Irving Berlin & the classic song “God Bless America!” President Reagan: “With heart and hand, let us stand as one today”
Pastor Dewey Moede
Oh My what has happened to us?…….I was so happy listening to ‘God Bless America’ this morning. When I read the commentary by Christian historian Bill Federer, I got sad, saying to myself….. look what we have done to God’s creation. Makes me weep inside. I just write from my heart not to impress anybody, but I try and stand for God. I am just a simple man from small town America. I love my country, but I weep everyday now at the self inflicted death of our beloved country. An America where the Church for reasons I will go into detail this morning, has lost much of its influence, much of it self inflicted, corruption, money is very important to many Pastors and Churches, sex abuse, politics, which is the playground of Satan, etc. So many have stained the Bride of Christ. I know my God is not happy. Many Christians complain about prayer being taken out of the schools, rightly so, BUT! What about the Ten Commandments being taken our of many Churches? When is the last time you have seen the Ten Commandments posted in a Church? When is the last time you have heard a sermon on The Ten Commandments?
I do not know if there is any hope for a revival of America to set us straight with God, but those of us who call ourselves Christians must continue to carry out The Great Commission. We must be help people come to God.
Falling in love with America, he served as a U.S. infantry sergeant in World War I.
He later wrote some of the nation’s most popular songs, including:
“I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”;
“Remember”;
“Always”;
“Alexander’s Ragtime Band”;
“There’s No Business like Show Business”; and
“Easter Parade.”
Irving Berlin wrote the Broadway musical, “This is the Army,” which was made into a 1943 film starring Ronald Reagan.
President Harry S Truman awarded Irving Berlin the Army’s Medal of Merit in 1945 for:
“Extraordinary service as creator and producer of the musical revue, This Is the Army.”
Irving Berlin wrote the patriotic hymn “God Bless America” in 1917.
It was introduced to the public in 1938 on an Armistice Day radio broadcast, sung by Kate Smith.
In 1940, she sang it at both the Democrat National Convention and the Republican National Convention.
Kate Smith stated:
“During the presidential primaries of 1940, I received a request from the Democratic National Committee to sing God Bless America before the speeches.”
Irving Berlin gave all the royalties from the song, over $100,000, to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
The original Boy Scout Oath stated:
“On my honor I will do my best:
To do my duty to God and my country; and
To obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
The original Girl Scout Promise stated:
“On my honor, I will try:
To do my duty to God and my country;
To help other people at all times;
To obey the Girl Scout laws.”
In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a Congressional Bill awarding Irving Berlin a Congressional Gold Medal:
“In recognition of his services in composing many popular songs, including ‘God Bless America.'”
Upon receiving the medal, February 19, 1955, Irving Berlin commented to President Eisenhower:
“To me, ‘God Bless America’ was not just a song but an expression of my feeling toward the country to which I owe what I have and what I am.”
In 1977, Irving Berlin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ford.
“God Bless America” was recorded by many popular artists, musical groups, and Armed Forces bands, including:
Bing Crosby;
Barry Wood;
Gene Autry;
Celine Dion;
LeAnn Rimes;
Horace Heidt orchestra;
West Point Band;
Mormon Tabernacle Choir;
John Wayne Celebrity Ensemble with Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, Dan Blocker, Rosco Lee Brown, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, Bing Crosby, Phyllis Diller, Lorne Greene, Celeste Holm, Bob Hope, Michael Landon, Ann-Margret, Dean Martin, Ross Martin, Ed McMahon, Greg Morris, David Nelson, Rick Nelson, Hugh O’Brien, Doodletown Pipers, Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, Rowan & Martin, William Shatner, Red Skelton, Tom Smothers, Leslie Uggams, and Dennis Weaver.
On October 12, 2001, Congressman Mike Castle of Delaware stated:
“In the aftermath of September 11 … Republicans and Democrats burst into that song of the same name by Irving Berlin on the steps of the U.S. Capitol … It was a slogan for peace.”
Billy Graham stated:
“We are more united than ever before.
I think this was exemplified in a very moving way when the members of our Congress stood shoulder to shoulder the other day and sang God Bless America.”
Irving Berlin wrote:
“While the storm clouds gather
far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance,
to a land that’s free.
Let us all be grateful,
for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices,
in a solemn prayer.
God Bless America,
Land that I Love,
Stand Beside Her,
and Guide Her,
Through the Night,
with the Light From Above,
From the Mountains,
to the Prairies,
To the Oceans
White with Foam,
God Bless America,
My Home Sweet Home,
God Bless America,
My Home Sweet Home!”
During the Cold War, a socialist tactic began to be implemented in the educational system called “deconstruction.”
It is a type of cultural “gene-replacement” therapy whereby a country’s past heroes are portrayed in a negative light so students emotionally detach from them.
This is followed by a period of disillusionment, searching, and division. Then a rewritten history is introduced, indoctrinating youth with new socialist values.
Dystopian writer George Orwell explained:
“Those who control the past control the future, and those who control the present control the past.”
U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall (1902-1949) stated:
“There was a time in these United States when youth was inspired by (heroes) …
Along with our higher education came a debunking contest … a sort of national sport … It was smarter to revile than to revere … more fashionable to depreciate than to appreciate …
Debunking is … a sign of decaying foundations.”
J. Edgar Hoover wrote in the introduction to U.S. Senate Chaplain Edward Lee Roy Elson’s book America’s Spiritual Recovery, 1954:
“We can see all too clearly the devastating effects of secularism on our Christian way of life. The period when it was smart to ‘debunk’ our traditions undermined … high standards of conduct.
A rising emphasis on materialism caused a decline of ‘God-centered’ deeds and thoughts.”
Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, stated:
“For years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.
How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”
President Eisenhower stated for the American Legion Back-To-God Program, February 20, 1955:
“The Founding Fathers … recognizing God as the author of individual rights, declared that the purpose of Government is to secure those rights …
Without God, there could be no American form of Government, nor an American way of life. Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first – the most basic – expression of Americanism.”
Calling for unity, President Ronald Reagan stated in his Second Inaugural Address, January 21, 1985:
“With heart and hand, let us stand as one today: One people under God determined that our future shall be worthy of our past …
There is no story more heartening in our history than the progress that we have made toward the ‘brotherhood of man’ that God intended for us …
For all our problems, our differences, we are together as of old, as we raise our voices to the God who is the Author of this most tender music.
And may He continue to hold us close as we fill the world with our sound … dedicated to the dream of freedom that He has placed in the human heart, called upon now to pass that dream on to a waiting and hopeful world … God bless you and may God bless America.”
May Americans continue sing Irving Berlin’s inspiring verse:
