Last night Dutch Sheets and other leaders led a national
prayer service near the headwaters of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. This
area has important spiritual significance in the history of America from the
time of George Washington. “We determined that the Lord was putting great
emphasis on this area pertaining to the elections and the future of our nation.
We are believing that this live prayer gathering in Coudersport, Pennsylvania,
near the headwaters of the Allegheny River, will shift America,” Dutch Sheets.
“Decades before he became the father of our county, George Washington
was on a dangerous diplomatic mission in the Western Pennsylvania wilderness. A
21-year old major in the Virginia militia named Washington had two brushes with
death in this Pittsburgh area, which could have dramatically altered the course
of American history.
At one point, Washington and his traveling companion, Christopher
Gist tried to take a raft across the Allegheny River. Washington was
controlling it with a pole and didn’t do a very good job because he ended up
being thrown into the river. And with all the wet wool clothes that they used
to wear; it was very fortunate that he was able to be saved by Gist.
Think how different our world might be without Washington. He
was the catalyst of the Revolution, he was the leader of the Constitutional
Convention, he held everything together throughout the Revolution and
afterwards, when our government was formed. And I truly believe, had Washington
been killed, that our nation’s history would be quite different and the history
of the world, the modern world as we know it, would be quite different.” [Martin
J. O'Brien at the Harmony Museum]
Personally, I do not believe the Presidential election is
over. I respect each person’s conviction of which candidate should lead our
nation. I voted for the party platform that has the best chance of advocating
religious freedom, the right to life, and democracy. I believe the name of the
man who saved Washington from drowning in the river is significant at this
time. “Gist” means the main or essential part of a matter and the ground of a
legal action. As you look at the two paintings of Washington and Gist crossing
the river you will notice how rickety the raft must have been. Just a few rough
logs lashed together, not a boat, just a shaky raft! It would have taken a
miracle for Gist to pull a soaked George Washington up onto the raft! The raft would
have surely dipped down under the water considering the weight of two men. This
rescue of Washington happened during a Pennsylvania winter, December 27, 1753. Interesting
that “gist” means the ground of a legal action and that is what is happening currently
in the election and that we are less than two weeks from December.
Last night’s national prayer service in Pennsylvania led by
Dutch Sheets was the “Gist” who reached out with an appeal to Heaven to rescue
the democratic election. Democracy is at stake. I participated in this prayer
service online. Gist keeps my hope alive that the election is not said and
done. Gist keeps reaching out to save our individual rights to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness. Gist refuses to let our democratic way of life
die a slow death. Gist will not allow our freedom of worship to drown. Who is
the true hero in the historical near-death of George Washington, the Father of
our country? It is a man named Gist. Who is the true hero in this period of
our national history? It is the national prayer service held last night near
the headwaters of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania.
