Aimee Semple McPherson emphasizes the profound impact of faith on the founding and future of America, urging a return to the principles of prayer and the Bible that shaped the nation. She calls for a revival that transcends borders, highlighting the importance of God in Washington and the need for citizens to stand firm in their faith amidst rising secularism and destructive ideologies. McPherson passionately reminds her audience of the historical significance of prayer in American governance and the necessity of maintaining a moral compass rooted in scripture. She encourages individuals to embrace their Christian identity and actively participate in the revival of faith in their communities and the nation. The sermon culminates in a heartfelt invitation for all to accept Christ and commit to living out their faith.

I just think you hold the country in the palm of your hand, the seconds you hold that microphone, you can do so much good. These days, when there's so many destructive elements, you can say something that will, oh, touch a heart or be a blessing to the countryside. Amen? And be constructive to God's work. And now our message of the evening, I ask you to ask the Lord to touch every heart round about you In the name of Jesus, Lord, let the power fall. Bless the message. Bless the speakers. Lord Jesus, let America have an old-fashioned revival. Let it leap our borders and go across the waves and through every land afar. In Jesus' name, amen. And all the people said amen. Now this evening, our sermon is to be rebroadcast at 12.15. I understand on the radio they're making a large record in Hollywood at the company, which will be replayed and I presume kept as long as the world stands. So I would like to be sure before they start the needle working there that you people understand how to say amen. Let me hear you say it. That's a Methodist amen. I was brought up a Methodist church. Now, is there a real Holy Ghost on fire at Pentecost? Amen. That's better. Is there a hallelujah? And now you listen to yourself at 12.15. See if you can pick out your amen. Your hallelujah. Let the world know that we still believe in the old-time gospel. God goes to Washington. The United States of America, as no country in the world, was founded upon the word of God and upon prayer. If you tonight could stand for just a moment on a rocky summit overlooking the bay where the Mayflower landed, you would see a four-square statue. Because I see fours on everything. But there's a four-cornered pedestal with four statues. Law, morality, freedom, education. And rising above all is a granite shaft with a heroic figure of faith. One hand, she points to heaven. And in the other, she holds an open Bible. That's the United States of America. Lord, bless us and give us our soul-shaking revival tonight. Let everyone in Angelus Temple and listening over the air, and on the ships at sea, and wherever they may be, feel God's motivating power. The United States of America and its outlying posts have a heart in Washington which beats and pulses. Our country was founded upon faith in God. The Pilgrim Fathers brought with them prayer, and they brought the Book of Books, the Bible. The Book of Divine Guidance, which all through the years has held America together. Last Sunday night, during the interviews Phil Kerr announced a moment ago, I heard a man describing a certain country which had been taken over by another nation recently. And this man described how the schools of that certain nation were always open with prayer. And the picture of Christ and of the cross was just before them. And how now that the nation was conquered, the picture of the cross and the Christ were torn down. And instead of opening with prayer, they opened with a certain salute to a certain man rather than to Christ. We believe that by according to the word of God, the day of the Antichrist and of the great Northern Army is at hand. A day of Armageddon, a day of thick darkness and cloudiness. A day when the bombs start falling and people will really, literally, cry to the mountains, fall on us. In other words, they'll try to dig a hole in the mountains where the gas can't get, or the splinters from the bombs. Or go down into the sea in ships, and hope they won't be found there. But even there shall they be brought forth. We believe that according to the word of God, Jesus is born in Bethlehem. By the power of the Holy Ghost, that same Jesus is coming again. Hallelujah! And of all the white spots in the world, the United States, with its freedom to preach the gospel, no one to tell us what we can broadcast, or print, or publish. Thank God we have a chance to still keep our light burning. Amen? Then why waste it? Why spend our Sundays somewhere else in the house of God? Why use our bodies for the devil and for carnality and so? Why not make this a glorious revival center from border to the other border, and from the shore to shore? Lord, send a revival. Washington. God goes to Washington. George Washington, the father of our country, born, as you know, at Bridge Street, Virginia, February 22, 1773, was a man of prayer. Again and again, when he crossed and re-crossed the Delaware, his people loved him. Our statue is real. Our Capitol building in Washington is real to our hearts. Its earliest thirteen stars are cherished with a loving memory. When the father of our country, George Washington, went to this Capitol building, God went in his person. You have seen, among the works of art up on the wall, the picture of George Washington in prayer. You have seen the bloody stumps of the legs of those who followed him through those cold winters. You remember that his lips spoke these words, I can trace the finger of divine providence through those dark days. America needs to get back to the God of our fathers. God has always been America's commander. Others are trying to substitute communism, fascism, Nazism, and so forth. It just saved a life of me. I can't picture Stalin on his knees praying, Oh dear Jesus, send a real revival to Russia. Maybe I shouldn't say this on the radio. We have our own radio here, and I want to be neutral. Maybe he does, but I don't see the revival. Maybe his prayers haven't got through yet. I can't picture certain people in Europe with their manufacturers of the most deadly weapons saying, Oh, may this Christmas be a real Christmas. They're getting ready a Christmas present all right. But it is not the love of Jesus Christ. God goes to Washington. I pray that the future Washington may be as a path God seeked and God filled. When the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and so forth were filled out, it was necessary that a flag be formed. To Betsy Ross fell that loving task, and Washington is said to have watched over it. How those thirteen states have grown, how the states are interlocked, how we're able to travel from one to another with an army guard saying, and searching us as we go. My God, let this be the land of the free and the home of the brave forever. And that is our prayer. There's now a picture of the early flag and its being made. I'd like to see it in the Capitol building, with its home, its churches, cornerstones, made real to your hearts tonight. Send Washington to Betsy Ross, if she may reply. I am not certain that I can, at least I'll gladly try. So she took some bread, for the blood they shed, some tea, some stars so bright from the star-lord's head. And sewed them all together, for loyal hearts are fond of blue. Send Betsy Ross to Washington, your country gladly whole. And through his tears in night he saw, the stars then to his breast he glanced, and looked to heaven above. Oh, may it ever stand, he cried, for life and truth and love. Communism goes to Washington, but God goes to Washington. There are certain subjects, everyone who stands for God, but I believe in God. And I believe in the God that's in the hearts of American people. And I believe that we believe that we're awakening as never before to the need of a real Holy Ghost nation, but a revival for us all, a time of solemn assembly and weeping between the porch and the altar. Communism deprives people of worship, of free speech, of a free press, of the right to protest and to assemble. We don't want it, do we? Fascism deprives people of the right to free speech, the free press, and the right to assemble and protest. Nazism denies the right to worship freely and free speech, free press, and the right to protest and to assemble. God in Washington, the right to worship, has a free press, free speech, right to protest, and right to assemble. The Constitution is founded on religious principles, September the 17th, 1787. Praise the Lord for the United States of America. Here comes our nation's flag. Hail it. Who dares to drag or trail it? Give it. Hurrah! Three for the stars and three for the bars. Uncover your head to it. Throw to the side of it, the just and right of it. Here comes the flag. Cheer it. We have the Constitution in the Word of God. Praise the Lord. I'm so happy that among those that our country loves and reveres is Benjamin Franklin and that he so staunchly spoke of God in Washington. One of the signers of the Constitution, he said, the small progress we have made after four or five weeks of close attention and continual reasoning with each other is, he thinks, a proof of the imperfection of human understanding. How has it happened that we have not heretofore thought of humbly applying to the Father of Light to illuminate our understanding? If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? After this, they resorted themselves to prayer and quickly, according to Franklin, Webster and others, the greatest document in the world sprang into being. My God make you worthy of it. And you who are ashamed to say you're a Christian, who are afraid to get to your feet and walk down an aisle or a balcony and come to an altar and kneel and find Jesus as your Savior. God make you worthy tonight of the Christ who died for you, of the flags that wave over your head, of the high courage and lofty resolutions that builded the country you now find yourself a citizen or a visitor in. And all the people said, Amen! Other great things. You know, of course, where Garfield, how he quoted a psalm, God reigns, the government of Washington still lives. God always was put first. President Hayes, for instance, said we are looking for the divine guidance in the hand which has followed the destinies of nations and individuals are shaped. Grover Cleveland said, Above all I know there is a supreme being who rules the affairs, whose goodness and mercy have always followed the American people and I know he will not fail us if we humbly and reverently seek his powerful aid. I'm so happy. The states in the United States that have banished the Bible for a number of years saying the Jews wouldn't like it, this wouldn't like it, that wouldn't like it, have put back by state legislation, in California for instance, the Bible in every school. Today it's read, praise God. And I think the most popular person and the most fine statesman is the one who stands on the word of God. God goes to Washington, bless the Lord, and let him go to your heart and say, My Jesus, I love thee. When I think of Benjamin Franklin, somehow I cannot but think and hear the words that sprang into being. Capital for a moment. Think of the men who have manned it. Realize that you are the sons and the daughters, worthily or unworthily, of a land who have had fathers who have prayed and mothers who have prayed. Among them was that most beloved of all, the Emancipator, who came from the log cabin, who couldn't afford a lamp to read and read by the embers of the fireplace after chopping wood by day, who rose to be an attorney. Abraham Lincoln, born in a log house with only one door and one window, was said that he would come to know many doors and many windows. He has found them. Accustomed to morning prayer, are you? Accustomed to grace at meal? You know what it is? Well, you know, when I have people converted here, I lean over and I say, Now God bless you, good night, goodbye, and don't forget to have a family altar. I often tell the amusing anecdote here of a true fact. A man who came on Tuesday morning and rapped on my door. He said, Sister! I said, Yes, sir. You wouldn't know me, but I was one of your converts. He said, That's not one of my converts, one of the Lord's converts. Well, I said, Pardon me, it's all new to me. He said, You said to form a family altar and to have a family altar. I put my hand up, but I wouldn't. Sister, I've been to every furniture store in town and there isn't anyone who knows what they are, even. Brother, you can't buy them. You have to build them. And Lincoln knew he had a family altar. He offered graces before meals. He knew the evening prayer. He said that one man who had an appointment to meet him early in the morning on earthly hour, six o'clock, found Lincoln in his room already talking to someone. He said, My, my, my, my, my, my. You've been telling me that so great an executive is meeting someone else before me. And then rang the bell promptly for him to come in. He looked around rather interestedly to notice there was only one door, the door that he had entered. Finally, his curiosity just got the better of him. He said, Mr. Lincoln, Sir, excuse me, but I heard your voice in conversation aloud. To whom were you talking? I said, To God. Sir, I always spend the first hour of my day, no matter how early or how busy, I find it makes the day go right. Say, you smart boys from college and you girls that say, kush, truffle, pipple, for the whole thing, you don't know what you're talking about. You're too young. You're behind the times. You live in a country that was built on faith and prayer. And may God convict your soul tonight. Is my prayer, I bring you to the altar. I've given out promises all over the building tonight, or in certain parts of it, a little red string, and I just, oh, every one of you had one, I could bring you right down to the altar. Lo, they that are far from me shall perish, and them that go far from me shall be destroyed, but it is good for me to draw near unto God. Think of the sayings of Abraham Lincoln about the Pilgrims, for instance. See if I can remember it. The Bible came with them, and it is not to be doubted that to the free and universal reading of the scriptures, men of that age were indebted for their right views on civil liberty. All of good, praise the Lord, from the Savior of the world is communicated through this book. But for this book, we could not know right from wrong. Say that out loud, please. Remember, you're broadcasting. From this book, we know right from wrong. That's the only way we know to have it, knowing right from wrong. And to attain all the things desirable to attain are contained within it. At the age of ten, he'd read the Bible through three times. Throughout every oration, he shows the infinite faith in God. Literature now is handed out in schools and colleges, saying, Don't let that Bible make a fool of you. Was he a fool? Do you think he is? Then go back to your country where you like your leaders the best. These are our leaders. Some time ago, passed out to their high school children an American literature reading, Keep this Jewish scrapbook out of our public schools. Hmm, yes? Well, it's neither Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free. We're all a right to worship as our own hearts dictate. God keep us that. Atheism rose rather rapidly between 1926 with 120,000 signed up members to 1936 with 20 million around the world signed up that they would down God and down the Bible and they'd get in every church and get in any union they could or any group of people with over a thousand and they would disrupt the affair. That's fine business, isn't it? How long would I last in one of their countries talking like that? To the end of me. You know it, too! It's your land and my land, this wondrous do and die land. You say, Sister McPherson, you must preach Christ. You're preaching America. I guess I am, but I'm preaching Jesus. I'm preaching on God goes to Washington. Listen! Do you know anywhere else in the world that has a song that goes like this? In the beauty of the lilies, the beauty of the lilies that are causing certain things to be done today, I think there are fine, stable home builders. I think that we're heading up, though, to leadership that's heading up toward the last time. Thank God. There's nothing in Washington right now, I hope, that will lead as other nations have been led. Don't you like the Russians? Certainly I do. I think they're musical, talented, have fine traits, stamina, but I certainly don't like communism. I don't. Nor do I believe that it is compatible with American ideals. Amen. Lord, help us to stand really true. You know, some people have, they say they're Christians and church members, but oh my, they're not much. But they find a dear colored lady who went to the governor once and asked to have her husband pardoned. The governor said, well, what's he in for? She said, he's in for stealing chickens and ham. Well, he said, did he really steal the ham? Yes, sir. He said, well, and what are you waiting out for? She said, we're fresh out of ham. Oh, let's have a gospel that really lives a life. Let's have a gospel that really is what it says it is. And by the grace of God, stand up for Christ. If these men could stand for him, glory, glory, hallelujah. His truth is marching on. I believe there's enough people among these thousands tonight. When you hear this week the name of God blasphemed, and people don't think, when they swear, they don't mean it really. They just, like I said, gee whiz, they just got to say the other thing. Stop them. Just a moment, please. That's my Christ, my God you're speaking of. You wouldn't think of your wife that way, your sweetheart. How about standing up for God? You uncover your head when the flag goes by. Why not every one of us come down from the top gallery tonight? You listen to me, you young people up there, the top row, pardon me, you're talking to each other. Listen to me a minute. Wouldn't it be grand if you'd be the first ones up when I give the audit call to dare to square your shoulders back, all of you, and walk down the nearest way and come and kneel and say, by God's grace, I want to be a real Christian. I want to follow, I want to be worthy of the Christ who died for me and the forefathers who are my sires. Amen. And the first balcony, the main floor, is a revival that started here that would never, never end. We've come up to our own time and our own age remembering that Lincoln said, if we abide by the principles, I think this is one of the strong statements, it isn't referred to very often, if we abide by the principles taught in the scriptures, our country will go on prospering and to prosper. But, if we depart therefrom, if we depart therefrom and our posterity neglects its instruction and authority, no man can tell what sudden catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in obscurity. Do you believe it? In the name of Jesus, help us to listen to the words of Lincoln. Then he said, you know, God must love the common people. He made so many of them. Someone asked him what he was doing. He said, I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Would you dare say that? You blurriers, you businessmen, how about putting a Bible on your desk? You society ladies, rich and poor, old and young, let's have a revival of the word of God, of testifying, and make this a Christmas that recalls Jesus, the light of the world. We've come to our own time. January 17, 1706, born in Boston, Mass, with an eminent statesman, our own Roosevelt, signer of the Constitution, a small, but God, that he can ever hold up this Constitution of ours. I don't know if I'm for this party or that. I'm for the office. Whoever holds an office, God help me to stand back at the officer. Roosevelt made this statement some time back and sent it to the 10th World Convention of Christian Endeavors held in Melbourne, Australia, 1938. It was last year. What this weary world needs most is a revival of religion that, would that such a revival could sweep the nation. We should remember that. What this weary world needs, what this weary world needs, say it, what this weary world needs most is a revival of religion. Would that such a revival could sweep the nation. It's apparent even to the present that there has been a spiritual decline. A spiritual revival is needed. Let's get back to the old time religion. It was good for our fathers. It was good for our mothers. It's good enough for me. Cordell Hull, who by the way, has been very gracious to me, to the Angelus Temple, that our missionaries caught in strange predicaments during the war, where it is just this week that one of our missionaries was, what was the adjective after, critically ill and has been so kind to ship our money and so forth to the sources that they had. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, declared that world leaders should spend more time reading the Bible. And he said, humanity desperately needs a moral and spiritual rebirth. There is no sure way to this goal save through adherence to the teachings of the Bible. Amen? Our own country urgently needs a moral and spiritual awakening. I sometimes wonder whether the trumpet call of the ancient prophets will not be necessary to revive and restore moral and spiritual ideals. Now the Bishop of, Bishop Cushman of the Methodist Church said, unless we have a revival of religion among the church people, the situation in America looks hopeless. We cannot go for another five years without some kind of judgment ascending upon us. Now, isn't the fact that my father led a Methodist Church choir and your uncle was a Presbyterian, let's all just be men and women for a moment. We need Jesus Christ. We need the Christmas spirit. And the Christmas spirit isn't just a lot of liquor or exchanging presents. It's getting back to Jesus Christ and the lowly manger of Bethlehem of Judea. God bless America. America's one hope is Jesus Christ. Thank God for Jesus. Psalm 39 and 7, my hope is in thee. Psalm 78 and 7, that they might set their hope in God, not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. Psalm 146 and 5, happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Jeremiah 17 and 7, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. Amen. And I would that we could get back to family altars, back to the Bible. You see, well Sister, in my church, pardon me for mentioning my church, you said we should all just be on a level, but you know, environment means a lot. Nevertheless, we need Christ in our capital. If God goes to Washington, he's gone there in the past. I don't know what your political stand is, or who's going to run for the third term, or just what the outline is, but I know this is American citizens. We want a revival, and we want to see God, whose name is on your coin, and God we trust. We want to see Christ go to Washington. Amen. Clean living, pure living, upright living. Amen. It doesn't go so good against some signs, the hammer and the sickle and the snapping. It goes fine against the stars and stripes. Our nation is the only nation in the world that can put the church flag above it. All right, let's give a cheer. God bless America. Amen. Everyone here needs Christ. Will you all come forward? Could I have a wave come from the top gallery? First balcony, bring me those cords. First floor. I'd just love to see you all come marching up. Will you kneel with me? Sister dear, don't move, honey, for a moment. You might disturb someone. Sister in the first balcony, thank you, darling, very much. It would be very thoughtless to move just at this moment. Oh my God, I've tried tonight to appeal to men and women to let Jesus come into their heart. Not only that they might make heaven their home, that we might save this glorious land of ours on the principles and foundations upon which it was founded. Let Christ be in the heart of this nation of Washington and in its outlets and tributaries in every city and every human being. On the main floor, with every head bowed and all eyes closed, may I ask that everyone because I would like Jesus as my Savior. Will you all lift your hands? Everyone lift your hands. I want to live that life, sister. Oh, I wish you could come running down here. But put your hands up anyway. Every first-nighter put your hands up. That isn't going to hurt you any. Put your hands up and help other people. Encourage them. That's right. How many others that are not first-nighters? You put your hands up too. Come on. Now that we're in the first balcony, will you all lift your hands? In the middle, left and the right. Everyone put your hands up. Upper and lower there in the first balcony. Will you please, sister? I want to be a real Christian. Really, I do. I know how easy it is to get away from it all. Sister, I want to be worthy of Christ who died for me. Top gallery. There are my old friends up there. Will you all lift your hands? In the middle, left and right. Everyone lift your hands. First-nighters and old-timers. Will you all lift your hands, please? Everyone lifts your hands. Young men and young women, you put your hands up up there. Come on. Take the stand and take the lead. Sister, I'd have to give up this friendship. I'd have to give up far more if you lost heaven. If you had to march to war, you'd have to give up more. Put your hands up. That's right. God bless you. And now, bring me all those promises. I've given promises out here and there through the audience. I'd like to... I just wish I could bring you all down to the audience. But everyone who lifted your hands, stand up all over the building, please. Everyone who lifted his or her hands and said, I want to live for Christ, stand up, please. Stand up. Everyone stand up. Sister, I want to live for Christ. Stand up on the first balcony. Oh, I saw hundreds of hands there. Won't you all stand up? Follow your hand right on up. Everyone stand, please. For old Lincoln, he stood for Christ. Have you the courage? Washington stood for Christ. Have you the courage? Stand up in the top gallery. Good for you. Oh, I'm so glad you did that. Sister, don't move, honey, except if you're coming to the front. Something other than myself is going through this audience now. It's out of my hands now. The Holy Spirit's moving all through this place. Either you're going to be saved or lost. And either our country's going to be saved or lost. Either we're going to continue on in the faith of our fathers or we're going to drop it. Which is it? Those who have these promises, come on now. Follow it right, follow the crimson road right on down to the altar, will you? Come on, I'm pulling you. You ladies that are standing, whether you have one of the promises or not, come on. Every person, come on. That's all coming near to thee.