Hello 2009!!!New Year's Day is finally upon us, and there's no better way for this blog to recognize this holiday's "out with the old, in with the new" sentiment of rejuvenation and rebirth than to recall the words of John & Abigail Adams!
Take for example John's sentiments of optimism and determination from January 1, 1779. At the height of the Revolution, John Adams wrote the following to his wife Abigail:
I wish you an happy new Year, and many happy Years -- and all the Blessings of Life. Who knows but this Year may be more prosperous for our Country than any We have seen. For my own Part I have hopes that it will. Great Blessings are in store for it, and they may come this Year as well as another. You and I however must prepare our Minds to enjoy the Prosperity of others not our own. In Poverty and Symplicity, We shall be happy, whenever our Country is so.Abigail demonstrated the same optimism and determination in 1797, as her husband prepared to take office as the second President of the infant United States (filling the shoes of the legendary George Washington), when she wrote:
"O Blindness to the future kindly givenMay you all have a happy and prosperous 2009!!!
That each may fill the circle marked by Heaven."
The new Year opens upon us with new Scenes of Life before us. What are to be the trials the troubles and vexations of it, are wisely withheld from our view.
The universal cause
Acts not by partial, but by General laws
Who sees and follows that great Scheme the best
Best knows the blessing, and will most be blest.
To him who sits Supreem let us commit the hour, the day the Year, and fearless view the whole. These need but thinking right, and meaning well, and may this ensure to you, the Souls calm Sun Shine, and the Heart felt say.
5 comments:
Except for the Christian nationalists!!!
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"To him who sits supreem...." Brad quoting Abigail Adams.
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You don't get much more Masonic than that.
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Some of the thoughts beg the purpose of America's Founding.
Good point!
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So, I'm wondering if some of the Founders meant to bring the two separate roots (Biblical and Greek Philosophy) together as the roots of America's Foundation.
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Anyone have any thoughts on that?
Yes, they fancied that, and dragged in the Romans, too.
But you'd have to look at the inadequacies of Greek political philosophy and why it died in the first place, and also the fact that Aristotle in particular had already been Christianized by medieval Christian thinkers.
But Leo Strauss tries to skip that middle step of Christianity and get back to the Greeks directly, which is why Eric Voegelin disagreed with him.
But you could argue that Alexander Hamilton was a Caesarist like Strauss.
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