| George
Washington's Vision
Three great perils will come upon the Republic. 1777/1778. A vision received
by George Washington.
More than
a century ago, a Mr. Wesley Bradshaw published an article in which he quoted Anthony
Sherman, who was an officer with General George Washington at Valley Forge.
Bradshaw's original article was reprinted in the National Tribute, Vol. 4, No.
12, for December, 1880. He told of the last time he saw Anthony Sherman, and these
are Bradshaw's words: The last time I ever saw Anthony Sherman was on the
fourth of July, 1859, in Independence Square. He was then ninety-nine years old,
and becoming very feeble. But though so old, his dimming eyes rekindled as he
gazed upon Independence Hall, which he came to visit once more. "Let
us go into the hall," he said. "I what to tell you of an incident of
Washington's life - one which no one alive knows of except myself; and, if you
live you will, before long, see it verified. "From the opening of the
Revolution we experienced all phases of fortune, now good and now ill, one time
victorious and another conquered. The darkest period we had, I think, was when
Washington after several reverses, retreated to Valley Forge, where he resolved
to pass the winter of 1777." We give the account here as printed
in the U.S. war veterans paper The National Tribune, in December, 1880. The National
Tribune became, "The Stars and Stripes", and this article was reprinted
in that publication December 21, 1950.
The Vision:
"I
do not know whether it is owing to the anxiety of my mind, or what, but this afternoon,
as I was sitting at this table engaging in preparing a dispatch, something in
the apartment seemed to disturb me. Looking up, I beheld standing opposite to
me a singularly beautiful being. So astonished was I, for I had given strict orders
not to be disturbed that it was some moments before I found language to inquire
the cause of the visit. A second, a third, and even a fourth time did I repeat
my question, but received no answer from my mysterious visitor except a slight
rising of the eyes. By
this time I felt strange sensations spreading through me. I would have risen but
the riveted gaze of the being before me rendered volition impossible. I assayed
once more to speak, but my tong became useless, as if paralyzed. A new influence,
mysterious, potent, irresistible, took possession of me. All I could do was to
gaze steadily, vacantly at my unknown visitor. Gradually
the surrounds atmosphere seemed to fill with sensations, and grew luminous. Everything
about me seemed to rarefy, the mysterious visitor also becoming more airy and
yet more distinct to my sight than before. I began to feel as one dying, or rather
to experience the sensations I sometimes imagine accompanying death. I did not
think, I did not reason, I did not move. All were alike impossible. I was only
conscious of gazing fixedly, vacantly on my companion. The
introductory part of the Vision Presently
I heard a voice say, "Son of the Republic, look and learn,' while at the
same time my visitor extended an arm eastward. I now beheld a heavy white vapor
at some distance rising fold upon fold. This gradually dissipated, and I looked
upon the strange scene. Before me lay, out in one vast plain all the countries
of the world -- Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. I saw rolling and tossing between
Europe and America lay billows of the Atlantic, and between Asia and America lay
the Pacific. 'Son of the Republic', said the same mysterious voice as before,
'look and learn.'
The First Peril: The Revolutionary War. At
that moment I beheld a dark shadowy being, like an angel, standing, or rather
floating in mid-air, between Europe and America. Dipping water out of the ocean
in the hollow of each hand, he sprinkled some upon America with his right hand,
while with his left he cast some over Europe. Immediately a cloud arose from these
countries and joined in mid-ocean. For awhile it remained stationary, and then
it moved slowly westward, until it enveloped America in its murky folds. Sharp
flashes of lightning gleamed through at intervals, and I heard the smothered groans
and cries of the American People. A second time the angel dipped water from
the ocean and sprinkled it out as before. The dark cloud drew back to the ocean,
in who's heaving billows it sank from view.
Westward
expansion in America A
third time I heard the mysterious voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and
learn.' I cast my eyes upon America and beheld villages and town cities spring
up one right after another until the whole land from the Atlantic to the Pacific
was dotted with them. Again, I heard the mysterious voice say, 'Son of the Republic,
the end of the century cometh, look and learn.' (The
Second Peril: the Civil War) And
this time a dark shadowy angel turned his face southward. From Africa I saw an
ill-omened specter approach our land. It flitted slowly and heavily over every
town and city of the latter. The inhabitants presently set themselves in battle
array against each other. As I continued to look I saw a bright angel on whose
brow was traced the word 'Union.' He was bearing the American flag. He placed
the flag between the divided nation and said, 'Remember, ye are brethren.' Instantly
the inhabitants, casting down their weapons became friends once more, and united
around the National Standard.   ; (The
Third Peril: World War 3)Again
I heard a mysterious voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and learn.' At this
the dark, shadowy angel placed a trumpet to his mouth, and blew three distinct
blasts; and taking water from the ocean, he sprinkled it upon Europe, Asia [Russia,
China], and Africa [Arab countries including Egypt]. Then
my eyes beheld a fearful scene. From each of these continents arose thick black
clouds that were soon joined into one. And throughout this mass there gleamed
a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men. These men, moving with the
cloud marched by land and sailed by sea to America, which country was enveloped
in the volume of the cloud. And I dimly saw these vast armies devastate
the whole country and burn the villages, towns and cities, which I had seen spring
up. As my ears
listened to the thundering of the cannon, clashing of swords, and the shouts and
cries of millions in mortal combat, I again heard the mysterious voice saying,
'Son of the Republic, look and learn.' When the voice had ceased, the dark shadowy
angel placed his trumpet once more to his mouth, and blew a long and fearful blast.
Instantly a light, as of a thousand suns shone down from above me, and
pierced and broke into fragments of the dark cloud which enveloped America. At
the same moment the angel upon whose head still shown the word 'Union,' and who
bore our national flag in one hand and a sword in the other, descended from the
heavens attended by legions of white spirits. These immediately joined the inhabitants
of America, who I perceived were well-nigh over come, but who immediately taking
courage again, closed up their broken ranks, and renewed battle. Again
amid the fearful noise of the conflict I heard the mysterious voice say, 'Son
of the Republic, look and learn.' As the voice ceased, the shadowy angel for the
last time dipped the water from the ocean and sprinkled it upon America. Instantly
the dark clouds rolled back, together with the armies it had brought, leaving
the inhabitants of the land victorious. Then
once more I beheld the villages, towns and cities springing up where I had seem
them before, while the bright angel, planting the azure standard cried with a
loud voice: 'While the stars remain, and the heavens send down dew upon the earth,
so long shall the Union last.' And taking from his brow the crown which blazoned
the word 'Union,' he placed it down upon the standard while the people, kneeling
down said, 'Amen.' The
scene instantly began to fade and dissolve, and I at last saw nothing but the
rising, curling vapor, I at first beheld. This also disappeared, and I found myself
once more gazing upon the mysterious visitor who, in the same voice I heard before
said, 'Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: Three great
perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful for her is the third. But
the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic
learn to live for his God, his land and Union. With
these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat and felt that I had
seen a vision wherein had been showed me the birth, progress, and destiny of the
United States."
Anthony Sherman climaxed his recollection of Washington's words by saying. "Such,
my friends, were the words I heard from Washington's own lips, and America will
do well to profit by them. Thomas Jefferson once said of our first President:
"His integrity was the most pure, his justice the most flexible, I have ever
known. He was, indeed, in every sense of the word, a wise, a good and a great
man."
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