“One Nation Under God”

The Crusade to Capture the American Flag

PROCEEDINGS
Whitney Smith PhD LFIAV FFIAV FFI
Secretary-General Emeritus, FIAV

Since earliest times fetishes, relics, icons, and other successful religions being those capable of convincing
objects believed to be imbued with sacred power have others of the correctness of their tenets and interpreta-
provided the social cohesion that guarantees the suc- tions, yet leaving the unconvinced to pursue their own
cess of a government, an army, a social system, and the beliefs. In return the government was to provide an even-
country as a whole. Understandably, symbols associated handed administration of the whole society, free from
with those holy objects came to be incorporated in the the fanatical attempt to promote belief among unwilling
battle standards, royal banners, and modern national converts which had characterized so much of the past in
flags of countries in all parts of the world. The tattoo of Europe and elsewhere. This principle was embodied in
the Polynesian, the amulet of the Ashanti, the scapular the terse phrase in the 1791 First Amendment to the US
of the European, the sanjak sharif of the Afghani, and Constitution stating that “Congress shall make no law
the Blood Banner of the Nazis are all linked together respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
in essence and in function, if not in form. Each is the the free exercise thereof…”
embodiment of the highest principles of a given society, Americans slowly established myths about the mean-
justifying the power of life and death which the rulers ing of their country and of citizenship. Over time the Stars
demand over all citizens, on the premise that they rep- and Stripes, the highest and most widely beloved of its
resent an ineluctable force of the universe. symbols, came to be the embodiment and focus of that
Americanism. While the flag was and is a statement about
the meaning, the origins, the future, and the principles
that Americans adhere to, the adulation, reverence, and
respect associated with the flag has in no way replaced or
dimmed the religious fervor of American citizens. Indeed
among developed countries today few match the United
States in the percentage of citizens who profess an active
religious belief and a faith-based lifestyle.
The importance of the flag to the country has, however,
meant that many religious organizations and individuals
have sought to co-opt the meaning of the flag, to achieve in
the eyes of the entire citizenry an ineradicable association
between the spirit and meaning of the flag and the specific
When the Constitution of the newly formed United States religious principles which they hold dear. This sectarian
was drafted in 1787, its provision that “no religious test campaign to “capture the flag” under the slogan “One Nation
shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or Under God” forms the theme of this presentation.
public trust under the United States” therefore constituted The first national flag of the United States, the Conti-
one of the most revolutionary and far reaching of its provi- nental Colors, was intentionally chosen to incorporate
sions. The exact opposite idea — namely that the funda- two concepts in its design and colors. The 13 stripes, by
mental qualification for every public servant was defined referring to the number of colonies participating in the
by his profession of faith in the state religion — had always Continental Congress, made a political statement. The
been, in practice if not in law, the operating principle. Even colors — red and white or red, white, and blue — were the
mere citizenship or participation in the society depended traditional ones of England and Scotland and thus of the
on adherence to the religious faith of the ruler. British American colonies. The Union Jack was associated
The premise of this new secular state was that domes- with the mother country and, appropriately, indicated
tic harmony could be achieved by having the government the status of the colonists prior to the Declaration of
avoid either supporting or suppressing religious sects, Independence as British subjects united in demanding
allowing each individual and each group to pursue its respect from the sovereign for their rights. In this context
own vision of the “true faith” or to abjure religious beliefs its crosses did not have religious significance per se but
and practices entirely. In this way truth would presum- were a symbol of the state and the Crown.
ably evolve from the free intercourse of ideas, the most The adoption in 1777 of the first Stars and Stripes 67
 provided Americans an opportunity to express military, to Heaven appearing both on a Connecticut regimental
political, religious, ethnic, or other characteristics of their color and on the flag of the Massachusetts Navy3 was a
PROCEEDINGS

new republic. Instead the design chosen focused on the religious sentiment. In fact it was a cynical statement,
constitutional structure of the country by symbolizing the referring in that era to the use of weaponry in the event
13 states (as the colonies had been renamed), united in that logical argumentation should fail in some dispute.
a confederation as free and equal units. The distinctive In contemporary usage to “appeal to heaven” simply
American national color, blue, formed the background of meant to resort to warfare to obtain one’s ends, the
the canton which replaced the Union Jack. The thirteen presumption being that the victor would have achieved
stars “representing a new constellation” referred to the his success because of divine favor.4 Indeed that phrase
same units already symbolized by the stripes. It would was routinely inscribed on cannon barrels.
not be until 1818 that the present flag pattern — with the Part of the modern sectarian campaign to define the
stripes representing the original colonies and the stars United States government and political system in avow-
representing all the current states — would be established. edly Christian terms involves the misinterpretation of
While a ring of stars has, among other uses, long been a historical symbols in order to imply that it had been
Marian symbol, in the first Stars and Stripes it clearly made overwhelmingly the intention and practice of those
a secular reference to the 13 states. As Preble1 pointed who established the nation to organize it as a Christian
out, “Thirteen crosses would have shocked the sentiments rather than a secular country. In this spirit the symbols
of a portion of the people, who looked upon the cross as and colors of the Stars and Stripes are repeatedly defined
an emblem of popish idolatry.” as being Christian and the assertion is often made that
This secular symbolism was reinforced with the adop- divine inspiration was responsible for its choice.5 Given
tion in 1782 of the Great Seal of the United States. The the exalted role that the flag plays in American national-
original explanation of the design and symbolism of the ism, culture, and history, these claims about the origin
obverse, while having no legal validity, indicates the and meaning of the flag are highly significant.
direction of thinking at the time. It states that2 Lawrence Phelps Tower advanced the thesis in several
publications6 that the Stars and Stripes was based on
the colours of the pales are those used in the flag of Dutch precedents of which the central theme was the
the United States of America; White signifies purity advancement of religion, specifically Protestant Christian-
and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the ity. According to Tower, the red and white stripes of the
colour of the Chief signifies vigilance perseverance & flag were presaged in Isaiah 53:5, the phrase “with his
justice… The Constellation denotes a new State taking
its place and rank among other sovereign powers.

While the eye over the pyramid and the motto Annuit
Cœptis (“He Has Favored Our Undertakings”) on the
reverse of the seal are said to “allude to the many signal
interpositions of providence in favour of the American
cause,” it is significant that the reverse of the seal has
never been cut and put into use, nor has it ever played
any significant role in American national political symbol-
ism. Moreover, the source of the motto Annuit Cœptis
was Virgil’s Aeneid, where reference was made not to the
Judeo-Christian deity but to the Roman god Jupiter.
Many proposals for the Great Seal contained very
explicit references to the Judeo-Christian God, all of
which the committee rejected. William Barton recom-
mended a Latin motto meaning “With God’s Favor”;
others suggested inclusion in the seal of the “God of
Liberty,” the “Eye of Providence,” a representation of
Moses and the pharaoh at the dividing of the waters in
the Red Sea, the “Children of Israel in the Wilderness,”
or the motto “Rebellion to Tyrants Is Obedience to God.”
Religious sentiments were also largely absent from the
battle flags carried by the Patriots during the American
68 Revolution. It might be imagined that the slogan Appeal
stripes we are healed” being interpreted as meaning that at no cost to you — for God paid the charge in the red,
Christ’s favor was shown those who honored his sacrifice white, & blue.”

PROCEEDINGS
on the cross by manifesting it in their striped national “British Israel” adherents — who insist that Anglo-
flag. Tower claimed that the Dutch used red and white Saxons rather than Jews are the true descendants of the
striped flags throughout their struggle for independence original Israelites — have made the Stars and Stripes a part
against Roman Catholic Spain. English dissenters living in of their own theory. One of their publications states:12
the Netherlands then adopted that flag and brought it to
the New World where the 1643 New England Confedera- It was [George] Washington13 who described [the
tion is said to have flown a flag of four red stripes on a flag] in these words: “We take the star from Heaven,
white field. The number of stripes was then increased at the red from our mother country, separating it by
the time of the American Revolution. white stripes, thus showing that we have separated
from her, and the white stripes shall go down to
posterity representing liberty.” It was destined to be!
This separation and the new nation had been on the
agenda of God…

That we should have a flag at all is found in the early

days of our Israel forefathers… When the United
States selected their flag it was chosen of the Israel
colors of old, only new in arrangement and design
to conform to their national destiny.

This flag of ours is a testimony in emblazonry of the

An Explicitly Christian Variant of the Stars & Stripes
history and destiny of this servant nation in Israel
Tower hypothecated that the stars in the Stars and Stripes — and therefore it is of God. This is the Bible-based
“symbolized the Star of Bethlehem which guided the wise story of Old Glory… The climax chapter — titled
men to the manger in which the Christ Child was born.”7 “The Kingdom of God on Earth”… is to be written
The “Star of Bethlehem thesis” had been advanced with the peoples of the world as His manuscripts
decades earlier by Schuyler Hamilton,8 who said of the and, under the direction of the Author himself, Old
Patriots: “They cast their eyes to the Star of Bethlehem, Glory will take on a new glory as America becomes
and saw the stars singing together in God’s blue heaven. dedicated to the glory of God!
They looked to God rather than man [for inspiration in
the flag design].” The National Flag Foundation9 speaks An official booklet issued by the US Marine Corps14 takes
of “possibly providential” events during the Revolution a more ecumenical point of view in describing the sup-
which were to lead to the success of the free enterprise posed divine origins of the Stars and Stripes:
economic system under the direction of “those men
of extraordinary vision who were America’s Founding The star, a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal
Fathers [and who] saw even in 1776 and 1777, that their to which man has aspired from time immemorial, and
nation would have many states and their flag many stars.” the stripe, symbolic of the rays of light emanating
The new constellation referred to in the Flag Act of 1777, from the sun, have long been represented on the
according to the Foundation, had been intended by them standards of nations, from the banners of the astral
to represent “a new relationship of man to government, worshippers of ancient Egypt and Babylon and the
government to man, and both to God” and not simply 12-starred flag of the Spanish Conquistadors… to
a union of 13 states. the present patterns of stars and stripes…
One religious leaflet10 explains the colors of the flag
as referring to “the spotless throne of God” (white), “the Not all the attributions of symbolism and origin for the
blood-drops of Christ which one day dripped on Calvary’s flag are based on the predominantly Protestant segment
hill for the sin of the world” (red), and “the color of the of America’s Christians. Professor J. C. Monahan wrote:15
heavens” (blue); “the shining stars remind us that those “A feature of our flag, long neglected… is the fact that
who are saved shall shine as the stars forever.” This salva- a red, white, and blue flag is a Catholic Flag.” The red,
tion theme is reinforced in a handbill,11 where the Stars he claimed, is for St. Joseph, blue for the Blessed Virgin
and Stripes appears in color, which directly associates Mary, and white for Christ. Colonel James A. Moss16
the promise of the Crucifixion with the United States insisted that “the colors red, white and blue may trace
flag. Its text proclaims “Your freedom pass to heaven, their ancestry back to Mount Sinai, when the Lord gave 69
 Moses the Ten Commandments and the book of the not just as reasonable to assert that He inspired men
law and they were deposited in the Ark of the Covenant to make our flag, which has proved a boon to the
PROCEEDINGS

within the Tabernacle whose curtains were of scarlet searchers for freedom and liberty?
(red), white, blue and purple.”
It is a small step to take from the flag having been Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter
divinely inspired to its having been designed by God Day Saints (Mormons) hold traditions regarding “the
himself. There are many poetic expressions of this con- standard of the nation” which is to be raised as the flag
cept, including the poem “The Flag’s Birthday” by Mary of “the Kingdom of God and his Laws.”21 The design of
A. P. Stansbury:17 the flag of the Earth under that future universal republic
to be known as Zion America has not yet been revealed
Now, as the stars above us together show His praise, but it may prove to be the Continental Colors since,
Who set them in their courses and marked their according to the claims made by High Priest Francis M.
trackless ways, Darter of the Kingdom of God, a Mormon dissident, that
Let us upon our banner our states united shine, design had been presented by a divine messenger to a
And a new constellation proclaim the hand divine! committee of Congress meeting on 13 December 1775
to decide on the first American flag.22
There are also many who hint that the whole world will The Stars and Stripes has been widely vaunted as a
eventually be united under the Stars and Stripes:18 flag symbolizing both the will of God and the divine mis-
sion of America, yet paradoxically there are a number of
I’ll bear thee up, thou dear old flag, circumstances where attempts have been advanced to
Of origin divine, modify the national flag of the United States, in order to
Until upon they azure fold reflect its presumed Christian orientation more clearly.
A hundred stars shall shine. Although similar modifications made by others, such as
Float on, old flag, until they stripes the imposition of the figure of a Native American or of the
Shall all the nations heal, peace symbol on the Stars and Stripes, have frequently
And tyrants over all the earth led to charges of flag desecration, the use of a cross on
Shall thy just vengeance feel. the flag or as a finial for its staff or as a shape into which
the stars may be rearranged does not seem to engender
The nation’s Manifest Destiny, which many Americans similar public opposition, nor has non-military usage of
believed in especially following the Civil War of 1861- a religious pennant over the Stars and Stripes, although
1865, led to widespread expressions of that sentiment such is forbidden by the Flag Code.
of the heavenly mission of the Stars and Stripes. Explain-
ing national success in terms of divine approbation was
characterized by such poems as Kate Putnam’s “Our
Flag:”19

Oh, symbol-hope of all the world!

The pledge of Liberty!
A stronger hand than ours unfurled
Thy mighty prophecy.
Let all thy starry splendors shine!
Chime, bells, in sweet accord!
Earth cannot harm that holy sign, —
The banner of the Lord!

Franklin B. Ham, a chaplain of the Civil War (Union)

veterans’ organization, the Grand Army of the Republic,
told students of the Vineyard Street Grammar School in
Providence, Rhode Island,20

And so I say to you to-day, and I solemnly declare

it to be my honest belief, that that flag was created
by a mind which was directed by God Himself Now
70 if the Creator inspires men to write and think, is it
 In 1964, for example, following a decision of the US
Supreme Court that group prayers in public schools

PROCEEDINGS
were unconstitutional, religious organizations in New
Jersey, New York, and Connecticut started a campaign
to fly a pennant inscribed One Nation Under God above
the Stars and Stripes. The Knights of Columbus and
the Holy Name Society of the Corpus Christi Roman
Catholic Church were successful in getting not only
private homes and businesses to fly that pennant but
also a number of public buildings. The American Civil
Liberties Union, the Americans for Democratic Action,
and a number of Jewish and Unitarian groups resisted
use of the pennant on public buildings under the same
provision of the US Constitution which had been cited our beloved Christian president George Washington
by the Supreme Court in the school prayer cases — the commissioned Betsy Ross to use the six pointed star
First Amendment prohibition of state-promoted religion. in the American Flag [and] she talked him out of it. It
In rejoinder Mayor John Knowlan of Hasbrouck Heights, occured [sic] to me, that she may have been another
New Jersey, stated that:23 Madeline O’Hara [sic for Madalyn Murray O’Hair,
self-described as the “most hated woman in America”
The pennant is a reminder that we have Almighty for her role as president of American Atheists].
God looking out for our national welfare. It is in the
Declaration of Independence, it is in the flag salute, Cayton’s proposal for changing the flag included the
it is part of the history and tradition of our country. statement that “our constitution, which states that we are
This is not a specific religion. The great things in our one nation under God, having the inscription through
history have been done acknowledging God. out our monitary [sic] system, in God we trust, then it
follows that the American flag should be graced with the
In 1985 the Flag Research Center received a letter from biblical six pointed stars.”
the Reverend Charles L. Abraham Cayton of Trinity World While Cayton erred in his claim about the Constitution
Mission in Maysville, Missouri, concerning his proposed — nowhere does it include the word God — his argu-
alteration of the Stars and Stripes. Based on his Biblical ment is a widespread one in the community of those
studies, he had come to the conclusion that the star seeking to promote official recognition for Christianity
which attracted the Magi to Bethlehem when Jesus was in public institutions, procedures, ceremonies, and pub-
born must have been a six-pointed star, since it was to lications. Every victory in a legislature or court allowing
symbolize the Messiah. He therefore concluded that the encroachment of religion on public property such
six-pointed stars should be incorporated into the Stars as courthouses, other government buildings, military
and Stripes “out of respect, honor, and reverence to the bases, and vehicles, and every new medium of expres-
Christ of our Salvation… the flag of a Christian nation.” sion for religious sentiments such as coinage, postage
He further insisted that stamps, or documents becomes the basis for a claim
to the legitimacy of further encroachment. Legislators
generally support those demands because it is clear that
opposition could mean potential loss of a future election.
Defending the constitutional principles which protect
the secular character of state-supported institutions is
disvalued by a significant portion of the American public.
Even judges frequently feel great pressure to find justi-
fications for allowing the spread of religious symbolism
within government.
One of the difficulties faced by opponents of religious
symbols in public life is the fact that many familiar exam-
ples go back for a century or more. Not surprisingly in a
country characterized by strong local political autonomy
and with a population that has always had a professed
majority of Christians, many graphic and written expres-
sions of religious beliefs were adopted decades ago when 71
 diluted that one could reasonably label them simply as
American cultural traditions. The fraudulence of that
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argument is revealed in the aggressiveness of those sec-

tarian forces who seek by every avenue to maintain and
expand the frequency and venues of such actions.
Practices supposedly “grandfathered” into national life
by the concept of ceremonial deism — even though all
were instituted long after the adoption of the Constitu-
tion — include the use of paid chaplains for legislative
bodies and for the armed forces, public invocations of
God (at presidential inaugurations, in the opening of
court sessions, and in the taking of public oaths), presi-
dential proclamations of prayer, and use of the slogans
minorities which might have felt them unacceptable did “In God We Trust” and “One Nation Under God.” Thus
not protest. One of the widest areas of usage was in the the courts found no problem with the prayer offered
civic heraldry of American cities, counties, and states. The by the Reverend Billy Graham at the inauguration of
number of instances and the detailed legal arguments President George Bush in 1989:
and proceedings involved in legal challenges to them
would require an extensive separate study. We recognize on this historic occasion that we are a
One of the great difficulties for those who have nation under God. This faith in God is our founda-
attempted to maintain America’s constitutionally-man- tion and our heritage all this we pray in the name of
dated secularism by objecting to public-arena use of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Amen.24
symbols that are clearly sectarian is the recent develop-
ment of two arguments which turn all traditional defini- Proponents of state-endorsed religion constantly use
tions and understandings on their head. Secularism, the these supposedly harmless exceptions in their attempt to
strict neutrality of government in all matters relating to enlarge the sphere of their privileges and activities. When
religion, neither favoring nor disfavoring it, has itself the city of Zion, Illinois, for example, in revising its civic
become a “religion” according to the sectarian argu- seal under court order introduced In God We Trust into
ment. In other words, those who insist that religion is a the new design, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth
personal matter which governments should not interfere Circuit determined that that phrase had “no theologi-
with and that no religion should be allowed to control cal significance.”25 In 1959 the state of Ohio adopted
public institutions and practices, simply form one more the motto “With God All Things Are Possible,” which is
sect in a country known for constantly inventing new quoted directly from Matthew 19:26 — “but Jesus beheld
religions and cults. them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible;
At the same time symbols which for hundreds or but with God all things are possible.” On 16 March 2001
even thousands of years have been considered essen- the same US Court of Appeals voted 9 to 4 that the Ohio
tially religious in meaning are now often designated state motto was constitutionally acceptable, so long as
by sectarian forces as non-religious “cultural artifacts.” no reference was made to the source.26
According to this argument, to display (as in the seal of The main thrust of the “One Nation Under God” cam-
Bernalillo County, New Mexico) a cross with the slogan paign began in the 1950s during the Cold War era when
“In This Sign Conquer” — the well known Constantin- many believed that Americanism and Communism were the
ian symbols of militant Christianity — is no more a reli- only possible alternatives for a world under the threat of
gious act than displaying a photograph of the Statue of nuclear war. Since the Soviet Union was avowedly atheistic,
Liberty while quoting the well-known poem by Emma many believed that the United States needed vigorously to
Lazarus. Therefore those in opposition to that cross and support religion — specifically Christianity — in order to
slogan are identified by the sectarians as adherents of be successful in the titanic struggle. “One Nation Under
a perverse anti-American cult they refer to as “Secular God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 and “In
Humanism.” God We Trust” was made the national motto of the United
In this spirit Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the US States in 1956. Several amendments to the US Constitution
Supreme Court in County of Allegheny v. ACLU, 492 US were submitted to Congress which would have recognized
at 630 (1989) — a court case concerning the utilization the country officially as a Christian nation.
of public land for religious displays — referred to a cer- In 1968 flag desecration for the first time became a
tain class of religious practices as “ceremonial deism,” federal offense and 20 years later, following two Supreme
72 suggesting that their religious significance had been so Court decisions determining that such laws were uncon-
stitutional, a campaign began — which is still active today Notes
— to add an amendment to the Constitution giving 1. George Henry Preble, History of the Flag of the United

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Congress the power to enforce anti-desecration laws. States of America… (Boston: Williams, 1880), p. 264.
In 2001 “In God We Trust” was added to the new state 2. Quoted in Richard S. Patterson and Richardson Dougall, The
flag of Georgia and it has been proposed as an addition Eagle and the Shield… (Washington: Department of State,
to the state flag of Tennessee. 1976 [1978]), p. 85.
The history of the flag desecration movement and 3. The design is misrepresented in a contemporary British
the use of the mottoes “In God We Trust” and “One engraving of Commodore Hopkins as having the motto An
Nation Under God” are only part of many facets in the Appeal to God.
political struggle between sectarians and secularists. 4. For example, General Nathaniel Greene wrote on 20 Decem-
Religious symbols, including sectarian flags displayed ber 1775 during the siege of Boston (quoted in American
in the armed forces, aspects of the Pledge of Allegiance Archives, IV, p. 367):
ceremony in schools, use of crosses, mottoes, and the There are great preparations going on in England, to
Ten Commandments on public lands and buildings, and prosecute the war in the spring… we can no longer
the “See You at the Pole” movement are all deserving of preserve our freedom and continue connection with
extended study. [England]. With safety we can appeal to Heaven for the
These symbols and ceremonies are only a small part necessity, propriety, and rectitude of [resisting the Brit-
of a wider campaign aimed at capturing legal recognition ish by armed force].
for Christianity — largely but not exclusively fundamen- In 1834 William Ladd in the Pacificator (quoted in Devere
talist Protestantism — throughout the civil and military Allen, The Fight for Peace [New York NY: MacMillan, 1930],
structure of the nation, its subdivisions, its schools, and p. 34) stated:
court systems. As has been indicated, in some cases The “appeal to heaven” by duel has long since been
documented history has been misrepresented and condemned by all true Christians, but the “appeal to
supernatural claims have been advanced relative to the heaven” by war, a much greater barbarism, still remains
design and symbolism of the Stars and Stripes. In a free sanctioned by the Church, and is preceded by fasting
country it is the right of all individuals and groups of and prayer.
citizens to hold and promote any philosophy, political 5. There is an apparently unnoticed incongruity inherent in
agenda, or religion they favor and to seek success in attributing Christian symbolism to a flag which contains
the electoral arena for those points of view by all legal 13 stars and 13 stripes, given the traditional Christian
means. Victory for the “One Nation Under God” partisans triskedekaphobia.
would, however, radically alter the political and social 6. The best statement appears in The Untold Story of Our Flag
life of the United States. (New York: United States Flag Foundation, 1956), passim.
Symbols have no inherent meanings. They are void 7. Harry Millican, “Historian Believes Stars and Stripes Were
of any content of their own but rather reflect the beliefs Filched from the Early Dutch,” The Milwaukee Journal
and actions of the people who interpret and use them. Green Sheet, 26 August 1955, p. 1, based on an interview
Thus over time the cross flags of the Scandinavian nations with Tower released by United Press. Tower made several
have lost most of their religious symbolism, essentially major factual errors in the flag-related information he pre-
becoming purely national symbols for countries which sented, vitiating his religious interpretation of their origin
are largely secular in their orientation. Likewise despite and symbolism.
the clear historical and legal precedents which exist in 8. In his article “The Stars in Our Flag,” The Magazine of
the United States for considering the Stars and Stripes American History, Volume XIX, No. 2 ( February 1888), pp.
a secular symbol, there is nothing to guarantee that the 150-153.
“One Nation Under God” adherents will not be successful 9. The New Constellation, the Story of America As Told
in converting the flag to an avowedly Christian emblem, Through Its Flags… (Pittsburgh PA: National Flag Founda-
both legally and in the minds of the majority. tion, 1977), passim.
10. The Flag I Love (Westchester IL: Good News Publishers, circa
1971).
11. Les Cox, This Is Your Freedom Pass (Indianapolis IN: the
author).
12. C. S. Warner, “The Story of Old Glory,” Destiny (July 1943),
pp. 9, 252-253, and 255.
13. There is no evidence that Washington ever made this state-
ment attributed to him. The earliest citation of the quotation
73
 apparently is in Wayne Whipple, The Story of the American
Flag (Philadelphia: Altemus, n.d. [1910]), p. 46. It has often
been quoted — and misquoted. On www.smn.co.jp/gallery/
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amano/flag.html on 10 August 1999 it appeared in this form:

“The first President of the United States, George Washing-
ton, said ‘On the Stars and Stripes, the Stars represent the
heaven, the red our homeland, Britain, and the white stripes
intersecting over the red background the independence
from Britain.’ “
14. How To Respect and Display Our Flag (Camden NJ: Alpha
Litho, 1942).
15. American Catholic Historic Researches, Vol. 28 (January-
October 1911), p. 257.
16. The American Flag: Its Glory and Grandeur (Washington:
United States Flag Association, 1929), p. 25.
17. Quoted in Reverend George W. Gue, Our Country’s Flag
(Davenport IA: Egbert, Fidlar, and Chambers, 1890), p. 44.
18. R. Tompkins, “The Soldier’s Pride” as quoted in Gue, p. 33.
19. Quoted in Julia A. M. Furbish, The Flower of Liberty (Cincin-
nati: White, Corbin, Bouve, 1869), p. 48.
20. Our American Flag, Unique Features of its Conception and
Adoption… (Providence: Snow and Farnum, 1901).
21. Francis M. Darter, Ensign of the Nations, Kingdom of God…
(Salt Lake City: the author, 1946), p. 10.
22. Francis M. Darter, The Kingdom of God, the USA British
Empire… (Salt Lake City: the author, 1941), p. 19.
23. Quoted in “The Pennant on a City Flagpole Stirs up a Grow-
ing Religious Storm,” The National Observer, 16 November
1964.
24. 135 Cong. Rec. S67 (daily edition of 20 January 1989).
25. United Press and Associated Press reports of 7 and 8 January
1993.
26. John Nolan, “Ohio Motto Given Stamp of Approval,” The
Boston Globe, 17 March 2001.

74