In God We Trust:
Raymond E. Manchester was Dean of Men at Kent State University in Ohio from 1935 until 1951. In that capacity he wrote The Saturday Letters and sent them sent them out to the men students at the university. He wrote about anything that came to mind and there always was a clincher, a conclusion that reflected on the power of faith and trust.
Dean Manchester was a man who endorsed In God We Trust with his life. The following are selected excerpts from The Saturday Letters written on September 21 and 28, 1940, eighty-five years ago. At the time he was writing these Letters, our nation was watching with alarm at the happenings in Europe. In May of 1940, German troops invaded Belgium, the Netherlands and France, forcing an “armistice”, a surrender, leaving Great Britain as the only country fighting Nazi Germany. Into this environment, the good Dean wrote. The comments are mine. Stan
REM — You young men had just turned 18 years and it’s time to think about your career. Of course, all these young men [this generation] are still bothered with a slight after-drag from childhood and still mildly fascinated by the promise of adventure in kiddish activities; but since we are living through tight times, they will have to measure up to an adult’s stature rather quickly. This necessity is not entirely evident because the heritage of freedom and liberty we have been heir to has been so unchallenged he has taken security for granted and has never feared for the continuation of the American Way of Life in the Western Hemisphere. That may be tested soon.
SE — I wonder who he’s speaking to; only those 85 years ago, or you and me? I wonder if our own experience in today’s world has placed us in a similar, very vulnerable position, as if we have stepped away from the grace of God and have gone off on our own with a cockiness and a reckless attitude that this will all work out in the end if we sit tight, keep our mouths shut, and do nothing that disturbs our comfortable position in life. Indiscriminate discrimination has been with us for a long time. In Jesus day it was a brewing hatred between Samaritan and Jew, based on nothing else than tales from ancient history and misunderstandings of what the Lord commanded. In God We Trust? I wonder…
REM — Perhaps the greatest task ahead for this younger generation is that of completing an analysis of this somewhat vague idea which is referred to as The American Way. This generation has been taught as far as factual information and technical skills are concerned, but it needs to experience an emotional Renaissance to fully appreciate differences and attitude. The point of view existing in the minds of citizens who believe in a totalitarian state is wholly different from that of citizens believing in a democratic state. The American way has always been a way of calm, absolute courage which is something quite different from hysterical fanaticism. Calmness and courage have been foundation stones upon which we can place dependence, and our Trust in God.
SE — Throughout history there are vivid examples of what happens in the absence of calmness, in the absence of courage, in the absence of trust in God. The outcomes are never good. We are like the disciples urging Jesus not to go to Jerusalem, who want Him to avoid trouble and not confront it, to debate right vs wrong rather than act on what we know to be right, once we lose that calmness and that courage and no longer trust in God, it is next to impossible to rebuild it. Who or what do we trust?
REM — The trouble with a tank it does not have brains enough to say, “Turn around, boys, were going back.” The trouble with the bomb is that it is lacking in any ability to learn sportsmanship. The trouble with the plane is that it hasn’t emotion enough in its soul to rare up on its tail and shout, “They shall not pass”. The trouble with us is that when we suddenly get the idea that we should prepare for defense, we build a tank, a bomb, and an airplane and say, “There, that’s done, now let’s go to the ball game.” We not only go to the ball game, but we say, “Preparedness! Huh! Nobody will hurt us. We’ve got a tank, a bomb, and an airplane. Who is afraid of the big bad wolf, anyway?”
SE — Complacency and silence are stumbling blocks. We build our own artificial confidence on that which we create, and put our trust in steel, explosives, and our ability to fly. Poor substitutes for confidence and commitment, rooted in our faith in God and trusting the power of democracy. Jesus was an equal opportunity offender; he offended the religious, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the evil presence of the Rome. He spoke to those that rejected God and who wanted nothing to do with those in need. He confronted the wrongfooted political power of his day. Yet here we are, in the quiet of our living rooms, comfortable and keeping our collective heads down, when standing up and letting our voices be heard is ignored out of fear. I think we are like the disciples before the resurrection and before Pentecost; cowards to a man, but there is hope. In God we trust?
REM — Let’s put into our preparedness program some brain training, some common sense, and a whole fist full of emotion, let’s not only build a tank, a bomb, and an airplane, but build in ideas that get ourselves all steamed up over such matters as right and wrong, fair and foul, and the American theory that every person has a right to be free. Dictatorial governments are never right, never fair, and always enslaving.
SE — Dean Manchester may have written his “Letters” 85 years ago, but they seem to ring true to our present state of affairs. To my mind, the elements of democracy, knit together with In God We Trust is a watchword to joyful, peaceful, secure and calm living. It is so valuable that it is worth speaking out, worth dying for, worth a life of going and doing likewise with love for all, regardless of skin color, nationality, and leaning on artificial differences that make no sense. As our Savior has taught, love others as He has loved us, all inclusive, no lines drawn. Amen.
Stan Escott
9/18/25
