This is History

[Mike OB]

I thought that you and others may like to see this. One detail that
is
>> not
>> mentioned, in DC, is that there can never be a building of greater
height
>> than the Washington Monument.
>>
>> With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc... This
is
>> worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this
historical
>> information.
>>
>> On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC,
are
>> displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In
fact,
>> most
>> visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and
for
>> that matter, probably couldn't care less.
>>
>> Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with
>> everyone
>> you know. But these words have been there for many years; they are
555
>> feet, 5.1 25 inches high, perched top the monument, facing skyward
to
>> the
>> Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise
the
>> District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.
>>
>> Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, un-noticed words. Out of
sight
>> and,
>> one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the
highest
>> point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful
nation
>> in
>> the world.
>>
>> So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four
syllables
>> and
>> only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be
to
>> God!"
>>
>> Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James
Polk
>> was
>> President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the
monument
>> was
>> inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to
>> finally
>> cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus
Deo
>> .............Praise be to God!"
>>
>> From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors
may
>> take
>> in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into
four
>> major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the
>> original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant...a perfect
cross
>> imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The
>> Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the
>> Lincoln
>> Memorial to the west.
>>
>> A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and
>> state?
>> Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the
>> Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended
to
>> carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.
>>
>> Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50
>> landings.
>> As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial
stones
>> share
>> a message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of
>> Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese
>> Christians;
>> on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New
York
>> and
>> Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.
Praise
>> be
>> to God!
>>
>> When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July
4th,
>> 1848
>> deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible
presented by
>> the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the
moral
>> direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first
>> President
>> of our unique democracy .."One Nation, Under God."
>>
>> I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read
it?
>> Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on!
>>
>> "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the
United
>> States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of
the
>> citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to
>> government;
>> and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for
>> their
>> fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou
wilt
>> most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love
>> mercy,
>> and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific
temper
>> of
>> mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our
blessed
>> religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these
things
>> we
>> can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we
beseech
>> Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
>>
>> Laus Deo!
>>
>> When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places
all
>> over
>> our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of
God, as
>> it
>> is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the
width
>> and
>> height of "Laus Deo", its location, or the architects but no one who
>> reads
>> this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the
Lord
>> builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord
watches
>> over
>> the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)
>>
>> It is hoped you will send this to every child you know; to every
sister,
>> brother, father, mother or friend. They will not find offense,
because
>> you
>> have given them a lesson in history that they probably never learned
in
>> school. With that, be not ashamed, or afraid, but have pity on
those who
>> will never see this because someone failed to send it on.
>>
This was sent to me and I wanted to share it with all of you Have a Merry Christmas Mike OB

[06TWO50Diesel]

PRAISE BE TO GOD! Blessings to all who have read the above and may Christmas be a day of thanksgiving as well.