A Nation Under God

My brother was right, and I was kind of wrong. It's true that colonists in early America could be ungodly toward Indian Americans, and my brother knew so. But what I knew was a little history from the viewpoint of Spanish missionaries, who didn't grow weary in ministering to Indian Americans who sometimes could be murderous. Although I knew some among the missionaries did murder in return — although, as Christians, we're not to repay evil for evil — I felt the missionaries were steadfast in faith and that the fruit of their labor is apparent even generations later, in some churches that still stand in their original places, ministering to diverse people.

 

Many Spanish Christians in historic South America, apparently did a much better job ministering to and becoming true sisters and brothers with those of our ancestors who were native to the American continent; and that reality is apparent also in some parts of the western United States.

Although we know too well the saddest chapters in our nation's past, as Christians we should be able to rejoice in also knowing there really has been victory here, in Jesus.

In fact, to me, it's miraculous how God turned evil around and used terrible circumstances in history, for our good. One thing I continue to think is true, is that native brothers and sisters were set on being tribes and on warring one tribe against another when it came to territorial feelings. And the exact same thing was true of Europeans.

But it's amazing how Heaven saw fit to resolve much conflict in this tribal, warfaring world.

French colonists generally wanted to enrich their homeland. Their vision seemed to be one of claiming huge chunks of North America as "New France," and they remained loyal to their mother country's economic interests. While some French missionaries may have judged some native peoples in ways that they should not have, the French colonists, for the most part, wanted genuine friendship with native peoples and understood that financial trade between themselves and native neighbors was seen as gift-giving in native eyes. And some natives, understanding the faith of those French missionaries who apparently were kind, accepted new lives in Christ.

However, those friendships were affected by France's militarily led greed for power. France was ever intent on forging Indian alliances not only to gather economically lucrative natural resources to carry from America to the mother country; France, moreover, was willing to wage war offensively, against British and Dutch colonists, enlisting help from native peoples. When France intentionally sent a more aggressive military leadership to Quebec, France and groups of native peoples attempted to take part of the New York colony at one point, presumably in a bid to win economic sovereignty over America.

Although the English tended to shape the border lines of their colonies around the base of the Appalachian Mountains, they were intent on exploring and possibly colonizing more of North America — something France wanted to prevent. But, to their credit, France didn't only want to have land sovereignty; they also wanted their native allies safe from any attacks by the British.

 

The British were not innocent of bloodshed. Even when the first protestant Christians faithfully traveled to America on the Mayflower, they were traveling with a huge crew, and with families who were recruited to help settle the colonies for non-faith reasons — and, as a result, when a few from the Mayflower began to search for a safe place to settle, those with guns shot at and frightened away a small group of native people who had begun to shoot at them with arrows. It was fortunate that fate ultimately brought the Mayflower colonists into friendly relations with another native group, who helped those live who survived the first winter. And there were other kindnesses between natives and colonists from England. However, many English colonists, over many years, became more and more eager to personally have land of their own, and were willing to fight unfriendly native peoples in order to settle west of Appalachia. These colonists began pushing more to the west not out of faith nor allegiance to the economic interests of England. Instead, they wanted their own homesteads, and their own country.

What's amazing to me is that things began to work out in a godly way. A faithful minority, like Pilgrims from the Mayflower, were — I say — able to pray the colonies to victory against tremendous odds: against an at-first determined France, against those native peoples who were with France, and, ultimately, against soldiers from England who, at first, outnumbered them.

 

There were colonists who were less than faithful, and who were willing to fight for plantations of their own. But a faithful minority was able to see the beginnings of a country to victory; was able to influence the first of our Constitution, ensuring church and state would be separate — that government would not be able to determine nor tax the workings of the church; was able to build many churches; and was able to broker peace and an upward path among many native peoples, peace among tribes.

 

It's true that many native peoples kind of languished, especially having been segregated on reservation lands, and especially having been introduced to alcohol many Europeans traded with them. Many languished, the same as many slaves languished after the Civil War.

But many others became people of influence, globally. Many became veterans, with honor. Some even became Bible translators. And there is what's really amazing. Just like Jesus said, the Bible word spread and spread.

Many languished, but many more were saved. Many were inspired by the Hebrew journey from darkness, to light — and by the New Testament's promise of deliverance from sin, to belonging to Heaven. And — I say — that's what really made us a nation.