Ezra Taft Benson was Secretary of Agriculture under President Eisenhower. He organized and led the largest humanitarian aid program in America’s –even the world’s – history delivering food, clothing and other necessities for survival to post-World War II Europe. Secretary Benson was also an unusually informed patriot. From his position in government service and in his public life he personally witnessed the efforts by many of our elected officials to undermine the Constitution of the United States. He dedicated the rest of his life to informing the public of the dangers from those who would create a New World Order. The following are excerpts from speeches he made in that effort.
In 1987 Ezra Taft Benson said: “We must, with sadness, say that we [as a nation] have not been wise in keeping the trust of our Founding Fathers. For the past two centuries, those who do not prize freedom have chipped away at every major clause of our Constitution until today we face a crisis of great dimensions. (“The Constitution – A Glorious Standard,” Ensign, Sept. 1987, p.10)
In 1986, Benson said: “To all who have discerning eyes, it is apparent that the republican form of government established by our noble forefathers cannot long endure once fundamental principles are abandoned. Momentum is gathering for another conflict – a repetition of the crisis of two hundred years ago. This collision of ideas is worldwide. The issue is the same that precipitated the great premortal conflict [KJ Bible, Genesis: ] – will men be free to determine their own course of action or must they be coerced?” (The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner, p.27)
“At this particular moment in history [approximately 1972] the United States Constitution is definitely threatened, and every citizen should know about it. The warning of this hour should resound through the corridors of every American institution – schools, churches, the halls of Congress, press, radio, and television, and so far as I am concerned it will resound – with God’s help.
Wherever possible I have tried to speak out. It is for this very reason that certain people in Washington have bitterly criticized me. They don’t want people to hear the message. It embarrasses them. The things which are destroying the Constitution are the things they are voting for. They are afraid [for] their political careers if these facts are pointed out. They therefore try to silence any who carry the message – anyone who will stand up and be counted. (“Stand Up For Freedom”, p. 684)
“There is one and only one legitimate goal of United States foreign policy. It is a narrow goal, the nationalistic goal: the preservation of our national independence. Nothing in the Constitution grants that the president shall have the privilege of offering himself as a world leader. He is our executive; he is on our payroll; he is supposed to put our best interests in front of those of other nations. Nothing in the Constitution nor in logic grants to the president of the United States or to Congress the power to influence the political life of other countries, to ‘uplift’ their cultures [export democracy?], to bolster their economies, to feed their people, or even to defend them against their enemies.” (p.614)
“The world is smaller, you say? True, it is, but if one finds himself locked in a house [the U.N.?] with maniacs, thieves and murderers – even a small house- he does not increase his chances of survival by entering into alliances with his potential attackers and becoming dependent upon them for protection to the point where he is unable to defend himself. Perhaps the analogy between nations and maniacs is a little strong for some to accept. But if we put aside our squeamishness over strong language, and look hard at the real world in which we live, the analogy is quite sound in all but the rarest exceptions.” (p. 696)
“Sovereignty for a nation is hard to come by and even more difficult to retain. It cannot be shared, for then sovereignty becomes something else, and, for want of a better word, when sovereignty is lessened the end-product is internationalism. Sovereignty is neither more nor less than self-government. American self-government is blueprinted in the Constitution.”
“Our leaders in Washington have been acting as though the American people elected them to office for the primary purpose of leading the entire planet toward international peace, prosperity, and one-world government. At times, these men [and women] appear to be more concerned with something called world opinion or with their image as world leaders than they are with securing the best possible advantage for us. (p.682)
“….if we had done our homework and were faithful, we could step forward at this time and help save this country. The fact that most of us are unprepared to do it is an indictment we will have to bear. The longer we wait, the heavier the chains, the deeper the blood, the more the persecution, … . The war in heaven is raging on earth today. Are you being neutralized in the battle?” (“An Enemy Hath Done This” pp. 278-279)
“Today the Christian constitutionalist mourns for his country. He sees the spiritual and political faith of his fathers betrayed by wolves in sheep’s clothing. He sees the forces of evil increasing in strength and momentum under the leadership of Satan, the arch-enemy of freedom. He sees the wicked honored and the valiant abused. He senses that his own generation faces Gethsemanes and Valley Forges that may yet rival or surpass the trials of the early Apostles and the men of ’76. And this gives him cause to reflect on the most basic of fundamentals – the reason for our existence. Once we understand that fundamental, the purpose for mortality, we may more easily chart a correct course in the perilous seas that are engulfing our nation.” (p. 397)
“There is a conspiracy of evil. The source of it all is Satan and his hosts. We are blind to the hard fact that nations usually sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity.
“I say to you with all the fervor of my soul: We are sowing the seeds of our own destruction in America and much of the free world today. It is my sober warning to you today that if the trends of the past continue, we will lose that which is as priceless as life itself – our freedom, our liberty, our right to act as free men [and women]. It can happen. It is happening here…..
“The sad and shocking story of what has happened in America in recent years must be told. Our people must have the facts. There is safety in an informed public. There is real danger in a complacent, uninformed citizenry. … the truth must be told even at the risk of destroying, in large measure, the influence of men [and women] who are widely respected and loved by the American people (JFK?). The stakes are high. Freedom and survival is the issue. (p.582)
“The fight for freedom is God’s fight… . When a man [or woman] stands for freedom he stands with God. And as long as he stands for freedom he stands with God. And, were he to stand alone he would still stand with God – the best company and the greatest power in or out of this world. Any man will be eternally vindicated and rewarded for his stand for freedom.” (p.656)
Stay tuned for Part II.
