Joseph and the City on a Hill

"212 degrees of Fidelity, Today and Beyond"

There is no attack on American culture more destructive and most historically dishonest than the cacophony of ignorance’s relentless effort to drive God out of America's public square. America once was a refuge of big dreams. We came to this wilderness with a dream and a prayer. Now we as a Nation have forgotten our history and how to dream. Our Founding Fathers believed the blessings of God would be our firm foundation. Yes, God’s grace would be the basis of our liberty, prosperity, and survival as a people and as a Nation. I believe if we as a Nation are to continue in the grace of God under the freedom as we have known it, we must reaffirm our history to this generation. We must proclaim that we as a people are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights.

History is littered with examples of conquered societies drawn to the dustbowl of ignorance through Dictatorships, Tyranny, Fanaticism, and Vainglory.  Societal collapse is a decline and subsequent collapse of society. Ancient civilizations that were once global superpowers collapsed and faded away, giving rise to new superpowers. The common denominator seen in many ancient empires such as the Persian Empire, the Roman Empire, the Vikings, the Byzantine Empire, and the Aztecs is that these were all global superpowers during their prime, but all faced the same fate of moral degradation united with the loss of civil liberty. Additionally, several factors will cause societal collapse, but the primary factors are resource depletion, foreign invasion, natural calamities and loss of morality. Morality is the most important element of society because without morality the society is difficult to continue to the longest period possible. Morality enables communication between the members of community and government establishing the imposition of the rule of law. This is why America’s founding was deeply shaped by Christian moral truths. Our Founding Fathers believed all men were created equal establishing a government hospitable to the Christian Faith, but also to other religions. History validates Christian values and morality were the threads which began the tapestry of America. 

Perhaps we can examine the life of one who faced adversity at every turn in their life drawing from their wisdom thereby inspiring us as a nation to return to our firm foundation. We as a Nation now face adversity from other nations resembling brother fighting brother. The United States of America and the Nation of Israel have often been referred to as a favorite son of God. I remember there was once a boy named Joseph whose life parallels the life of our nation. He too was a favorite son. When Joseph was a little boy he was driven by his dreams. God spoke to him, and he told Joseph that he had chosen him. Our story opens with Joseph living with his family.  He’s about 17 years old and one day he’s out working with his brothers when something happens that will change his life forever.
While working with his brothers Joseph sees them do something they shouldn’t and decides to tell his father.  Not a very good idea, especially for the youngest, who is already viewed as the favorite son.  

Joseph’s in that proverbial spot between a rock and a tough spot. That’s what favoritism does. It places children in a tough spot.  Now as the baby I cannot relate to the other side, but from listening to my brother and sisters favoritism causes problems in the family. Not only does Joseph’s father love him more than his brothers, but he proclaims his love by giving Joseph a beautiful robe that sets him apart from the rest, you see it is a coat of many colors.

But Jacob, Joseph’s father was just repeating the same parenting guidelines which his parents followed.  Jacob was the favorite son of his mother, Rebekah, and Esau, Joseph’s twin brother, was the favorite son of his father, Isaac.  I sure am glad our Father in Heaven does not have favorites.

Joseph would now drive the wedge of enmity between his brothers and himself with a dream.  “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. ⁶He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ⁷We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” Genesis Ch 37 vs. -5-7

You see to make matters worse; Joseph has this dream that he’s better than his eleven brothers and tells them about it! No, brethren this would not be Joseph’s finest hour.

“His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. ⁹Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” ¹⁰When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” ¹¹His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” Genesis 37,vs. 8-11

Joseph has a second dream about his dominance, but now it’s not only over his brothers; he will rule over his mother and father as well.  And now not only do his brothers despise him, even his father Jacob finds the dream offensive. 

All of us need dreams.  Dreams are what keep us going in life. Our Father in Heaven has watched the dream of the United States for 243 years. There are many that have found the dream of America offensive and have sought the opportunity to tear the dream from the fabric of our country. We started out like Joseph that little innocent boy listening to God. Then when adversity reared its head we were ready with a steadfast conviction and faith in God.

Now our children do not dream and for many of them, their babysitter is the television, I-Pad, or latest Smart phone. It is a sad commentary on our children and youth when they know more about a play-station 3 entertainment center and how to text message, snap chat, and tweet than they do about our Nation's history. It is not the sole responsibility of our schools to teach what profound events in our Nation’s history enabled us to unite into 50 GREAT STATES. The responsibility lies with each of us. As Joseph shared his dreams with his family, we need to share the dream of America.  America – Our country. This is more than a word, it began as a thought, grew into an idea nourished by hope. Tyrants have tried unsuccessfully to erase it from the memory of free men. May it always be found in the repository of a faithful breast.

The story of Joseph and his dreams can be found in our Great Light in Geneses chapter 37. During Joseph’s life, he would face slavery, betrayal, false imprisonment, economic collapse, and famine. Through God’s grace and a dream not only would Egypt be saved, but the nation of Israel would be saved and Josephs dream of his sheaf rising up and his brother’s sheaves bowing be fulfilled. The lesson has a two-fold cord. One is in time of plenty we need to place items in the storehouse. The second is that God raises those up according to his plan and causes whomsoever he chooses to bow down.  

America like Joseph now faces societal collapse, one that cannot be solved through wheat and barley. We must do a better job in teaching the dream that America is freedom--freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to live one's life free from reprisal. Freedom is special and rare. It's fragile; it needs protection, and freedom is not free. So, we must teach history based on fact, not on what is considered to be politically correct, but teach the dream and that is what's important. We need to teach why the Pilgrims came here, who Jimmy Doolittle was, what those 30 seconds over Tokyo meant to us as a Nation, how America's youth stormed the Beaches of Normandy and the lessons of 911. The lessons of Benjamin Banneker, Jackie Robinson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Charles Drew, Dr. Benjamin Solomon Carson, Sr., Condoleezza Rice, General Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr., and Dorie Miller to name a few Great Americans.

10 years ago on the 64th anniversary of D-Day, I was honored to go to Paris with my Father and Brother. Subsequently, at Normandy in a deluge of rain and wind, I walked that hallowed ground where my great uncle George Washington Pearson had walked that same beach. However, the deluge which Uncle Wash and those brave men faced that day was a deluge of bullets and artillery. Yes, even the waves as I walked seemed to reverently come ashore. For this was hallowed ground, where the names of Point du Hoc, Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword had defended the dream of America. 

As I walked the beaches once stained red with America’s blood I remembered President Ronald Reagan. How 35 years before he had read a letter on that same beach from a young woman writing of her late father, who’d, fought with my family and I am certain members of your family on Omaha Beach. Her name was Lisa Zanatta Henn. She wrote, "We will always remember, we will never forget what the boys of Normandy did."

We must never forget the sacrifices every American which fought to preserve the privilege we have to meet in one accord. We owe a debt of gratitude to all from those from the first Pilgrims to those tonight who once again find themselves on foreign soil defending freedom. If we forget the dream and sacrifices made to preserve that dream than, we as a nation and people won't know who we are.

I have a heavy burden on my heart about the loss of America’s memory which could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit, and the death of the dream. In America once a task is defined we have always had the will and spirit to succeed. I submit for your consideration that Freemasonry can help keep the dream alive through the tenants of Freemasonry and diligence to teach our children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews America’s history and a greater emphasis on civic duty. Families do not eat dinner together as they did when I was a child. I remember when neighbors spent time together on the front porch and around the dinner table. I would like to first issue a challenge to you my Brethren, and then ask you to help me issue the same challenge every family in your circle of acquaintances. The challenge which Joseph had,… the challenge to dream. The challenge to share those dreams, so tonight around the dinner table I hope the dream is remembered and that the talking and listening begins. So now if a child or youth is reading this and your parents haven't been teaching you what it means to be an American, set that video game down and ask them. Because it is time that every American red, yellow, black and white remembers the dream and that would be the American thing to do.

Leadership is the art of inspiring others 

to purposely create a result 

that would not have transpired otherwise.

In 2001-2003 I served as DDGM under M.W. G. Kent Elkins and with 29 Great Leaders. Among them was R.W. Cal Disher DDGM of the 7th district. Over the years R.W. Brother "Cal" and I have laughed, listened, and walked in the cemetery supporting each other when my mother and when his Father passed away. R.W. Brother Call has always been an inspiring leader. In a couple of months, he will be our next Grand Master. He has shared how we have seen America at her best and worse. The difference is in the past when adversity reared its head America had not lost sight of the dream. That is why we call that generation the GREATEST GENERATION. The time has arrived for our craft to purposely remind everyone of the dream of America, this is the time, now is the place and none other should satisfy us.

The recent events of moral disparity have caused me to realize we as a nation are on the verge of the bankruptcy of a different kind. I am speaking of the bankruptcy of our moral fiber. I've thought a lot about the dream of the "shining city upon a hill." The phrase comes from John Winthrop, who wrote it to describe the America he dreamed and hoped for. What he dreamed was vital because he was an early Pilgrim to this wilderness and a dreamer of freedom. He journeyed here with the other Pilgrims, who were looking for a home that would be free from tyranny and a haven where they could dream. These Pilgrims were Christians espousing morality and religious liberty in the GOD of Abraham, Isac, and Jacob who is active in the affairs of all men and nations.

We as a nation are like Joseph's coat of many colors. We are red yellow, black and white. God has woven us into a coat of many colors called America. I believe if we as a people remember, and teach the GREAT DREAM of America than the history we are now writing shall record that when adversity reared its head we stood united as a band of sacred brothers, and that we too were a great generation with steadfast resolve and a commitment to God, country and the dream we all love,… called America.

May GOD Bless America and may he richly bless you and your family is my fervent prayer.

Your friend and Brother from Inman

Jay Adam