BiblicalInsights.net

The first appearance of In God We Trust on a United States coin came in 1864, when In God We Trust debuted on the 2-cent piece following public appeal for our nation’s money to recognize God.  One such plea came in the form of a letter from a minister, M. R. Watkinson who sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase in November, 1861 that proposed the motto “God, Liberty, Law.”  Secretary Chase and United States Mint Director James Pollock were moved by the minister’s letter and replied, “No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe in His defense. The trust of our people should be declared on our national coins.”
The minister’s letter resonated deeply with Pollock, who recalled a lyric from the fourth stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner. The song, written during the War of 1812, includes the line: “And this be our motto–In God is our trust.”
An 1837 law required Congressional authorization of all new mottoes and devices on the nation’s coins.  So, the addition of a motto acknowledging God would fall not in the hands of Pollock or Chase alone, but rather occur only through legislation.  In December, 1863, Mint Director Pollock proposed either Our Country; Our God or God, Our Trust to appear on the new 2-Cent piece and other coins.  Secretary Chase replied to Mint Director Pollock with this suggestion: “On [the 2-Cent coin] with the shield, it should be changed so as to read IN GOD WE TRUST.”  On April 22, 1864, Congress passed the law permitting the creation of the 2-Cent coin with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.  Another law passed by Congress on March 3, 1865, allowed the Mint Director to inscribe IN GOD WE TRUST on all gold and silver coins that “shall admit the inscription thereon.”  (coinvalues.com July 20, 2021).
On July 30, 1956, two years after pushing to have the phrase “under God” inserted into the pledge of allegiance, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring “In God We Trust” to be the nations’ official motto.  The law P. L. 84-140, also mandated that the phrase be printed on all American paper currency.  The phrase had been placed on U. S. coins since the Civil War (1864).  Eisenhower’s treasury secretary, George Humphrey, had suggested adding the phrase to paper currency as well.  At a Flag Day speech in 1954, Eisenhower elaborated on his feelings about the place of religion in public life when he discussed why he had wanted to include “under God” in the pledge of allegiance: “In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.”  (www.history.com 7/20/21).
The first paper money with the phrase “In God We Trust” was not printed until 1957.
Congress has reaffirmed the motto several times: in 2002, in 2006, and in 2011.
The motto, “In God We Trust” appeared on coins for the first time during an American crisis–the Civil War (1864).  It became the national motto in 1956 in reaction to the Communistic threat and the Cold War.
It is time to reaffirm this national motto to combat the forces of Cultural Marxism that are at work undermining Christian values and attacking and destroying marriage and the family.  In God We Trust is our national motto!  Let this motto be hearalded from every corner of this great nation.  Let every Christian reaffirm their faith in the true and living God who created us and redeems us.  Let us be willing to wear this motto in the public domain and publicize it in every legitimate way so that we can clearly let the nation know of our commitment to “reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future.” Preachers need to preach on biblical texts that affirm our trust in God.  “In thee O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion” (Psa. 71:1).  “For thou art my hope, O LORD GOD: thou art my trust from my youth” (Psa. 71:5).  “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).  “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe” (I Tim. 4:10).  “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the LORD, GOD, that I may declare all thy works” (Psa. 73:28).
July 30, 2021 is the 65th anniversary of the signing by Dwight D. Eisenhower, president of the United States, of the law making In God We Trust our national motto.  If freedom is to ring, it will be because God is our TRUST.  True freedom is found only in God our savior (John 8:32, Gal. 5:1).