DOLLEY MADISON

When you hear that name you probably think of ice cream.
The brand of ice cream is spelled Dolly Madison.

The Dolley Madison I'm referring to is the First Lady and wife of James Madison the fourth president of the United States.

Dolley was a gutsy lady.
During the War of 1812, knowing the British were on their way to invade Washington DC, President Madison left the city to find a place for the government to set up shop and continue on.

Dolley decided to stay as long as possible gathering artifacts from the White House.

She amassed silver, the original draft of the Declaration of Independence and Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington.

The frame of the first president's portrait was so large it was taking too long to remove and the British were literally at the doorstep of the city. She ordered the frame to be broken and the picture removed. Thus she saved it for the ages.

Dolley escaped but lost all of her own personal belongings. The British invaded the city, set fire to the Capitol building and then the White House. Eventually burning most of the government buildings.

Out of nowhere a hurricane blew up and hit Washington DC. It pummeled the British troops. The hurricane along with a tornado forced them to retreat.

After the British were gone President and Mrs. Madison and the Congress returned to the devastation. That did not deter the president. He set up the government in the Post Office, the only government building left standing.

The phenomena of the hurricane and tornado thwarting the British had to have been divine intervention.

Back in those early days of the Republic, the majority of the citizens and their leaders believed in and worshiped God. He stood by them, heard their prayers and saved their government and Capitol, devastated though it was.

This Republic was again invaded on December 7, 1941 by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor and again on September 11, 2001 by jihadist terrorists in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania.

After those events, people once again turned to God for help. Again, He listened and healed them and their land. Gold is refined by being put through the fire.

But I wonder if the same refinement would take place today. So many have turned their backs on God and care only for themselves and what is happening in their own worlds. I wonder, would they know enough to ask God's help, or is it too far gone?

We need some more Dolley Madisons, who are unafraid and will stand up and take a risk.

Oh, by the way Dolley Madison was a Quaker.