Description
The National Monument to the Forefathers, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, commemorates the Pilgrims, their planting the colony of Plymouth, and their contribution to the American nation at large. This marvelous eighty-one-foot-tall granite structure also provides a matrix for how to build a free society based upon the Biblical ideals and worldview of these early settlers.
From the original concept in 1820 to the laying of the cornerstone in 1859 to its dedication in 1889, it contains in simple imagery the great wisdom of the Founding Era. The components of this significant yet unknown monument teach us how we can preserve America as a shining city upon a hill, an example of liberty to the world.
The monument is composed of numerous statues; the most prominent is the heroic figure of Faith, standing with her right hand pointed to the heavens and the other holding a Bible. At the base of the pedestal where Faith stands are four seated statues representing Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty—emblems of the principles upon which the Pilgrims built their Commonwealth, each also having a symbol referring to the Bible that Faith possesses. Flanking these allegorical figures are smaller engravings representing more components of the template of liberty.
The monument provides us a matrix of liberty based upon the worldview of our forefathers. Their ideas gave birth to the most free, prosperous, virtuous, and just nation the world has ever seen. If we apply those same principles today and build according to the successful pattern, we can expect the same results.
Author: Stephen McDowell
Pages: 12
Paperback
