, it seems as if the sorrow overpowers any joy I might have felt. As a policeman, I know I saved lives and it's likely that my actions prevented the suffering of others. But I really couldn't say that I ever did anything particularly special in what I call my "first life". When I actually DID something meaningful, it took me a while to realize it. When I use the word "blessings", I actually also am thanking the Father for the hardships of the last few years. I thank Him for trusting me to care for some of His special spirits here on earth. I thank him for the blessings of completely giving myself to another person.
I continue to count down my blessings, working into the things that we REALLY take for granted. Things we can do or experience that are so simple that we don't think of them.
Do you sleep at night, without pain or sickness? Do you have to keep a bag in every room in case you might be sick? Can you get yourself up and out of bed and walk to the bathroom on your own? When you're hungry, can you prepare and consume your meals without help? It's cute when we spoon feed our babies. But, when someone has to spoonfeed YOU, it might be a little different. Do you go for walks? Can you wash the dishes? Who would have ever thought I'd see washing dishes as a blessing?! Can you clip your own fingernails?
I realize that our prayers would take up most of the day if we were to truly count all our blessings. Just that portion of our prayers would be a day long litany. So, "Thank you for my blessings" is the short sentence. But, in our hearts, we need to really feel the true import of that simple phrase. Let your mind go over all the wonderful things we experience, every day.
I have some special blessings that are always in my heart when I use that simple phrase. When you hear me quickly say: "Thank you for our blessings", know that, in my heart, I'm shouting these things...
I thank my Father in Heaven that I'm still capable of driving myself around and taking care of
my physical needs. Standing on the bluff above the Madison River, a place I used to go in my youth for comfort and peace, I feel a powerful wave of gratitude that I am still able to even get there on my own. You can't call my travels in the mountains "hiking" any more. I'm moving at a painful, arthritic shuffle, taking probably twice as long to get to places I want to be. But I'm still getting there. The wind in the pines is still a beautiful sound, the sun is still warm on my shoulders. The sounds and smells of the forest are still the same as when I was a child.
I know people who had terrible childhoods, with abusive parents or hard times. I thank my Heavenly Father for the wonderful, loving family in which I grew up. We had very little in money or possessions but we were never hungry, we were warm and dry and, most of all, we had love and joy. And we lived in Yellowstone! What a profound blessing that has been!
I'm grateful for my first 30 years. That I was able to make and achieve my life's goals, with the adventure and excitement I craved, the wife and family, home and career. I remember looking at Judy, in the Temple, and thinking how grateful I was for her.
I thank my Father that, when all that collapsed and I found myself back where I'd started in life, I had the ability to rebuild. I didn't let myself sink into despair but, instead, pulled myself back. I didn't manage this on my own. I had the blessings of great friends and family to stand with me and help me along. Old friends and family were important but the MOST important was my new friend. My best friend ever and the Love of My Life, Joann.
I truly believe that Joann and I were together in the pre-existence and finally found each other. I thank Heavenly father every day for that spiritual reunion.
I know that God and His Son, Jesus Christ live, that They love us and want the best for us. I know that They hear and answer our prayers. Many times, I've questioned that. It often seemed as if only my pillow heard my prayers. I despaired of everything and didn't understand why God had "forsaken" me. So, one of my most important "thank you's" is for the day that I was blessed with a powerful answer, as I was allowed to feel the Holy Ghost and hear that I'd understand one day and everything would be ok. That one event gave me the ability to say that I KNOW these things. I no longer have to "believe" or just go on Faith. All I have to do is remember. Sometimes, that answer to a desperate prayer is like a board to which I can cling as the raging waters threaten to suck me under. Sometimes that memory barely keeps my head above water but it's my iron rod. I think, of all the profound blessings of my life, that one answer is the greatest.
So, try to think of the long list of good things that our Father has given you. Have those things in your mind and heart when you start your prayer with "Thank you for my blessings."
I leave this message with you in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ...Amen.
