Under God

April 8, 2005
by Gregory Davis

Four-score and seven years ago…, everyone has heard these famous words spoken by Abraham Lincoln 142 years ago in 1863.

His last written draft of the Gettysburg address contained 265 words. However, as Lincoln stood to deliver the address, he added two words on the spur of the moment: under God.

The sentence he changed was now spoken in these new words:

“…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

In the 1880’s, James Upham, publisher of America most widely read magazine, was disappointed that most public schools did not have an America Flag, so he launched a campaign wherein schoolchildren raised funds to purchase a flag. As a result 30,000 new flags were flown for the first time in front of America’s schools between 1888 and 1891.

In 1892, Columbus Day was made a national holiday. It was the 400th anniversary of his arrival in America. Upham wanted children across the country to participate, so he began planning the National Public School Celebration that would center on raising a school flag.

First, a proclamation from the president would be read, followed by a prayer and Scripture reading, the singing of “America”, and patriotic speeches. Wanting the children to participate more fully, Upham determined that they should recite a salute to the flag. He enlisted his former pastor, Francis Bellamy, to write the salute. He labored for weeks and finally published the following on September 8, 1892.

I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thirty-four days later, twelve million schoolchildren recited the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time.

In 1923 and 1924 the words my flag were changed to the Flag of the United States of America. In 1948, a man named Louis A. Bowman proposed to his fellow Sons of the America Revolution that the words under God be added after one nation—following the precedent set by Abraham Lincoln. In 1952, a national newspaper campaign helped bring about legislation to officially add under God to the Pledge. President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved this change on Flag Day, 1954, and proclaimed,

“In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.”

Now 51 years later, our reaffirmation of our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war is in danger. The battle rages with groups trying to remove all aspects of God from our country’s life. No longer will it be God and country. If they have their way, it will just be country. Let's work together and respect our heritage by keeping God in a place of honor in our government.

—Greg Davis