The Blessings Which Come from Sacrificial Investing in Liberty

by Janine Hansen (Nevada)

Excerpts of address given during Freedom Forum of the IAP National Conference, January 27, 2001, Murray, Utah.  Ms. Hansen is President of Eagle Forum of Nevada.

I know what it is to be involved in a third party.  I've been involved probably as long or longer than any of you. I started back with George Wallace when his organization began that process back in the 60's. In fact, I ran for Congress on the Independent American Party ticket in 1976. I've run for the Assembly, and I've helped in many political campaigns. We have an Independent American newspaper in American, and I am the editor of that.

But I think the thing we want to concentrate on is why we are here? Why are we doing this? Why is it important for us to participate in this? How many of you have been candidates? How many of you have helped candidates? How many of you have served as a party officer? How many of you have participated in what the party's doing? We've all given up something to be a part of this party, haven't we? And I think we need to think about why we've done it.

William Woodsworth wrote this:

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting, 
the soul that rises with us, rises with us our life star, 
Had elsewhere its setting, and cometh from afar, 
not in an entire forgetfulness, 
and not in utter nakedness, 
but trailing clouds of glory do we come, 
from God who is our home.

Now if you believe like I do, that our spirits were somewhere before we came here, and you must have been doing something there, you must have been preparing to do what we were supposed to do here. And that's a lot of why we're here, each one of us is working.

Valley Forge

I want to talk a little bit about George Washington and his contribution to our thinking about all these things.

The tragedy at Valley Forge was political rather than climatic. The weather was freezing but moderate as to some winters. The real problem was that there was no power in Congress to compel the states to fulfill their assessments. As a result, men froze and starved because of a weak government and selfish avarice by many Americans not directly involved in the actual fury of the war. As one historian writes:

"Soldiers at Valley Forge went hungry because nearby farmers preferred to sell to the British in Philadelphia for hard cash, because New York's grain surplus was diverted to New England civilians and the British in New York City, and because Connecticut farmers refused to sell beef cattle at ceiling prices imposed by the states. Soldiers went half-naked because merchants in Boston would not move government clothing off their shelves at anything less than profits ranging from 1,000 to 1,800 percent. Everywhere in America there was a spirit of profiteering and a habit of graft that made Washington grind his teeth in helpless fury."

Many men suffered to the point they could endure it no more. They joined the British just to get food. About 3,000 deserted and went home. Around 2,000 froze to death or died of starvation or disease. Some 200 officers resigned their commissions. The inhumanity of it all is portrayed in the following summary:

"And so every night for too many weeks sticklike soldiers stuck their heads out of their smoky huts to cry, No meat! No meat!' Firecake and water was their food, bloody footprints in the snow their sign. Their clothes were so ragged and blankets were so scarce that they often sat up all night rather than fall asleep and freeze to death. Although they had little sustenance themselves, body lice managed to feed on them. Lafayette was horrified to see soldiers whose legs had frozen black and who had to be carted off to hospitals that were little better than death terminals to have their limbs amputated. One bitter Continental wrote: 'Poor food -- hard lodging -- Cold Weather -- fatigue -- Nasty Cloaths -- nasty Cookery -- Vomit half my time -- smoak'd out of my senses -- the Devil's in it -- I can't Endure it -- Why are we sent here to starve and freeze...?'"

Just before Christmas when many of them were ready to have their enlistments up, George Washington knew that something must be accomplished. So on December 23 he formed his bedraggled Americans into ranks and had them listen to a message written by Thomas Paine. It included these famous words which should be beneficial for us today:

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

And you remember that just after that they had that remarkable success at Trenton; and the war continued. George Washington didn't win very many battles. We talked about that this morning when some of our candidates were concerned because they only got two percent. But he didn't win many battles did he? But what happened? He endured through the long years of sacrifice and trials and was victorious at the timing of the Lord. Why? Because he had survived long enough to be there at the end. When it was the Lord's time and his purpose was fulfilled.

Constitutional Convention

When they were preparing for the Constitutional Convention, George Washington almost didn't go. I'm sure many of you know that. His brother had just died, his mother and sister were seriously ill, and he was in such pain from rheumatism he could scarcely sleep at night. He had refused an invitation to go and speak to the Cincinnati Society, and was a little embarrassed to show up after he had refused. But nevertheless he decided to go because James Madison and others pointed out that because of his position in the public mind -- as the most trusted leader in the nation.

Why was he the most trusted leader in the nation? Because during the hard times, he had not abandoned his duty. He had given his all. Because of his position as the most trusted leader in the nation, it would appear that he had lost confidence in Congress and perhaps in the republican principles. Although he had been carrying one arm in a sling because of rheumatic pain, he left Mount Vernon at the sunrise of May 9th and arrived in Philadelphia the day before the delegates were to convene on May 14th.

Investing in Liberty

One of the reasons I chose the title that I chose on this is because I think sometimes we begin to question why we're doing all of this. We begin to wonder, have we gone mad? Are only two percent of the people mad? Or are we right, is this the right thing, and everyone else just doesn't know, and so we question those things? You will notice in my title I didn't say "Investment." I said "Investing." This process is one of continual investing in the process. We talked a little bit this morning about why that makes such a huge difference in our lives and why its so important for us to do these things.

Do you know what it takes to get the confidence, that what you are doing in life is right? It takes faith and sacrifice. Now for you to sacrifice, day in and day out, to help build the party, to run for office, to be an officer in the party, to come to meeting on Saturday morning when you can be doing something a lot more fun. For you to suffer the scoff and derision of those around you, for you to feel as if the world's gone mad, or its you that's gone mad; what must you do in order to know you're doing the right thing? 

This morning we talked about how important it was for us to realize that it isn't winning that counts. The Lord didn't ever ask us to win. What did he ask us to do? -- to be faithful. And so each day that we are faithful we are winning. Each day that we do what the Lord wants us to do, we are successful. Each day we plow the earth and plant the corn, we are succeeding in those wonderful opportunities that he has given us.

Now how is it all going to turn out? I don't know. I don't know the answer. "The Messiah has come, and he will come again." So we know that in the end, out side wins. Don't we, if we're on the right side. So that's not the issue is it? What's the issue? The issue is, in the meantime, do you make the sacrifices necessary to ensure that you will be there with the Messiah when he comes. 

Battle of Liberty

The battle of liberty, as Ezra Taft Benson said, began in the pre-existence and it exists today. And it has never stopped. But we must choose the right side of the battle of liberty today. Benson said, "We the blessed beneficiaries, likewise, face difficult days in this beloved land. A land that is choice above all other lands. It may also cost us blood before we are through. It is my conviction, however, that when the Lord comes, the Stars and Stripes will be floating on the breeze over this people." May it be so, and may God give us the faith and the courage exhibited by those patriots who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

You have the opportunity to be like those patriots, who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. And their position in heaven is secured. And if that isn't important to do here, many of you have read the stories of how much they gave. Many of them never recovered. Many of them died. Many of them lost their families, their property, their position -- all through the Revolutionary War. And that was never recovered. 

What was it worth? What did they gain by that? Well one thing that they gained was that they knew that it was right enough, true enough, corrupt enough, that they were willing to give all of those things for it. And so they ... were willing to sacrifice -- the utmost sacrifice. So they knew that the Lord had blessed their efforts, and that it was right, because they were willing to give their all.

So the very first lesson of this Sacrificial Investment in Liberty is what the benefit is we have to ourselves as individuals. The benefit that we gain in the perception of our character, our personalities, in the organization of our time, and our energy. There's lots of responsibilities that we have. We have responsibilities at home, in earning a living, in working in churches and in the community. We could always have an excuse that we don't have enough time.

 Certainly, people say to me, "Janine, how do you get so much done?" And I say there's a whole lot of things I don't do. There's a whole lot of things in my life I never get done. Why? Because every day I say, "Lord, what is my priority today? What do I need to do today?" You know I have a hundred ideas of what I can do in the Independent American Party, or in Eagle Forum, or at the Legislature. And about one of those I might have the energy, the resources, and the ability to carry out. But you know, the one I want to carry out is the one the Lord tells me that that's what I'm supposed to be doing.

And so you need to find out what you need to do by asking the Lord. You need to pray about what you need to pray about. And when you have found that out, you can act like the Founding Fathers did in preparing the way that the Republic may be restored. Now I don't anticipate that that's going to be an easy job. 

Washington's Vision

I don't know about you, but I'm kind of a devotee of scripture and many of the prophecies that are coming. And one of the most interesting prophecies is a vision by George Washington. 

Have any of you read George Washington's Vision? Well he talks about three separate terrible conditions that come on America. Well, two of those have happened. One is the Revolutionary War. Another was the Civil War or the war between the states. And then he sees a vision of a new war. And he says, 

"My eyes beheld a fearful scene. From each of these countries arose ..." [-- and he talks about many of the countries, Europe, Asia and Africa --] "... arose thick black clouds that were soon joined into one; and throughout this mass there gleamed a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men, who, moving with the cloud, marched by land and sailed by sea to America, which country was enveloped in the volume of the cloud.  And I dimly saw these vast armies devastate the whole country and burn villages, towns, and cities that I beheld springing up.

"As my ears listened to the thundering of the cannon, the slashing of swords, and the shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat, I again heard the mysterious voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and learn.' When the voice had ceased, the dark angel placed his trumpet once more to his mouth and blew a long and fearful blast.

"Instantly a light as of a thousand suns shown down from above me, and pierced and broke into fragments the dark cloud which enveloped America. At the same moment the angel upon whose head still shown the word 'Union' and who bore our national flag in one hand ..." [-- remember what Benson said, 'the flag would still be flying' --] "... and his sword in the other descended from the heavens attended by legions of white spirits. These immediately joined the inhabitants of America, who I perceived were well-nigh overcome, but who, immediately taking courage again, closed up their broken ranks and renewed the battle.

"The angel said 'Three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful is the third," [-- which we haven't gone through yet --] "passing which the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic learn to live for his God, his land, and his union.' With these words, the vision vanished."

Now, I don't anticipate that things are going to be easy. But are you going to be ready? One of the great opportunities of being involved in the Independent American Party, is that you can have the opportunity to become a better person, to become a better leader, to become better prepared when the opportunity to govern arises.

Gettysburg Address

In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln said, 

"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."

My mother always said, "Actions speak louder than words." 

"It is for us the living, ..." [-- now this is a message to us --] "It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us here to be dedicated to the great task remaining before us."

We have a great task remaining before us. And how many people in this room, how many are working on the great task? You are very important. You are critical to the success of this great task which remains before us. 

"From these honored dead, we shall take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave their last full measure of devotion. That we here highly resolve, that these dead, all those who have sacrificed before us, shall not have died in vain. That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom."

Do we need a new birth of freedom? Oh my gosh, now as never before. And you, you are part of that. You are enlisted in the battle. You have the opportunity to be a part of that, just as you may have had the opportunity at Valley Forge. Now our suffering at this point in time is a little different than Valley Forge. None of us are hungry or cold. None of us are dying from exposure. But we sure get a lot of criticism, don't we, from those around us? And we don't have a lot of acceptance sometimes. And boy, we wonder if its worth it. And sometimes we're "sunshine patriots." And "we shall have a new birth of freedom that that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth."

Lincoln's vision, as George Washington's, as Ezra Taft Benson's, is that it shall not perish from the earth. How important can that be? 

Challenges in Nevada

Now I brought with me today, and I want to suspend this part of my talk to talk about a few issues that I want to share with you a little bit. We just put this in as a project at Eagle Forum, and at the Right to Life in Nevada, a full-page ad, "Abortion changes everything. There is no such thing as an unwanted baby." We had about 400 people that participated in that. We put out 20,000 bulletins for a rally, and we had 150 people there. Now was that important to put out 20,000 bulletins? Yes it was. Why? Because those people knew that somebody else cared enough to do something, didn't they? That was important. We few, we happy few. We were there. We were making a difference, just as the few who signed on this ad were making a difference. They were fighting. 

Now many of you were involved in the land battle. This is the story that appeared in the Nevada Appeal about Cliff Gardner: 

He's a friend of ours. He has a ranch in Ruby Valley which is over near Elko. And he is being persecuted by the government. His family has grazed cattle on the same land for 128 years, but now Ruby Valley Cliff Gardner is facing possible jail time for running cattle there. "This land that I am on has been in the family since 1872," Gardner said. That was long before the Forest Service was ever established. As a part of a 6-year legal battle with the US Forest Service, Gardner, 62, is convicted on two counts of federal trespassing, and prosecutors have vowed to seek jail time in the sentencing hearings scheduled for February 21. But going to jail is a chance Gardner will have to take, he said, "to preserve freedom, not only for himself, but for all Americans. I'm well aware of the effects of tyranny." Then he goes on to enumerate some of those.

And the reason that Cliff's story is so powerful is because -- what do the liberals always do? "its for the children" -- they always show us why we need to help somebody. They make it a personal antidote about a person, a real life person, who's suffering because we won't help them. This is a real life person that's going to jail, if we don't help him. And so, this is a wonderful opportunity for us to express the ideas of what's happening in the war on the West. 

My brother Dan wrote an article that was a guest editorial in the paper, more about the issue of the federal takeover of our lands. In Nevada, the Black Rock Desert -- 16 counties voted against that out of 17 -- did it make any difference? No. We don't live in the State of Nevada, we live in the Territory of Nevada.

Conference on the States

Here is another issue. I was involved very deeply in opposing the call for a constitutional convention, many of you may be aware of that. And the Conference on the States, which your governor here was one of the main leaders in -- [Utah] Governor Mike Leavitt -- and we opposed that. And I want to just tell you a little story about how miracles happen. Because there's always miracles when you're involved in a movement. 

I was invited by Gayle Ruzika [President of Eagle Forum of Utah] to come and speak about the call for the constitutional convention, specifically as related to the Conference on the States at an Eagle Forum meeting state convention here in Utah. And I began to study, to figure out what the connection was. And I spent a lot of time on that. And so I came here and spoke on it. That invitation by her convinced me that the Conference on the States was nothing, but a back way to get a constitutional convention.

And so I called up Phyllis Schafly, and I said, "Phyllis, we need to do something about stopping the Conference on the States." And I don't know if you know who was involved, but there were the National Conference of State Governors, the National Council of State Legislators, all kinds of national organizations like that. They had a whole big lineup. And when I told her that, she said, "Janine, there's too much opposition. We can't possibly win." I said, "Well, you know Phyllis, I think you're right. We can't possibly win. But I feel like we have to do something about it. Will you let me do it under the auspices of Eagle Forum?" And she said, "Well, okay." And so I started. 

Now I wasn't the only one working. The John Birch Society was working, there was a great state senator up in Colorado working, there were all kinds of groups involved in liberty that were working. But I was very much involved in the coordination of the national effort. And so, I started. They got twelve states in a row -- bang, bang, bang, bang -- just like that. Then the people began to kick in. Now that was before the Internet was big, and so we faxed. Everywhere in the country, we faxed. And we alerted everybody by fax and by telephone. 

And pretty soon the opposition began. And they started slowing down, and they got a 13th state. And they got a 14th state. And then they didn't get any more states. And we battled, and we battled, and we battled. And Phyllis Schafly put out a Phyllis Schafly Report on it. And lots of organizations were working hard. And you know what happened in the end? The fight "we couldn't win," we won. We won! We defeated it. We stopped it -- we stopped it cold. Why? Because the Lord had lead us into fighting that battle. He had directed us there.

Mandatory Kindergarten

Now I've fought a lot of battles that I've lost. Was I directed there as well? Yes, I was. Because there was ground work laid. I remember one time at the [Nevada] legislature I was fighting Mandatory Kindergarten, and I fought Mandatory Kindergarten many times. We lost in the Assembly, and it went onto the Assembly floor. And they were going to have a floor vote. And I was so nervous that I couldn't even watch the thing that tells you how people vote. I was just crazy, I was so nervous about the whole thing. And the vote came up, and the vote was 20 to 20. And it can't pass, unless it has a constitutional majority of 22. And so I just collapsed in my seat, we had four Democrats that voted for us.

Immediately, a guy got up out of his seat and he pointed to a fellow -- one of the Democrats that had voted for it, and grabbed a hold of him like this, and shook him, and in a minute said I would like to call for reconsideration. I knew that was the end. Because we had won a battle once against the Teachers Union, the most powerful union in our state, we couldn't possibly win. We had 24 hours, and we started working. We started working, like all we could. And of course all the paid people from the Teacher's Union were working. And we worked, and we worked, and we worked. And the next day some of the people that were gone came back. And the vote came back, and eight people had switched sides, and the vote was 21 to 20. And we had won. We had stopped it. And that was a miracle.

But the miracle didn't stop there. Because I went up to the chairman of the committee that had passed it out, and I said, "Are you going to bring Sex Clinics to the floor of the Assembly?" And he said, "No. The battle on Mandatory Kindergarten was too bloody. I'm not going to bring it to the floor of the Assembly." So without a single shot being fire, we won the war! Why? Because we were willing to fight whether we knew we could win or not. We were willing to try.

Lost Battles

Now, I've lost a lot of battles too. And those aren't as fun to tell about. But we must always be willing to do those things. Now why do we do these things? Why do we battle? Because its right? Because we should? Because of all these things? 

"They tell us, Sir," said Patrick Henry, "that we are weak, unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger?" 

Will it be next week, next year. Will it be when we are totally disarmed. And when a New World Order guard should be stationed at every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction, shall we require the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs as couch potatoes, and hugging the delusive phantom on TV of hope, until our enemies have bound us hand and foot? 

"Sir, we are not weak, if we make the proper use of those means which the God of nature has placed in our power. Besides, Sir, we shall not fight our battles alone." 

You know the rest of that wonderful verse.

One of the main reasons that we're in the battle, and that its satisfying, all of you enjoy one another, I hope. You feel good when you associate with one another. You rejoice in the friendship that you have. Because, when you work in a battle, that's when you really get to be friends -- isn't it? When you sacrifice together, that's when your relationship has memories and meaning. And all of those things are good. 

Example

So as you work on your own character, what is the most powerful way we teach? Example! And so what are you to your children? You are an example, because you are engaged in the battle of liberty. And they learn to be engaged in the battle of liberty.

My son, who moved recently to Las Vegas, and he was arguing with my brother -- he's more radical than I am. And he was telling me about this heated battle that went on and on and on. And I was on the phone with him for at least an hour, and he was telling me about this. And when he finished, he said, "Mom, it really worries me, because I sounded just like you." Yes! my indoctrination program has worked! Okay. That's what it is about. Saving yourself first. Saving your children. Saving your friends. Saving your neighbors. You are left without excuse, because you know.

Abou Ben Adam, may his tribe increase, awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, and saw within the moonlight in his room making it rich as a lily in bloom, an angel writing in a book of gold. Exceeding peace made Ben Adam bold into the presence in the room, he said, "What writest thou?" 

The vision raised its head and with a look made of all sweet accord, answered, "The names of those who love the Lord." "And is mine one?", said Abou. "Nay, not so," replied the angel. 

Abou spoke more low but cheerily still, and said, "I pray thee then, write me as one who loves his fellow men." The angel wrote and vanished. The next night it came again with a great awakening light and showed the names whom love of God had blessed, and low Ben Adam's name led all the rest.

You are involved in the battle for liberty for yourselves, for your families, and for your fellow men. And whether you get two percent or 51 percent, I doesn't make any difference. Because the Lord will judge you, not on the percentage that you got, but on how faithful you were.

Ancient Israel

Now when Moses left his comfortable life style and went to visit the Pharaoh of Egypt, and was finally able to lead the children of Israel out of total bondage, what happened? They came to him and wanted to go back to the tar pits of Egypt, and the comfort there. And only Joshua and Caleb had the vision to see that there was opportunity and challenges and blessings. Where? In the land flowing with milk and honey. In the promised land. And so Moses was cursed to march around the desert for 40 years with a bunch of people who would rather have been slaves.

And where are we? We are in the desert of Sinai with a bunch of people who would rather be slaves! And we are Joshua and Caleb? And they don't hear us yet. Why? Because its not the Lord's time. But you must be faithful and continue to send forth the message. And your sacrifices, your continual investment will be a personal blessing to you. Enjoy it. Enjoy those blessings. Just be glad you are not one of those 40 people marching around in the desert wanting to go back to Egypt. Just that would be enough to be a blessing, wouldn't it? -- to know of the great blessings of liberty which we share.

Right to Be Secure

Now a couple of other things. This is a resolution which I wrote last week. On the issue of -- we might call it privacy -- but I've taken it from the Constitution, and it says "The Right to Be Secure." One of the greatest things threatened today in America is our right to be secure from federal government, monitoring, intrusion and surveillance. So this might be something that at some point in time you might be able to get through your local government, and state government -- and on the back of this, is the story of the courageous Secretary of State in Michigan who had filed suit against the federal government to stop their demand that they have Social Security numbers on all of the driver licenses.

There are many things we can do to prepare for the future. And this is one of those things. And here is a story. For years and years the paper in Reno, where I live, has ignored our big rally that we had.  And this time, for some reason -- might be the only good thing George Bush ever did -- we were able to get on the front page of the local section of this paper. And you know, there was a lot of controversy after the election about who won. We didn't know who won -- if it was Gore or if it was Bush. But you know, I never doubted the entire time who won. Did all of you know who won? The New World Order. The New World Order won! That's who won. And so you are more important than you have ever been before.

Nevada Independent American

This is our newspaper. We put out 110,000 of these in Nevada. It has our platform. And this is our Nevada Families' Voter Guide. We put 75,000 of these. And one of the things you will notice, if you take the time to read the questions we've asked the candidates, is everyone explains the issue. It might be the only time the candidate ever gets an opportunity to know anything about the questions that we asked. It explains those issues. So if they read our questionnaire -- even if they don't fill it out -- they've once in a lifetime heard our point of view in asking that question.

Also there's a wonderful Phyllis Schafly report in here on guns. One you need to read, one of the best I've ever seen. One on the United Nations. And its interesting, there's one in here -- we had the marijuana vote on our ballot in Nevada. And in any case, my son went to the polls, and he was arguing with me that he should vote in favor of that marijuana resolution. Now we have the Libertarian Party here. We may have a disagreement about that. But I told him that many times I've gone down to the state legislature with the chairman of the Libertarian Party and we testified on a lot of issues together. And I have a lot of respect for them. And I'll tell you what James Dan in Nevada always says, when we get elected then we will start arguing. Until then, we will work together as often as we can.

This brings us back to the scripture as I opened it today, "Those slothful servants who will not do anything until they are compelled in all things." Maybe the Lord will never set up a specific church program. I'll tell you what, if it hadn't been for the church involvement in Nevada, on the Protection of Marriage Issue, and the involvement of many other good people and organizations, we would never had won. 

We got 110,000 signatures, we only needed 40,000. And then we won on the ballot to maintain marriage between a man and a woman by 70 percent. Now had we had to do that on our own without the philosophical support and encouragement of churches to get involved , it could not have happened. But if we had not been involved and ready for leadership, it couldn't have happened either. Because there wouldn't have been anyone to tell them how to do it.

Your Challenge

When the time comes, those who lead the battle will be those who know how to do it. Now that's what you are doing. You're learning how to do these things. You're learning how to run campaigns. You're learning how to run political organizations. You're learning how to write a platform. You're learning how to write a letter. You're learning about legislation. You're learning what it takes to sacrifice. You're learning how to lose. Learning how to lose is very important. Because, then you know it wasn't you when you win.

And the Lord wants you to know its not you. Its the Lord. And if we put our life in line with the Lord and ask him what we are supposed to do to build the Independent American Party, to take care of our families, to do all the things we are supposed to do -- if we go on his priorities, not on our own, then we will be successful, and we will win whether at the ballot box we win or not.

John Adams said this, as they were considering whether or not to sign the Declaration of Independence: 

"Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish. I give my hand and my heart to this vote. It is true indeed that in the beginning we aimed not at independence. But there is a divinity that shapes our ends. Why then should we defer this Declaration? You and I indeed may rue it. We may not live to see the time when this Declaration shall be made good."

We may be like Moses who never crossed into the Promised Land. But when Thomas Jefferson was researching the institutions of the Ancients, he learned to read Anglo-Saxon so that he could learn to look into the institutions of the Anglo-Saxons and the Republican form of government. And where do you think that Anglo-Saxons got the Republican form of government? They got it in the Desert of Sinai.

 When Moses' father-in-law Jethro taught him about representative government. And they got it from the hundreds of years of experience that the Tribes of Israel had in Israel with representative government. Until they rejected the prophet and chosen set of kings. They had not rejected you. Remember he told Samuel, they had rejected Me. But they had a heritage of representative government which their descendants in Britain, who were Anglo-Saxons, continued on -- how many thousands of years later from Moses?

So you are investing today, not necessarily in your own future, but as our founding fathers did for ourselves and our posterity.  And so you must not worry about winning, but you must worry about being faithful. And you must worry about being committed. And you must worry about being good examples. And you must worry about doing everything that the Lord wants you to do in the battle for liberty.

"We may die," says John Adams, "die calumnious, die slaves, die it may be ignominiously and on the scaffold. Be it so, if it be the pleasure of heaven that my country shall require the poor offering of my life. The victim shall be ready. But while I do live, let me have a country, or at least the hope of a country, and that a free country. But whatever may be our fate, be assured that this Declaration will stand. It may cost treasure, it may cost blood, but it will stand. And it will be richly compensated for both. Through the thick gloom of the pleasant ..."

Do we feel in a thick gloom? Yes.

"... I see the brightness of the future. For as the sun in the heaven, we shall make this a glorious and immortal day. When we are in our graves, our children will honor it, they will celebrate it with Thanksgiving and festivity and bonfires and illuminations and fireworks. Before God, I believe the hour has come. My judgment approves this matter and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope in this life, I am now ready here to stake upon it. And I leave off as I have began, that live or die, survive or perish, I am for the Declaration. It is my living sentiment. And by the blessing of God, it shall be my dying sentiment. Independence now! And Independence forever!"

That is your challenge; that is your future; that is your fateful opportunity -- to rise to the occasion; and to have a vision beyond two percent of the ballots. It doesn't mean anything, except that you have been willing to do as much as you could do at the time in the circumstances in which you are marching around in the desert with people who would rather be slaves. And when the time comes, that they are chastened -- like it repeatedly tells us in the Old Testament, how many times? and in the Book of Mormon -- and as we see prophesied, only then when they are humbled before the Lord, will they be interested in your message. And they will begin to get interested in your message.

And so you must be as those who have gone before -- like George Washington, who realized that the battle was God's, and he just did everything he could to succeed. And he looked out upon the generations and realized that this was not the first and was not the last time that the battle for liberty would rage. But the test is of you personally. Will you sacrifice and invest enough, so that you know all that all you have done is acceptable before God? And you might look forward to eternal life!