Many years ago, Alexis de Tocqueville, the famous French political philosopher, visited America. He came here when this nation was very young to find the secret of our greatness. He traveled from town to town, talking with people and asking questions. He examined our young national government, our schools and centers of business, without finding the reason for our strength.
Not till he visited the churches of America and witnessed the pulpits of this land “aflame with righteousness” did he find the secret of our greatness. Returning to France, he summarized his findings with this word of warning: “America is great because America is good, and if America ever cease to be good, America will cease to be great.”
