by June Griffin

Years ago, walking into the State Museum in Nashville, down the stairs, large letters over a certain display read; THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON. That the State of Tennessee gloried in the facts of the Bible and our history is indeed normal, though now, not usual.

Yours truly sat down and wondered at these wonderful words and what they could mean. There in just a few minutes was a sketch of that marvelous happening on October 7, 1780, when real men exercised the authority of the Scriptures to win their battle which became known as "the turning point of the Revolutionary War."

Every history has its official word which in many instances is bleached through the political methods of official historians who want to get along with everybody, especially in light of international travel. Why, one wouldn't want to offend the British tourists and brag on our victories! They might not want to spend money here! Anymore than one would want to offend the touring Japs by bragging on our victory in World War II or praising Alvin York and his single-handedly whipping the Germans in the Argonne Forest! Perish the thought that we would praise our God in the face of big tourism. Nevertheless, WE THE PEOPLE do not fall prey to these shenanigans and keep the rest of the details alive by telling what we know to be true.

So will this Author give her summary from gleanings she has learned through old histories prior to the aforementioned bleaching.

It seems that the British were about to wear George Washington out and many of his weary, ragged soldiers were discouraged. Taking advantage of this low period, the British sent their favorite Captain Ferguson to set down on the top of the knoll at Kings Mountain, SC to spur the Tories to what he thought was a certain victory. His big mouth got him in trouble when he sent word that he was comin' across the mountains and hang a rebel from every tree and God Himself couldn't move him from the mountain.

He had insulted their God, the Creator, the One Who Inspired the Declaration of Independence. Such provocation moved those great and holy men to gather at Sycamore Shoals and to consult with the Almighty. Reverend Samuel Doak was appointed to pray his famous prayer which ended with the words: 'LET US WIELD THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON." To make such contemporary application of the eternal words of Gideon appealed indeed to the Most High and after their long trek to face off with Mr. Big Mouth Ferguson, under the Spirit of God finished off this Captain, and won this conflict within an hour - some say about 45 minutes.

Among these victors was the husband of Patrick Henry's Sister, as well as our 8-term Governor John Sevier, Kentucky's famous Governor, Isaac Shelby and a host of others whose names are written in heaven. Why aren't these men the boast of every history class? Why?

These immortals have now come under the scrutiny of modern unworthies who won't fight their way out of a paperbag, but sit on high and critique these mighty warriors. But their albatross is that we don't forget and the God of Kings' Mountain lives today and He will once again "Wield the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon," in ways that will make the ears of all that hear it to tremble.

When the statue of John Sevier was dedicated in Statuary Hall, Washington, DC, the Chaplain said: May the charm of living dangerously never leave the heart of the Tennessean! Glorious charm!

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