13Oct 09
History: An Incomprehensible Enigma?
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“I have no way of judging the future but by the past.” Patrick Henry
“History is God’s providence in human affairs.” Daniel Webster
For over 270 years, beginning in 1630 with William Bradford’s Plymouth Plantation and continuing until 
1900, history was told as it happened and therefore viewed through the perspective of God’s Providence in human affairs. Historians like unto George Bancroft (1800-1891) boldly declared that, “God’s providence in history is as important as the historical events themselves.” The result was a religious and morally abiding society.
As said Charles Coffin in his book, “The Story of Liberty“,
You will notice that while the oppressors have carried out their plans and had things their own way, there were other forces silently at work which in time undermined their plans – as if a Divine hand were directing the counter-plan. Whoever peruses the story of liberty without recognizing this feature will fail of fully comprehending the meaning of history. There must be a meaning to history or else existence is an incomprehensible enigma.
With the advent of the 20th century, a change commenced. Men with 
viewpoints like unto Robert Ingersol (1833-1899), who taught that American government has been secular from the very beginning, began entering the scene. Organizations such as the American Liberal Union came on the scene whose purpose was to remove God from political affairs, public knowledge, & text books.
By 1920, Historians such as, Charles & Mary Beard, W.E. 
Woodward, and Fairfax Downey, published writings with the following titles, “The economic Basis of Politics, The economic basis of the Constitution, The economic basis of the Revolution, etc.” When 1960 hit, historical education was delivered through the filter of economics. Whereas before the 1900s, much of the history taught by historians included non-economical history, an economic viewpoint dominated the 1960 history education.
What have been the ramifications? Wait for tomorrow’s pending part 2!
Pictures from wikipedia.com
Interesting – I eagerly await!
It is sad how history has been “changed” by those who want to remove the only sure thing we know about history – God!
So true so true – those quotes are awesome.
[...] As George Bancroft so aptly stated, “There must be a meaning to history or else existence is an incomprehensible enigma.” This meaning described Bancroft, is a Providential [...]