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The Pledge
 
     I consider the Declaration of Independence to be, probably, the greatest document ever written.  I have it as the wallpaper on my computer.  You have already found parts of it paraphrased on this web site.  I will now tell you what I believe to be the most powerful part of the entire document ~ The last line: 
 
  And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
 
    This line above all is what gave birth to The United States of America.  It is what sustains us and what makes us the greatest country ever.  There is no group of men in any country today who would sign this pledge for their country.
 
     Think about what it says and how. What were they pledging to support? The concepts of:  Freedom  --  and  --  Democracy.  They knew they may never see it  in  their  lifetimes  but  it  was  important  enough to them,  for their posterity, to sign this document. 
 
  "With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence".  These men were here for religious freedom.  Whether they believed in God or not they couldn't say it in this document and still be credible.  So they relied on Divine Providence.  Regardless of any person's specific belief, they could all have faith in Divine Providence. 
 
   They pledged their Lives and their Fortunes.  Many of these signers did lose their lives in the battle to achieve these concepts.  Many were very wealthy men who did, in fact, spend all of their personal fortunes in support of achieving these concepts.  They died paupers.  Who would do that today?
 
    But why did they do it?  Because they also mutually pledged, one to the other and all to every, their Sacred Honor.  Their sacred Honor was more important to them than their lives or their fortunes.  For isn't it,  for each of us,  that our own personal sacred Honor is, truly, the Divine within us?
 
    And so, even though I still cannot promise or guarantee that my giving plan will become what I want it to be, I make to you this solemn pledge:
 
     On my own personal Sacred Honor, I will do everything I can possibly do to make my giving plan be all I have told you I want it to be.
 
 
                                                                             Charles O Graves
 
 
                              Now for some final Observations