Encouragement for Life

I recently read an article by Christopher Flannery, published in IMPRIMIS, a publication of Hillsdale College. It was titled “How to Think About the American Revolution.” In his article he explains how we got the Great Seal of the United States and what it means. As we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States, it seems appropriate to take another look at the Great Seal of the United States. 

A committee was appointed to design and propose a seal on the very day the Declaration of Independence was signed, July 4, 1776. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams were on that committee. They submitted their recommendations a month later, but action was delayed due to the war. A second committee was formed four years later, making its own recommendations. Then, again, two years after that a third committee was formed while peace talks were going on in Paris.

At this point it was becoming more important for the newly independent United States to have an official symbol of its sovereignty. “Charles Thomson, Secretary of the U.S. Congress was asked to take the recommendations of the three committees into account and submit a proposal for a Great Seal.”

The back of a one dollar bill shows the Great Seal, the right side shows the front and the left side shows the back of the Seal.

Mr. Flannery explains the background for this design. “Healdry is the discipline of designing coats of arms, armorial bearings, and such things, and the Great Seal of the United States is a product of the art of heraldry along with art of the statesman. In designing it, the arts of the Old World were used to create a coat of arms that would be the official expression of sovereign authority of a nation that understood itself to be inaugurating a new order of the ages.”

On June 20, 1782 Charles Thomson submitted a written description of the proposed seal to Congress and it was approved that very day.

The front of the Great Seal  shows an American bald eagle with a shield of 13 stripes on its breast. The eagle is clutching 13 arrows in its left talon and an olive branch in its right talon.  The shield on the breast of the eagle “without any other supporters denotes that the United States of America ought to rely on their own Virtue. . . The Olive branch and arrows denote the power of peace & war which is exclusively vested in Congress.”  The eagle’s head is turned to the olive branch “because we fight wars for the sake of peace.”

The eagle holds a scroll in its beak bearing the motto in Latin, E Pluribus Unum, out of many, one. The 13 stripes on the shield and the crest of 13 stars above the eagle’s head represent the original states which were joined into one nation.  

On the back of the Great Seal, in Thomson’s words: 

“A Pyramid unfinished. In the Zenith an Eye in a triangle surrounded with a glory proper. Over the Eye these words ‘Annuit Coeptis’ (which means ‘He approves of what has been started’). On the base of the pyramid, the numerical letters MDCCLXXVI (1776) & underneath the following motto, ‘Novus Ordo Seclorum’ (which means ‘New Order of the Ages’).”

The pyramid represents Strength and Duration.  The Eye over the pyramid and the Motto refer to God’s watchful eye over the forming of this new nation. And of course the date is when the Declaration of Independence was signed and the motto signifies the beginning of the new American Era. 

As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, I think it is appropriate to remember this symbolism.  Our nation was formed with much sweat, blood, and tears, sacrifices of many people, who stood against tyranny in order to live freely.  As the Declaration of Independence states, “all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  

We are still living in the new American Era.  Just as the pyramid is unfinished under the eye of God, so the work of American freedom is unfinished. We must still stand against tyranny. More importantly, we must stand against evil if we are to enjoy the blessings of Divine Providence. There is a war going on in our Nation and it is a spiritual war. Satan wants to take down all that is good. God is still on His throne, with Jesus at His right hand interceding for us. I’m standing on God’s side. Are you?

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:10-12). 

Happy 250th Birthday, America!