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President Harry S. Truman. Source: Truman Library. |
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The Public Papers of Harry S. Truman contain most of President Truman's public messages, statements, speeches, and
news conference remarks. Documents such as Proclamations, Executive Orders, and similar documents that are published in the Federal Register
and the Code of Federal Regulations, as required by law, are usually not included. The documents within the Public Papers
are arranged in chronological order. President Truman delivered the remarks or addresses from Washington, D. C., unless
otherwise indicated. The White House in Washington issued statements, messages, and letters unless noted otherwise.
(Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Harry S. Truman, 1945-1953. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1966)
The Public Papers contain items such as the Statement by the President Announcing the Use of the A-Bomb at Hiroshima
(August 6, 1945), the Special Message to the Congress on Greece and Turkey: The Truman Doctrine (March 12, 1947),
the White House Statement Announcing Recognition of the Government of Israel (January 31, 1949), the Statement and
Order by the President on Relieving General MacArthur of His Commands (April 11, 1951), and The President's Farewell
Address to the American People (January 15, 1953).
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30.
Address in Philadelphia at the Dedication of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains |
February 3, 1951
Dr. Poling, associate chaplains, and ladies and gentlemen:
This chapel commemorates something more than an act of bravery or courage. It commemorates a great act of faith in God.
The four chaplains whose memory this shrine was built to commemorate were not required to give their lives as they did. They gave their lives without being asked. When their ship was sinking, they handed out all the life preservers that were available and then took off their own and gave them away in order that four other men might be saved.
Those four chaplains actually carried out the moral code which we are all supposed to live by. They obeyed the divine commandment that men should love one another. They really lived up to the moral standard that declares: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
They were not afraid of death because they knew that the word of God is stronger than death. Their belief, their faith, in His word enabled them to conquer death.
This is an old faith in our country. It is shared by all our churches and all our denominations. These four men represented the Protestant, the Catholic, and the Jewish beliefs. Each of these beliefs teaches that obedience to God and love for one's fellow man are the greatest and strongest things in the world.
We must never forget that this country was rounded by men who came to these shores to worship God as they pleased. Catholics, Jews, and Protestants, all came here for this great purpose.
They did not come here to do as they pleased--but to worship God as they pleased, and that is a most important distinction.
The unity of our country comes from this fact. The unity of our country is a unity under God. It is a unity in freedom, for the service of God is perfect freedom.
If we remember our faith in God, if we live by it as our forefathers did, we need have no fear for the future.
Today, many people have become full of fear. If we reaffirm our common faith we can overcome these fears.
This does not mean that we can always be sure what the future will bring. We cannot always know what the outcome of events will be. President Lincoln once said, "The Almighty has His own purposes."
But we need not be afraid of the outcome if we go on trying to do the right thing as God gives us to see the right.
That is what we are trying to do in the world today. We are trying to establish world peace, so that all men can live together in brotherhood and in freedom. And to do that, we are working with other nations to create the rule of law in the world.
And what does this rule of law mean? Let me give you an example. In the early days of our western frontier, law and order were not yet established. Disputes were settled in favor of the man who was quickest on the draw. Outlaws terrorized whole communities.
Men who wanted to see law and order prevail had to combine against the outlaws. They had to arm themselves ...
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