Dear Ones,

This week, we watched films recounting the extraordinary journeys of two American soldiers who fought and survived in the Pacific theater during World War II.

These are stories imbued with resilience, courage and bravery—and with faith and belief in the noblest aspect of the human condition: the part that refuses to kill, even in the face of adversity, and that forgives.

First, let’s look at the ordeal endured by Louie Zamperini.

An Olympic athlete and World War II bombardier, Louie demonstrated extraordinary resilience: he survived a plane crash and forty-seven days adrift at sea, only to endure years of brutal captivity in Japanese camps. Upon returning home a hero, Zamperini had to contend with severe post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. His life was transformed in 1949 after he attended an evangelistic crusade led by Billy Graham. Having found faith, he freed himself from [a different prison camp] the deep-seated hatred and nightmares that had plagued him, going so far as to travel to Japan to personally forgive the prison guards who had abused him.

Then, the pacific crusade of Desmond Doss.

Desmond was an American combat medic during World War II who became the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. A devout Seventh-day Adventist, he refused to carry a weapon or kill an enemy. Doss’s unit was deployed to the Pacific theater with the mission of capturing the Maeda Escarpment, a steep, rugged cliff on the island of Okinawa. The plateau at the top was heavily defended by thousands of Japanese soldiers and the effort to take the ridge resulted in heavy American casualties.

When a fierce Japanese counterattack forced the Americans to retreat, Doss remained behind in the “kill zone.” Under intense enemy fire, he repeatedly ran into the line of fire to rescue wounded comrades. He dragged them to the edge of the 400-foot cliff and lowered them to safety using a specialized knot he had tied.

Why did these two individuals experience such uncanny circumstances and destinies? Their inner qualities certainly played a role, as did their faith—though it should be noted that Louie only found God after returning from the war.

Perhaps divine providence also selects certain people for very specific missions and to teach us—mere mortals and world leaders alike—a valuable lesson.

History sometimes gives us an intentional wink; here, it offers me a transition between two wars, thanks to an episode that came back to mind this week: the dream General McClellan had in 1861 while his battalion was defending Washington, D.C.

It is interesting to note that Desmond Doss was officially inducted into the U.S. Army on April 1, 1942, at Camp Lee, near Petersburg, Virginia. Petersburg was the site of a major Civil War engagement known as the Petersburg Campaign, which lasted from June 9, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Rather than a single battle, it was a brutal 292-day campaign consisting of trench warfare and dozens of individual battles. It was the longest siege in American military history.

Thus, Desmond was inducted into the U.S. Army seventy-seven years—minus one day—after the end of the Petersburg campaign, in that very region. Less than a century after a series of battles that had claimed a staggering number of lives, a man of faith kindled a tiny flame of universal peace on a scarred land. Perhaps it was no coincidence?

Although General McClellan never took part in the battles of Petersburg—having been relieved of his command of the Army of the Potomac by President Abraham Lincoln in November 1862—the final sentences of his dream narrative may shed light on the destiny of the men and women who left a quiet mark on History, as well as that of the country for which they were prepared to sacrifice their lives.

“Already it is obvious that, in the postwar period of reconstruction, America must become a leader of nations in the establishment of a commonwealth of peoples. The purpose for which we are created is revealing itself through the long process of time and that purpose is indeed our most sacred heritage.

“It is written in the old books that, when the brothers of the Quest desire to bring about changes in the mortal state, they send messengers and strange dreams and mystic visions, and accomplish their purpose by revealing their will to the leaders of nations in sundry and curious ways. Whether we wish to believe that the spirits of the dead return to guide the living, or whether we choose to accept that man possesses faculties and powers which, under great stress, may bring his consciousness a little nearer to Universal Truth, one thing is certain: Men unaccustomed to the spiritual ways of life have received visions and have heard voices and, by obeying these mysterious powers, they have contributed to the progress and security of their fellow human beings.”

The Sacred Destiny of America, by Manly Hall, page 135.

Thanks for reading this brief overview of key events in the history of the United States and the world. Let us meet to discuss the reality of our lives—as well as our mission to spread the Light—this Thursday at 2:30 PM Eastern Time.

Topic: The Sacred Destiny of certain Nations and Individuals

Time: Jun 25 @ 2:30 PM Eastern Time

Meeting ID: 865 6093 8798