A Moving Speech
A
week ago I happened to watch a video received from a friend of mine living in
the United States in which US Vice president, Mike Pence delivered an
impressive address on Sunday, June 28th, 2020 at the First Baptist Church Dallas, Texas.
While listening to his lengthy speech, I was particularly
impressed when the Vice president was emphasizing many times in his address that
the foundation of America is freedom, but the foundation of freedom is faith.
I was also moved by his explanation about the meanings of
celebrating freedom. His strong patriotic attitude shown towards his country
and his fellow American citizens have presented a remarkable impression to a
non-American citizen like I am. For that reason I would like to introduce a
full text of the US Vice president’s speech herewith to share it with our
Korean friends and the US friends as well.
First Baptist Church Dallas
Dallas, Texas
11:37 A.M. CDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: It’s good to be back in church.
(Applause.) Pastor Jeffress, thank you for that overly generous
introduction. Thank you for your ministry.
To Governor Abbott, Secretary Carson, Senator Cornyn, Attorney
General Paxton, my fellow Americans: It is a special joy to be with you today
to celebrate freedom on this Sunday in this special place. (Applause.)
You know, the Bible tells us it was for freedom that Christ set
us free. And I cannot think of a better place to celebrate freedom than
here at First Baptist Dallas with all of you and with a man who just spoke, and
who has become so precious to your President, to your Vice President, and to
all who serve our nation in the White House. Would you join me in just
showing your appreciation — (applause) — for Pastor Robert Jeffress for his
voice — for his ministry, for his courage, and for his faith.
(Applause.) Thank you.
And speaking of friends of mine, allow me to bring greetings
from another friend of mine. I heard he tweeted I was going to be here
this morning. (Laughter and applause.) He has been a great champion
of everything we will celebrate this morning. And he’s been a great
champion of people of faith and all the freedoms that we cherish. I bring
greetings from the 45th President of the United States of America, President
Donald Trump. (Applause.)
Just a few days ago, the President said these words. He said,
“We will never stop fighting for the sacred values that bind us together as
Americans.” We believe that faith and family, not government bureaucracy,
is the true way of life. And the President concluded by saying, “We live
by the words of our national motto: In God we trust.” (Applause.)
And so it can be said of First Baptist Dallas. Since 1890,
when a small group of believers laid the cornerstone of this church, this
congregation has understood that the foundation of America is freedom, and the
foundation of freedom is faith. (Applause.) Which makes it
altogether fitting that we gather in this place and that we will gather, in the
days ahead, in houses of worship all across America to celebrate freedom.
So how do we celebrate freedom? On the occasion of the
approval of the Declaration of Independence, our first Vice President said that
he was, quote, “apt to believe that [the day would] be celebrated by succeeding
generations as a great anniversary… commemorated as a day of deliverance by
solemn acts of devotion to God… solemnized with pomp and parade, with games and
sports and guns and bells and bonfires and illuminations from one end of the
continent to the other.” And so it has — (laughter) — especially here in
Texas. (Applause.)
And even in these challenging times, Americans will find ways,
in the days ahead, as we approach our Independence Day, to celebrate just as
John Adams described. But those of us who cherish freedom know that we do
well to celebrate freedom every day, and to remember, as President Reagan said,
that “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We
didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It’s to be fought
for, protected, and handed down to them to do the same.”
And I’m proud to report to you, as your Vice President, that
from the first days of this administration, that’s exactly what President
Donald Trump has been doing: protecting, defending, and celebrating freedom of
every American of every race and creed and color. (Applause.)
And to celebrate freedom means many things. To celebrate
freedom means building an economy where every American of every walk of life
can live the American Dream. And under this President, we’ve allowed
Americans to keep more of what they earn. We’ve rolled back the heavy
hand of federal red tape at a historic pace. We’ve unleashed the vast
natural resources of this land. And with that renewed freedom, before the
pandemic struck, American businesses, large and small, had created more than 7
million jobs in our first three years. (Applause.)
As we work now to safely reopen this state and this nation to
put Americans back to work and to worship, let me take this opportunity to
commend Governor Greg Abbott for his courageous and compassionate leadership
for the people of Texas during this challenging time. (Applause.)
Thank you, Governor Abbott.
Working with your governor, we will put the health of the people
of the Lone Star State first. And every single day, we’ll continue to
reclaim our freedom and our way of life — as each day, we are one day closer to
the day we put this pandemic in the past. And when we do, with this
governor and this President, we’ll bring Texas and America back bigger and
better than ever before. (Applause.)
And as we did this morning, to celebrate freedom also means
standing up for and standing with those who defend our freedom at home and
abroad. The Armed Forces of the United States are the greatest force for
good the world has ever known. (Applause.)
And under President Trump’s leadership, I’m proud to report to
you, after years of budget cutbacks that literally saw a — a significant
portion of our Air Force aircraft on the ground being used as spare parts to
keep other aircraft in the air, we’ve rebuilt our military. We’ve
restored the arsenal of democracy. (Applause.)
And as the proud father of a United States Marine and the
father-in-law of a Navy pilot, I couldn’t be more happy to report to you that
we’re finally giving our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard
the resources and the support they need to accomplish their mission and come
home safe. (Applause.) That’s how we celebrate freedom as we stand
with those who defend our freedom. (Applause.)
And to celebrate freedom also means standing with our allies,
with freedom-loving people around the world. And under President Donald Trump,
if the world knows nothing else, the world knows this: America stands with
Israel. (Applause.)
To celebrate freedom also means standing up for persecuted
people of faith all over the world. And under this President, we’ve
worked tirelessly to stand with persecuted communities, whether it be in the
Nineveh Plain of northern Iraq, where we’ve invested millions to help rebuild
Christian and Yazidi communities; or whether it be working, as our President has,
to release Americans facing persecution and captivity in places like Egypt and
Venezuela. And Pastor Andrew Brunson is home. (Applause.)
I’ll never forget the day we were on the tarmac when three men
who had been held in captivity in North Korea arrived at Andrews Air Force Base
in Washington, D.C. They came down the stairs, and with the Secretary of
State at my side, they handed each one of us a three-by-five card that’s now
framed in my office. On one side was a word of thanks to us and to the
President. And on the other side was a Bible verse, as they were praising
the Lord for being freed from captivity. They were men of faith and they
are free today. (Applause.)
And to celebrate freedom also means honoring and respecting the
incredible men and women who serve in law enforcement at every level, every
day. (Applause.)
The American people know most of those who put on the uniform of
law enforcement every day are the best people in this country. They walk
out the door every morning; they risk their lives to protect us and our
families.
But we all know the tragic events of recent days. And let
me say: There’s no excuse for what happened to George Floyd, and justice will
be served. (Applause.) But there’s also no excuse for the rioting,
looting, and violence that ensued. (Applause.) Burning churches is
not protest. Tearing down statues is not free speech. There will be
no tolerance for vandalism or violence in the United States, and we will
prosecute those who do it to the fullest extent of the law.
(Applause.) That’s how we defend freedom.
Finally, celebrating freedom means standing up for the values
and liberties that we hold dear. As Dr. Jeffress said, that includes
appointing now 200 judges to our federal courts who will all uphold the God-given
liberties enshrined in our Constitution, like the freedom of speech, the
freedom of religion, and the Second Amendment right to keep and bear
arms. (Applause.)
And none of it would’ve been possible without the strong support
of the two senators from Texas who have stood with this President every step of
the way. We want to thank Senator Ted Cruz. And join me now in
thanking Senator John Cornyn for his principled, conservative leadership for
our judiciary and our nation. (Applause.)
And with the steady counsel of Pastor Robert Jeffress, our
President has also defended religious liberty from the first day of this
administration. We restored enforcement of the nation’s conscience
laws. We ended enforcement of the Johnson Amendment so the freedom of
speech does not end at the front door of houses of worship in America.
(Applause.) And like no other President in American history, President
Donald Trump has stood without apology for the sanctity of human life.
(Applause.)
This President and our administration celebrate freedom every
day by upholding the ideals on which this nation was founded and defending them
in each and every action.
And now we find ourselves in a challenging time in our nation’s
history. We’ve gone through one of the worst pandemics in the history of
this country, an economic downturn none of us expected, and, for a time, we saw
chaos engulf the streets of many of our major cities. We’ve seen statues
of some of our nation’s greatest heroes being torn down. And one can’t
help but wonder that ancient question — that if the foundations crumble, how
can the righteous stand?
And yet, in the midst of such trials, American Christians have
hope. We remember the countless triumphs we’ve won, even in our darkest
hours: victories against empires, against injustice, against diabolical
tyrannies across the world. During these times, we do well to remember
that the foundation of America is freedom, but the foundation of freedom is
faith. (Applause.)
Our first President, George Washington, said, “Religion and
morality are the essential pillars of civil society.” And in his farewell
address, he warned: “In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who
should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest
props of the duties of men and citizens…” He added, “Reason and
experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in the
exclusion of religious principle.”
During the tumultuous days of the Revolution, John Adams wrote
to a friend that, quote, “It is religion and morality alone which can establish
the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.” And when he became
President, he said,“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious
people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
It is the faith of the American people that has sustained us
through every dark hour of this nation’s history. And it is the faith of
the American people that will sustain us through these days.
(Applause.) It’s that faith that has seen us through even greater
challenges, guiding us in our relentless drive for a more perfect union, for
liberty and justice for all.
As Abraham Lincoln said while visiting Independence Hall in
Philadelphia in 1861, speaking of our founding, he said, quote, there was
“something in that Declaration giving liberty, not only to the people of this
country, but hope to the world for all future time.” He added, “It was that
which gave promise that in due time the weights should be lifted from the
shoulders of all men, and that all should have an equal chance.”
(Applause.) And it happened.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said of the same founding documents
that they were a “promissory note” of America — the promise that was made that
all are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable
rights. And in the fires of a civil war, in the midst of civil rights
movement, it was the faith of the American people that drove us toward a more
perfect union, and the faith of the American people will continue to perfect
our nation for generations to come. (Applause.)
The foundation of America is freedom. The foundation of
freedom is faith. And as President Lincoln reminded us in words that,
perhaps providentially, have already been on the wall of this church this
morning. In a Thanksgiving message, our 16th President said, “It is the
duty of nations as well as of men… to recognize the sublime truth, announced in
the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are
blessed whose God is the Lord.” (Applause.)
So in these challenging times, let’s — let’s hold fast to
freedom. But let’s also hold fast to that faith. (Applause.)
Let’s take to heart the title of Pastor Jeffress’s latest book, and let’s start
“Praying for America” again. (Applause.)
We’re told — we’re told that “the prayer the upright pleases
Him” and that prayer reaches heaven, His holy dwelling place. And in
these times of great anxiety for many, the Bible tells us, “Don’t be anxious
about anything, but in every form of prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God, with the promise that the peace of God that
passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus.” (Applause.)
As our nation faces these difficult days, I believe more than
ever that we stand in the need of prayer. In coming here today, I — I
thought I — I wanted to encourage you: As you celebrate freedom in this coming
week, practice prayer in a renewed way.
As we think about the challenges — the loss of more than 125,000
of our countrymen; when we think of the grief of those families; we think of
those that are still struggling with this disease today; those who’ve endured
economic hardship in the midst of the challenges we face — let’s claim that
ancient promise that if His people who are called by His name will humble
themselves and pray, He’ll do like he’s always done through the long and
storied history of this nation. He’ll hear from heaven, and He’ll heal
this land. (Applause.) He will. He will.
So thank you for letting me join you for this Celebrate Freedom
Sunday here at First Baptist Dallas. I would have just come just to sit
in the pew — (laughter) — because it has been good for my heart to worship with
you all this morning.
And let me also say: It’s a greatest honor of my life to be your
Vice President, and I thank you for myself and for my family. (Applause.)
I had a pastor tell me once that everybody is under-encouraged.
You have encouraged your Vice President and, I know, all of those in our
delegation who are with us today, and we thank you. And I leave here
today that — God is at work.
And I had occasion to be reminded that, even when it doesn’t
seem that way, God is still working a little bit earlier this week. You
see, I received a letter from a pastor who leads a church not far from
Jacksonville, Florida. He told me of a time that he and his new bride
were attending Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, in 1977. It was a
place where they held, in the spring, every year, a Christian music
festival. They’d present the gospel with preachers. They’d present
what was then the early versions of contemporary Christian music — have young people
attend from all over the Midwest.
But he wrote to me that, in 1977, they had decided at the
seminary to discontinue the event. But he and his new bride felt called
to do the work. He wrote to me and said that, “Several friends told us
that it would be very hard on our new marriage, and that we shouldn’t do
it.” But he said, “We answered the call. We gathered a few other
seminarians to help us,” and they worked a whole year to arrange the event in
the spring in 1978.
And then he said, then the night came — the culminating evening
on Saturday night, where he and his new bride were walking through the camp
area. It was raining, and they were disappointed. They thought it
all had been for naught.
And then he said, “And that’s because I didn’t know that that
night a future Vice President of the United States of America would be giving
his life to Jesus Christ.” (Applause.)
He wrote to me, “I cannot write this without tears,” and I could
not read it without tears. Because I remember that night: Sitting on a
hillside, it was raining, and it was like I — I heard the words for the first
time that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son, that
whoever might believe in Him might not perish but have eternal life.
Then I stood up, and I walked down that night — not out of a
sense of intellectual assent, but because my heart was broken with gratitude
for what had been done for me on the cross.
I’m working on a letter to that pastor — (laughter) — which I
will not be able to write without tears, and I’m simply going to say, to him
and his wife, “Now I know who else to thank for that night so many years ago.”
The lesson in his letter was: Even when things don’t seem like
they’re going the way we expected, they’re going away He expected.
(Applause.)
And we can claim those other ancient words that have been over
the fireplace in our home in Indiana, in the Governor’s Residence, in the Vice
President’s Residence today. They read, “For I know the plans I have for
you — plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a
future.”
And I believe with all my heart, on this Celebrate Freedom
Sunday and every day, that if we will but hold fast to Him, we’ll see our way
through these challenging times, we will restore our nation’s health, we will
renew our freedom, and we will inspire people across this land with our witness
of the love and compassion and strength that comes in a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ.
Thank you for letting me join you today. God bless
you. And God bless America. (Applause.)
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