The Washington Monument

[stormchazer]

The Washington Monument

On the aluminum cap atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC are
two words: Laus Deo.

No one can see these words. In fact ...

most visitors to the monument have no idea they are even there and ... for
that matter ... probably could care less!

But there they are .... 555 feet, 5.125 inches high .. perched atop the
monument to the father of our nation ....

overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia ....
capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words .... out of sight
and,
one might think, out of mind ... but very meaningfully placed at the highest
point over what is the most powerful city in the world.

And what might those two words ... comprised of just four syllables and only
seven letters ... mean? Very simply ... "Praise be to God!"
Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848 when James Polk
was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument
was
inaugurated and opened to the public.

It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with the tribute Laus
Deo! Praise be to God!

! >From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure ... a visitor can
take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four
major segments.

And from that vantage point one can also easily see the original plan of the
designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant ...

a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape ....

with the White House to the north ...

the Jefferson Memorial to the south ....

the Capitol to the east ...

and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.
A cross .... you say? How interesting! And ... no doubt ... intended to
carry
a meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God!


Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs
the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message.

On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore;

On the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians;

On the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and
Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be
to
! God!

When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848
deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by
the
Bible Society. Praise be to God!


Such was the discipline, the moral direction, the spiritual mood given
by the founder and first President of our unique democracy .... "one nation,
under God."

I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well
now is your opportunity ... read on!

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United
States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the
citizens
to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and e!
ntertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow
citizens of the United States at large."

"And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to
do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity,
humility,
and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine
Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose
example
in
these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication,
we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Laus Deo!

[GalvestonDuck]

"Laus Deo" is on the east face of the cap.

Here's more about it all:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/monument.asp

(BTW, I already read this story a few weeks ago when it was on the "new" listing on Snopes. Just for the record, I didn't want you to think I "Snopes'd" it because I didn't believe it. )

[stormchazer]

"Laus Deo" is on the east face of the cap.

Here's more about it all:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/monument.asp

(BTW, I already read this story a few weeks ago when it was on the "new" listing on Snopes. Just for the record, I didn't want you to think I "Snopes'd" it because I didn't believe it. )

Ya sure?! LOL!!!