Springs Eternal The Continuing Saga of Floor 1776
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Martin Luther King Jr.
Good morning, a few weeks ago you met my brother Truth when he told you about his experience on Floor 1776.[i] I know he mentioned that his middle name is Hope, but he did not tell you that he has a sister whose first name is Hope. That is me, Hope. Our parents were funny like that, he is Truth and then Hope and I am Hope and will tell you my middle name later. By the way there are three of us, one brother and two sisters.
I found his story enjoyable, and eye opening. If you have not heard his story you can find it here. When I learned of what happened on Floor 1776 I had to investigate America’s history more in depth and check out my brother’s claims for myself. I too was educated in America’s public school system and most, if not all of what he told me he learned was new to me. I could not believe the teachers in my schools would not tell us about America’s real history. Why wouldn’t they?
Over time I grew to realize that the assumptions I made about them telling me the truth were wrong. Why wouldn’t they tell me? This question plagued me for a days after we first talked on the phone. Did the teachers not know? Did they know and choose not to share? I keep coming back to the same question. Why…wouldn’t…they?
A phone call was not enough for me, and I went to visit my brother in New York to relive his experience. What happened to him was unique, for there was no button on the elevator that took you down to anything other than a disappointing and dingy service entrance. That must have been for my brother alone. It was a surprise to him that everything he experienced was for him alone. We stayed up all night as he recounted everything he could remember from that day. There was a renewed joy in him, and I’m convinced that knowing America’s real history provided him something he had never experienced before.
Maybe truth is powerful.
His energy was infectious, and I soon became overwhelmed with the full scope of what he shared. I didn’t fully understand what was happening in the moment, but I grew to understand over time what he would share could help change the course of America. I also started to wonder if our parents knew something they never shared with us. Why they named us the way they did.
I enjoyed my time with my brother and decided to go for a walk. Turning the corner, I saw people entering a building. Suddenly realizing it was a Sunday it became clear they were entering a church for worship services. I decided to go in. I don’t know why, it just felt right. Since I left home for college I had not attended church.
I sat in back and went through the motions. It had been so long it felt new to me.
But I could not leave.
The Pastor of the church took the stage after a few songs and announcements and told the audience that he was going to preach something different than his normal sermon. He then put a slide up on the screen that said, “America’s Black Robe Regiment.” He seemed nervous but also convicted that what he was about to do preach about was necessary. He took us through a short history of the Black Robe Regiment and what it meant to America to have Pastors play such a critical role in the American Revolution.
His convictions grew in strength the longer he talked; the audience was either completely focused on him or looking around nervously. He preached about how America’s founding documents were made possible by quoting biblical scripture or quoting pastoral messages given in the colonial era. He said America is built on Christian principles and told the audience that it was time for America’s new black robe regiment to form and do its sacred duty no matter the cost.
He said it was time to show America that the church must be the primary influence on our culture. That we the church are not to hide behind the walls of our non-profit tax status living in fear of repercussions. We are instead to be out in society as a loud voice.
The voice of We the Church.
The voice of We the People.
He finished by quoting a founding father of our nation, reminding us that sacred duty is ours, results are God’s. He said that we must only place our hope in God and tend the garden. For if we truly love our fellow man we will stand up for truth no matter the cost.
That got my attention for my name is Hope then Love. I better go talk to my sister; I can’t wait for you to meet her.
Lt Col (ret), US Army, Darin Gaub is a Co-founder of Restore Liberty, an international military strategist and foreign policy analyst, an executive leadership coach, and serves on the boards of multiple volunteer national and state level organizations. The views presented are those of the author and do not represent the views of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or its components.
[i] https://creativedestructionmedia.com/opinion/2022/11/04/floor-1776/,