Page 21 - Heavenly Signs III by Mel Gable

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One of the first found references of the motto “In God We Trust” is heard in the U.S. National Anthem, The Star-
Spangled Banner. The song was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 and later adopted as the national anthem. In
the last stanza Francis Key writes a variation of the phrase: “...And this be our motto: In God is our trust. And the Star
Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” The words were shortened to “In
God We Trust” and first applied to U.S. coins in 1864.

The U. S. Department of Treasury states the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” was placed on United States coins
largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. Secretary of the Treasury
Salmon P. Chase received many appeals from devout persons throughout the country, urging that the United
States recognize the Deity on United States coins. Does it take war to recognize that there is an Almighty God?

From Treasury Department records, it appears that the first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13,
1861. It was written to Secretary Chase by Rev. M. R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville,
Pennsylvania. As a result, Secretary Chase instructed James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, to
prepare a motto in a letter dated November 20, 1861:

“Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God
should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in
the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition. It was found that the Act of Congress dated January 18, 1837,
prescribed the mottoes and devices that should be placed upon the coins of the United States.”

Pollock suggested “Our Trust Is In God, Our God And Our Country, God And Our Country,” and “God Our Trust.”
Chase picked “In God We Trust” to be used on some of the government's coins. The first time “In God We Trust”
appeared on our coins was in 1864 on the new two cent coin, and by 1909 it was included on most the other
coins. During the height of the cold war, on July 11, 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Public Law
140 making it mandatory that all coinage and paper currency display the motto. Again, it was a president that had
been elected after World War II. Does it take war for a nation to recognized God and His Deity? We will see
later that this nation will go to war in 2017 to learn to trust in God. American history demonstrates repeatedly
that the nation was founded on Christian principles and its founding fathers wished to acknowledge that fact. It
appears all over Washington D.C. buildings, in official documents and historical speeches. Less than a hundred
years after its Declaration of Independence, “In God We Trust” was proclaimed on its coins. America is a free
nation, and freedom of religion is still guaranteed in the Constitution’s First Amendment. 15

President Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time and asked can the liberties of a
nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are of God”?

For, it is the Bible that tells us that it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes and man. What
wisdom is this? It is the wisdom of truth. It is better to take refuge in God than in man.

Psalms 118:8-9 “It is better to take refuge in the LORD
Than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
Than to trust in princes.”
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It appears that this nation is in need of a wakeup call to begin to fear God. It appears that the only time this
nation has become aware of God is after a time of war. It was the American Revolution, the Civil War and both

19 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Ps 118:8–9). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.