k30md's Blog

Subject: Laus Deo


> One detail that is never mention is
> that in D.C. There can never be a building of greater height
than the
> Washington Monument
>>
>>
>>
>> With all the uproar about removing the ten
commandments,
>>etc, this is worth a
>> moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this
>>amazing historical
>> information.
>>
>> On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington
>> Monument in Washington , D.C.
>> are displayed two words: Laus Deo. (Latin Translation -
"Praise be to God."
>>
>> No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to
the
>>monument are totally
>> unaware they are even there.
>>
>> Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to
share
>>this with everyone you
>> know. These words have been there for many years; they
are
>>5.125
>> inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward
to
>>the Father of our
>> nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise
the
>>District of
>> Columbia, capital of the United States of America.
>>
>> Laus Deo!
>> Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of
sight
>>and, one
>> might think,
>> out of mind,
>> but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over
>>what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation
in the
> world.
>>
>> So, what do those two words,
>> in Latin,
>> composed of just four syllables and only seven
letters,
>>possibly mean? Very simply,
>> they say
>> Praise be to God!
>>
>> Though construction of this giant obelisk began in
1848,
>>when James Polk was President of the United States , it was
not until
> 1888
>>that the
>> monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It
took
>>twenty-five years to
>> finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father
of
>>our nation, Laus Deo.
>>
>>
>> 'Praise be to God!'
>>
>>
>> From atop this magnificent granite and marble
structure,
>>visitors may take in
>> the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its
division
>>into four major
>> segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily
see
>>the original plan of
>> the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant .a perfect cross
>>imposed upon the
>> landscape, with the White House to the north, the
>>Jefferson Memorial is to the
>> south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial
to
>>the west.
>>
>>
>> A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of
>>church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and
state was not,
> is
>>not, in the Constitution. So,
>> read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to
carry
>>a profound meaning
>> for those who bother to notice.
>>
>>
>> Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898
steps
>>and 50 landings. As
>> one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the
>>memorial stones share a
>> message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by
the
>>City of Baltimore; on
>> the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese
>>Christians; on the 24th a
>> presentation made by Sunday School children from New
York
>>and Philadelphia
>> quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.
>>Praise be to God!
>>
>>
>> When the cornerstone of the Washington
>> Monument was laid on July
>> 4th, 1848, deposited within it were many items
including
>>the Holy Bible
>> presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such
was
>>the discipline, the
>> moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the
>>founder and first
>> President of our unique democracy, 'One Nation, Under
>>God.'
>>
>> I am awed by Washington 's prayer for America . Have
>> you ever read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity,
so
>>read on!
>>
>>
>> 'Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou
wilt
>>keep the United
>> States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline
the
>>hearts of the
>> citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and
>>obedience to government;
>> and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one
>>another and for their
>> fellow citizens of the United States at large. And
finally
>>that Thou wilt most
>> graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice,
to
>>love mercy, and to
>> deme an ourselves with that charity, humility, and
pacific
>>temper of mind which
>> were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our
>>blessed religion, and
>> without a humble imitation of whose example in these
>>things we can never hope
>> to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, w e
beseech
>>Thee, through Jesus
>> Christ our Lord. Amen'
>>
>>
>> Laus Deo!
>>
>>
>> When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in
public
>>places all over our
>> nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the
signature
>>of God, as it is
>> unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may
forget
>>the width and height
>> of 'Laus Deo', its location, or the architects but no
one
>>who reads
>> this will be able to forget its meaning, or these
words:
>>'Unless the Lord
>> builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless
the
>>Lord watches over the
>> city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.' (Psalm 127:
1)
>>
>>
>> It is hoped you will send this to every family member
and
>>person you know. They will not find offense, because you
have
>> given them a lesson in history that they probably
never
>>learned in school. With
>> that, be not ashamed, or afraid, but have pity on
those
>>who will never see this
>> because someone failed to send it on.
>>