Pardon for Rebellion

American Minute from William J. Federer

On DECEMBER 8, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln announced his plan to accept back into the Union those who had been in the Confederacy.

He wrote: "Whereas it is now desired by some persons heretofore engaged in said rebellion to resume their allegiance to the United States...Therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do proclaim, declare, and make known to all persons who have, directly or by implication, participated in the existing rebellion...that a full pardon is hereby granted to them...with restoration of all rights of property...upon the condition that every such person shall take and subscribe an oath...to wit:

'I, ____ ____, do solemnly swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of the States thereunder, and that I will in like manner abide by and faithfully support all acts of Congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves...and that I will in like manner abide by and faithfully support all proclamations of the President made during the existing rebellion having reference to slaves....So help me God.'"

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.

Trust in the Right Thing, and Avoid the Stairway to Darkness

By Marie Jon'

As President George W. Bush prepares to move to his beautiful new home in Texas, let me tell you about another home.

This particular house is considered one of the oddest homes in the entire world. The Winchester Mansion is located in San Jose, California, and sits on 160 acres of land. Although under construction for 38 years, it was never completed because its owner, Sarah Winchester, passed away in 1922.

Sarah had the home bustling constantly, under construction twenty-four hours, seven days a week. The home had one hundred and sixty rooms and probably would have had more if Sarah's life hadn't ended suddenly. The place started out as a simple eight-room house, but it was eventually converted into a multi-million-dollar estate.

It isn't the size of the house that makes this true story interesting. The house features some of the strangest construction known to architecture. For example, it has doors that lead to nowhere. Why? Sarah was driven to building the strange and enormous home by the ungodly spirit world.

Her home was built between 1884 and 1922. It contains modern plumbing and heating systems. There are three elevators, forty-seven fireplaces, and gas lighting throughout this unbelievable mansion. The rooms have gorgeous stained glass windows and very elaborate parquet flooring. Although there are no comparables available to place a value on the house, it must be worth a fortune.

The darkness of the occult

Sarah Winchester was the wife of William Winchester. William was the son of the man who made the Winchester repeating rifle. Sarah and William had one little girl, Annie, who unfortunately died six weeks after her birth.

Sarah continually grieved the loss of her child. Fifteen years later, we find poor Sarah weeping over her husband's death, caused by tuberculosis. She felt totally alone in the world. Because of her fears and sadness, she found herself at the doorstep of a well-known spirit medium. She believed that delving into Spiritualism might give her some answers. Of course, God was there, waiting to help Sarah, but she did not turn to Him.

However, what the spiritualist told Sarah was a bit unnerving. She was convinced that the souls of those who had been killed by the Winchester rifle were seeking retribution for their deaths, thus they sought to wreak terror on the entire Winchester family.

It was then that Sarah began holding séances to seek favor and try to make amends with them. Sarah was also told her daughter Annie and William's deaths may have appeared to have been caused by natural causes, but in reality they were killed by vengeful ghosts. These spirits would not rest in peace until the Winchester family had paid dearly for inventing the rifle. A special curse was put upon Sarah. As she conducted séances, visiting ghosts would tell her what to do. She was eventually driven insane before she died.

The other day, I heard a promo on KABC radio for a spiritualist who will be part of the station's regular format. She is taking phone calls throughout the evening hours. The Fox television network gave a psychic her own program. She claimed to be able to contact the dead. Also, she appeared as a guest several times on Fox's Red Eye. Everyone on the show thought she was extremely interesting. Perhaps they were having a George Noory moment.

Please don't take this subject lightly. Heed some good advice. Do not dabble in the darkness of the spiritual world. Spiritualists may believe that they have a gift, but is not from the Lord.

How do I know? The Bible makes it clear. With good reason, God warns us about the world of the supernatural.

Biblical warnings

Take a glance at what the Lord originally told the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy:

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

Séances and channeling are nothing new. Many ancient cultures had their own versions of the New Age movement. Channeling, crystals, séances, and astrology are as old as Methuselah.

The Creator God knew of the wickedness of such practices. The Bible records no instances of the dead coming back to speak to anyone. So if it's not the dead who are speaking to those who believe in such folly, then who is it? Spiritualism isn't a harmless game. It's not a figment of the imagination. If that were true, God would not have warned us away from it.

People who play in the occult usually find themselves hopelessly trapped. God's sternest warnings come with regard to having contact with "familiar spirits."

The book of Leviticus tells us,

A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:27)

Read your Bible. Learn what it says about those who have already died in the book of Ecclesiastes:

Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 9:6)

God's Word is abundantly clear. When somebody dies, they have nothing anymore to do with anything that takes place under the sun. Dead people do not return, according to scripture.

Trust in Christ

If you listen to what spiritualists say, you will never hear what He accomplished at the cross. And that is a very dangerous deception.

Christians don't need psychics or mediums or fortune-tellers. We have something much better. The prophet Isaiah says,

And when they say to you 'Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,' should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

To the law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:19-20)

There is a voice that speaks only the truth, and that is the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. You can count on what He says. Jesus Christ came back from the dead. You can trust Him.

What are you building?

Sarah Winchester didn't want to see the dangerous trap that she was stepping into. And today, a massive, confusing home with staircases that lead to nowhere stands as a testimony to what heeding unclean spirits can do. Instead of using her wealth to help others, she squandered her money doing crazy things while under the sway of evil.

Incidentally, Sarah's house and the grounds are open to the public every day with the exception of Christmas. How ironic.

Those who embrace the Bible's promises will have a mansion in heaven. Ours is waiting for us, bought and paid for by the way of the old rugged cross. And best of all, we will reign with Jesus Christ forever and ever. Loved ones will never be missed again. Nor will there be any sad good-byes. Death will be vanquished. "Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death where is thy sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)

"And if I am going away to prepare a place for you, I will come back again and welcome you into my presence, so that you may be where I am." (John 14:3)

My question is a simple one: What are you building with your life? The choice is entirely yours. "But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)



Related Reading:

Spiritualism

The Winchester Mansion Photos

When Godly people Do Ungodly Things: Arming Yourself in the Age of Seduction

Marie Jon' is a political/religious-based writer and founder of www.DrawingClose.org and www.PeoplePoliticallyRight.com — sister websites to RenewAmerica. Marie extends her hand of welcome; visit DrawingClose and receive your free gift of salvation by taking an online Bible study.

Marie's writings have appeared on many sites, including The New Media Journal, ChronWatch, and ABCNews, to name a few. Marie brings a refreshing and spirited point of view that is reflected in her writings. Marie is a nurse, a lay student of the Bible, and a patriot. She is an advocate for American troops serving abroad, as well as the Blue and Gold Star Mothers of America and their families. Marie enjoys Townhall.com radio, Rush Limbaugh, Bruce Elliott Saturdays 5AM-9AM EST and her friend Larry Elder.

Poll Results on Second Clause of First Amendment

Last week's Dakota Voice poll question is now closed. The question was submitted by Dr. Theo, by the way.

The First Amendment of the Constitution addresses Religion and government, with the first clause declaring that Congress shall enact no law "respecting an establishment of religion." The second clause declares what?

The vast majority of respondents got it right. Here are the answers and how they broke down:

Bans prayer in schools (5%)
Prohibits the display of religious symbols on public property (0%)
Prohibits the use religious references in official documents (5%)
Prohibits government from interfering in religious expression (85%)
Guarantees that churches will be exempt from taxes (3%)

Thanks to Dr. Theo, and to all who participated!

This week's poll has now been posted in the upper right corner of Dakota Voice:

What percentage of abortions in SD in 2007 were because "The mother did not desire to have the child"?

- 1.7%
- 33.5%
- 83.2%
- 5.2%

Hint: the answer can be found at the South Dakota Department of Health under the Statistics menu item, Vital Statistics section.

Mother: I Need My Job More Than I Need My Child

I've given self-centered parents a hard time at Dakota Voice, but I think this story takes the cake.

According to this report, a woman named Blanca Rosales in New Mexico (who only sees her daughter about an hour a day as it is) says she wants someone to take her 9-year-old daughter off her hands. Apparently she needs her job more than she needs her daughter.

With a mother like this, I'm pretty sure the girl would be better off somewhere else, anyway.

Viewers of the story that ran on local television pointed out that if it's "so hard to make it" for this woman, why does she have a TV, a laptop, and painted nails? Well, a woman has to have priorities, after all, right?

What happened to parents sacrificing for their children? What happened to the "natural affection" the Bible talks about which leads a parent to put their children before anything: career, education, a new boat, going out to party, a new car, a new cell phone, a new plasma TV...or a job?

"People think I'm giving her up because I can't take care of her. I've taken care of her, but right it's just come to where I need my job more than I need my child."

The Infamous Date at Pearl Harbor

American Minute from William J. Federer

"DECEMBER 7, 1941- a date which will live in infamy- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

Thus spoke President Franklin D. Roosevelt following the attack on Pearl Harbor by over 350 Japanese aircraft. Five American battleships and three destroyers were sunk, 400 planes were destroyed and over 4000 were killed or wounded.

President Roosevelt concluded: "No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory...We will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us."

FDR continued: "Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces- with the unbounding determination of our people- we will gain the inevitable triumph- so help us God."

(As a note, FDR's phrase "So help us God" is not on the new World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Of the over 500 words inscribed, the designers chose not to include any mention of God.)

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.