Last year, Mercury One launched a new initiative — the Leadership Training Program — to fulfill a desire to advance the necessary skills and knowledge of our country's youth, who will one day assume positions of leadership and guide our communities and our nation. In collaboration with WallBuilders, Mercury One is offering a special opportunity for college students and recent college grads through an exploration of American history during three two-week sessions this summer.

This unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience, now in its second year, features two weeks of nonstop projects, research, lectures and outings for young people who are passionate about America's heritage and interested in learning about our founding values, principles and ideologies. Student participants will learn from program experts and guest lecturers and get hands-on experience with original historical documents and artifacts from the Mercury One collection.

Program topics include:

• A Biblical Worldview
• The Truth in History
• America's Godly Heritage
• Early Education in America
• How the Bible Influenced America
• American Exceptionalism
• God and the Constitution
• Reclaiming the Land

This year, Leadership Training Program participants will have the unique opportunity to take part in Mercury One's inaugural Mercury Museum event — Rights & Responsibilities — taking place from June 15-17. Session 1 participants will help prepare for the event and Session 2 participants will assist in running the event.

If you or someone you know would be interested in joining this summer's Leadership Training Program, fill out the application today. Mercury One is still accepting applicants for Sessions 2 and 3.

Testimonials:

Really what encouraged me to apply was just the opportunity to do something completely different from what you see normally in school or normal life experiences. It's something that not many people are going around talking and teaching about — How the Bible influenced American history and really such an in-depth hands-on approach to American history.

—Bailey Kemp, an alumni member of the inaugural Leadership Training Program

I got to hold the 1936 Olympic torch. Just incredible things to see, artifacts from American history that are hundreds of years old. Just fascinating components of American history that you don't learn in the classroom, that you can only learn in places like this.

—Steve Jensen, an alumni member of the inaugural Leadership Training Program

About Mercury One: Mercury One is a 501(c)(3) charity founded in 2011 by Glenn Beck. Mercury One was built to inspire the world in the same way the United States space program shaped America's national destiny and the world. The organization seeks to restore the human spirit by helping individuals and communities help themselves through honor, faith, courage, hope and love. In the words of Glenn Beck:

We don't stand between government aid and people in need. We stand with people in need so they no longer need the government

Some of Mercury One's core initiatives include assisting our nation's veterans, providing aid to those in crisis and restoring the lives of Christians and other persecuted religious minorities. When evil prevails, the best way to overcome it is for regular people to do good. Mercury One is committed to helping sustain the good actions of regular people who want to make a difference through humanitarian aid and education initiatives. Mercury One will stand, speak and act when no one else will.

Support Mercury One's mission to restore the human spirit by making an online donation or calling 972-499-4747. Together, we can make a difference.

In light of the national conversation surrounding the rights of free speech, religion and self-defense, Mercury One is thrilled to announce a brand new initiative launching this Father's Day weekend: a three-day museum exhibition in Dallas, Texas focused on the rights and responsibilities of American citizens.

This event seeks to answer three fundamental questions:

1. As Americans, what responsibility do we shoulder when it comes to defending our rights?
2. Do we as a nation still agree on the core principles and values laid out by our founding fathers?
3. How can we move forward amidst uncertainty surrounding the intent of our founding ideals?

Attendees will be able to view historical artifacts and documents that reveal what has made America unique and the most innovative nation on earth. Here's a hint: it all goes back to the core principles and values this nation was founded on as laid out in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

Exhibits will show what the world was like before mankind had rights and how Americans realized there was a better way to govern. Throughout the weekend, Glenn Beck, David Barton, Stu Burguiere, Doc Thompson, Jeffy Fisher and Brad Staggs will lead private tours through the museum, each providing their own unique perspectives on our rights and responsibilities.

Schedule a private tour or purchase general admission ticket below:

• General admission ticket
• Glenn Beck private tour
• David Barton private tour
• Jeffy Fisher & Brad Staggs private tour
• Doc Thompson private tour

Location:

Mercury Studios

6301 Riverside Drive, Irving, TX 75039

About Mercury One: Mercury One is a 501(c)(3) charity founded in 2011 by Glenn Beck. Mercury One was built to inspire the world in the same way the United States space program shaped America's national destiny and the world. The organization seeks to restore the human spirit by helping individuals and communities help themselves through honor, faith, courage, hope and love. In the words of Glenn Beck:

We don't stand between government aid and people in need. We stand with people in need so they no longer need the government

Some of Mercury One's core initiatives include assisting our nation's veterans, providing aid to those in crisis and restoring the lives of Christians and other persecuted religious minorities. When evil prevails, the best way to overcome it is for regular people to do good. Mercury One is committed to helping sustain the good actions of regular people who want to make a difference through humanitarian aid and education initiatives. Mercury One will stand, speak and act when no one else will.

Support Mercury One's mission to restore the human spirit by making an online donation or calling 972-499-4747. Together, we can make a difference.

President Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809. Although he was said to have disliked manual labor in his youth, he truly grew into his role as one of the men in the family by the time he reached his teens. One constant through his life, though, was his love of reading, which led him to be more or less self-taught on most subjects.

When he was 23 he served valiantly as a captain in the Black Hawk War, a brief conflict between the U.S. and Native Americans. After he returned from war, Lincoln became a lawyer, later a congressman, and finally in 1860, he was elected the 16th president of the U.S.

As the first Republican president, he led the Union to victory and successfully ended the Civil War to preserve the nation. He played a key role in the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment and on January 1, 1863 Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which led to total abolition of slavery in the U.S.

Lincoln was a very courageous man of great principle. He believed in truth, respect, strong alliance, integrity, honesty, equality and courage. The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Thomas S. Monson, said “Courage becomes a living and attractive virtue when it is regarded not as a willingness to die manfully, but the determination to live decently.” Lincoln proved to the world that it is possible to be a great and righteous leader.

This is a photo of a young Lincoln from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

George Washington’s Prayer at Valley Forge is one of the most well-known prayers in history. Washington and his troops camped at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777 amid hardship. Washington calculated that at least a third of his men had no shoes, few soldiers had coats to protect them from the endless rain and food was scarce. Washington also faced allegations of incompetence and dictatorial ambitions, led by officers and members of congress.

Washington’s private prayer during these trying times was witnessed by a man named Isaac Potts and prompted him to join the American revolutionaries. This shows that our vocal prayers can help others. Praying with real intent can make a difference. The importance of daily communication through prayer cannot be overestimated. It is so significant that it is mentioned over 250 times in Scripture.

In 1898, the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wilford Woodruff Sr. stated, “those men who laid the foundation of this American government and signed the Declaration of Independence were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits, not wicked men. General Washington and all the men who labored for the purpose were inspired of the Lord.”

One of the most famous paintings of the American Revolution, The Prayer at Valley Forge, was painted by American illustrator and painter, Arnold Friberg, in 1975. The depiction of George Washington praying at Valley Forge was created to capture the “spirit of 1776” as America celebrated 200 years of independence. Pictured above is a replica of the original painting. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

The assassination of former President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, was one of the most notorious events in American history. Lincoln was attending Laura Keene’s acclaimed performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. when he was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth. The attack came only five days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his massive army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the American Civil War.

It was later uncovered that the famous actor was a Confederate sympathizer and was trying to save the South. As the war entered its final stages, Booth and six fellow conspirators hatched a plot to kidnap the president and take him to Richmond, VA, the confederate capital. The plan fell through when Lincoln failed to appear at the spot of the scheduled kidnapping in March. The next month, Booth came up with a desperate plan to assassinate the president, Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William H. Seward in hopes to throw the U.S. government into disarray.

RELATED: The Bumpy Road That Won Abraham Lincoln His Presidency

The search for Booth was one of the largest manhunts in history, with 10,000 federal troops, detectives and police tracking down the assassin. On April 26, Union troops set fire to the Virginia farmhouse where Booth and co-conspirator David Herold were hiding in an effort to clear the fugitives out. As Booth raised his gun to shoot the troops, a Union sergeant shot him dead. Herold surrendered and was convicted for his part of the assassination and executed with three other co-conspirators.

Such heinous acts have proven time after time how anger can motivate acts of violence. It is a great blessing to be patient with all different beliefs and we should all be willing to learn another’s point of view.

This is a piece of the bed sheet from the Mercury One historical collection that Lincoln was laying on the night he was killed. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln gave one of his most memorable speeches: his first inaugural address. In this speech, Lincoln sought to alleviate the tug-of-war amongst the Southern States. He pleaded for the Confederate states to reconcile with the North and sent a clear message that he would not let the Union be dissolved. In the famous concluding paragraph, Lincoln’s address proposed a question to the South, “Shall it be peace or the sword?” He then proceeded to end on a memorable note of conciliation saying, “… We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies…The mystic chords of memory… will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

In Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865, Lincoln was seeking to achieve a “just and lasting peace” between the North and the South, and a smooth transition back into the Union. He said that the North and the South “… read the same Bible, and pray to the same God,” in an attempt to relate the opposing sides. The ending paragraph brought the short but powerful address to a close when he said, “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds… to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

Both of Lincoln’s addresses have transcended time and are still read and quoted often because of the powerful messaging: by finding a common ground between differing groups, we can bring the country together in peace and create a better world.

From the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Thomas McKean was an American lawyer and politician who is regarded as the last signer of the Declaration of Independence.

At the age of 82, McKean penned a letter to his grandson, who had just become a new father. In the letter, he shared some tender counsel about the principles he found in his many years of life that led to his success.

Here's what he had to say:

Dear Sir:
I sit down to acknowledge the receipt of the agreeable intelligence of the birth of your son, and my first and only great grandchild. Sickness, death and many other untoward circumstances have hitherto delayed it.

May your son be a comfort and an honor to his parents and a blessing and ornament to his country. Give him learning, and a pious education; the rest will greatly depend upon his own industry and good conduct under the favor of God. The way the twig is bent, the tree will be inclined. Eighty-two years, and all the knowledge they have brought with them, have taught me to place confidence in these sentiments.

Please kiss the little gentleman for me and give him my blessing, and may the Father of all bless him. Give my love to Mary Ann, and my respects to all enquiring friends. May you all lie as happy as I wish you.

Vive vale.
Thomas McKean

A letter penned by Thomas McKean from the Mercury One historical collection.Photo courtesy of Mercury One

In 1776, Thomas McKean was one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence; and although this is a large feat, his career ran much deeper than that one event. McKean received his law degree at the age of 21 and was appointed to his first political office in 1756 as the Deputy Attorney General for Sussex County in Pennsylvania. In October 1762, he was elected to the Delaware Assembly where he served until 1779. He was also a member of Congress from 1774 to 1783. During his time in Congress, he saved Benjamin Franklin from removal as American representative to France, signed the Articles of Confederation, held the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania position for 22 years and briefly served as the President of Congress in 1781.

During the Pennsylvania constitutional convention in 1789, McKean played an important role in the creation of a new, more conservative state constitution for Pennsylvania. Clearly a popular move, he was elected the second governor of Pennsylvania one year later, representing the Federalist Party. Political enemies tried to impeach him, but were unable to prove any wrong-doing on his part. He retired in 1812 after being re-elected as a popular governor for nine years. McKean died at the age of 83 in 1817.

Former President John Adams described McKean as “one of the three men in the Continental Congress who appeared to me to see more clearly to the end of the business than any others in the body."

Recognition of McKean's growing stature in the colonies began in 1763 when he received an honorary MA degree from the College of Pennsylvania and in 1766, the governor of New Jersey admitted McKean to practice law in any of the New Jersey courts on the recommendation of the New Jersey Supreme Court. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1768, a distinguished intellectual society founded by Benjamin Franklin. He also later received honorary LLD degrees from Princeton, Dartmouth and Pennsylvania.

McKean is an exemplary example of how far political engagement can be carried by one man. One can hardly believe the number of simultaneous offices and duties this man performed during his career. He served three states, often performing duties in two or more jurisdictions, even while actively in federal office.

Sources: ushistory.org and American National Biography Online

Under the rule of Adolf Hitler during WWII, Nazi Germany invaded and occupied many European countries, forcing millions of people to live under German control. Throughout this period, ordinary people witnessed the crimes of the Holocaust, inevitably becoming complicit with the Nazi regime by not standing up against them. Indeed, the Nazis even found numerous willing aides who collaborated and took part in said crimes with them.

Beginning in 1938, Jews in the concentration camps were identified by a yellow star sewn onto their prison uniforms, a perversion of the Jewish Star of David symbol. The Nazis required Jews to wear the yellow star not only in the camps but throughout occupied Europe. The categories of prisoners were easily identified by a marking system combining a colored inverted triangle with lettering, with some variation from camp to camp. The badges sewn onto prisoner uniforms enabled SS guards to identify the alleged grounds for incarceration.

Criminals were marked with green inverted triangles, political prisoners with red, “asocials” (including Roma --- or “gypsies,” nonconformists, vagrants and other groups) with black or --- in the case of Roma in some camps --- brown triangles. Homosexuals were identified with pink triangles and Jehovah’s Witnesses with purple triangles. Non-German prisoners were identified by the first letter of the German name for their home countries, which was sewn onto their badge. The two triangles forming the Jewish star badge would both be yellow unless the Jewish prisoner was included in one of the other prisoner categories.

As we learned through the Nazarene Fund at Mercury One, this kind of evil is not dead. But, like the many who provided shelter, resources and escape to those who were targeted in the 1930s and 1940s, these types of kind, compassionate and loving people also still exist. We must always remember and never forget.

How can history help us think about the world we live in today? During the Holocaust Days of Remembrance, many of us remind ourselves of the tragic genocide that occurred during World War II. Even today we still need to remind ourselves that all types of diversity make this world a better place. We should have hope that each of us can stand proud of how we live with no fear.

A chart of prisoner markings used in German concentration camps from 1938-1942 from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

A red triangle representing political prisoners and green representing criminals from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

German Physician, Josef Mengele, joined the Nazi party in 1937. The following year, he received his medical degree and joined the Schutzstaffel (SS). He was later drafted into the army and was assigned to the Auschwitz II concentration camp as Chief Camp Physician in 1943.

During his infamous tenure at the concentration camp, he conducted various inhumane experimental treatments and killed many Jewish prisoners. Medical staff performed “selections” of prisoners, determining from among the mass of humanity arriving at Auschwitz who would be retained for work and who would perish immediately in the gas chambers. He has been called the “Angel of Death” or sometimes “White Angel” for his coldly cruel demeanor.

During Nazi rule, parents were told that their handicapped children would be taken to homes for special treatments. Instead, they were murdered with a gradual overdose of Luminal. Since Luminal is a sedative that was often administered by people like Mengele in small doses to unruly children at the time --- there was no other way to treat epilepsy, for instance --- nurses often had no way of knowing who was administering the fatal dose. Nor could they tell whether a child was sleeping or entering into a comatose state. The more people there were involved in the killing, the less culpability any one individual felt.

At the conclusion of World War II, Mengele was held in U.S. custody. Officials quickly released him, unaware his name existed on a list of wanted war criminals. His prosperous family aided his emigration to Argentina, but after hearing a fellow Nazi was captured nearby, he fled to Brazil. In 1979, he died of a stroke while swimming in Bertioga, Brazil.

An order of Luminal from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

After World War I, President Woodrow Wilson proposed the League of Nations as a part of his Fourteen Points plan for an equitable peace in Europe. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, this "government of governments" was meant to be an international peacekeeping organization that attempted to resolve international disputes.

The President believed the League of Nations would be an effective organization and began a tour across the United States to promote America’s membership, traveling over 8,000 miles in twenty-two days.

Wilson stated, “I cannot see how it can fail to have the support of all the forward-looking Christian people.” He tried to convince the American people that the League would work.

The President was wrong.

Despite Wilson's efforts, the people of the United States rejected his proposal. The U.S. Senate found that after its formation in 1920, the League of Nations proved to be inefficient, and elected not to join. Considered to be weak and powerless, the League stopped operations in 1939.

We must do our own homework to determine if our efforts will be successful. The wisdom we gain will allow us to work effectively towards the things we believe in. Establishing a one-world government was not the answer to lasting peace then, and it isn't today. From the past, we learn that empowering individuals through Constitutional principles will make the world a better place.

Woodrow Wilson signed statement dated June 17, 1920 from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Over the past 40 years, Star Wars has become one of the top three most successful movie franchises in history and has been sewn into the very fabric of our popular culture. The first film in the franchise, entitled Star Wars, was released on May 25, 1977. In 1981, the film was subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope. Directed by George Lucas, the original trilogy generated a prequel trilogy and sequel trilogy. Star Wars quickly attained global notoriety, having been nominated for 29 Academy Awards, of which they won seven. The films were also awarded three Special Achievement Awards.

Although the Star Wars franchise brought much success to Lucasfilm, early development of the original motion picture for Lucas proved difficult. Lucas wrote a short space fantasy film summary, but was frustrated that his story was too difficult to understand. After finishing the film American Graffiti, he began writing a 13-page treatment called "The Star Wars" and expanded the treatment into a rough draft screenplay. Lucas’ screenplay was rejected by multiple Hollywood film studios, but he did not give up. In 1973, 20th Century Fox took a chance on Lucas’ out-of-the-box film idea and completed a deal to write and direct the film.

In 2012, The Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm for $4.06 billion and earned the distribution rights to all subsequent Star Wars films, beginning with the release of The Force Awakens in 2015. To date, the Star Wars saga has produced nine live-action films with more in the works. The series has spawned an extensive media franchise including books, television series, video games and comic books, resulting in significant development of the series’ fictional universe.

Pictured below is part of the third draft of the 1975 manuscript of Star Wars: A New Hope. You may notice that the scene in the manuscript was changed in the final version of the film.

Part of the third draft of the 1975 manuscript of "Star Wars: A New Hope" from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Did you know that the history of Santa Claus dates back to 1773? The name Santa Claus evolved from the Dutch nickname “Sinter Klaas,” which was a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas. Dutch families in New York used to gather in honor of the anniversary of St. Nicholas’ death on December 6th, and referred to him as “the protector of children and sailors.”

Washington Irving, the famous author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, helped popularize the Sinter Klaas stories when he referred to St. Nicholas as the patron saint of New York. As a result, American families started to center the holiday around children and gift giving. So, in the early 19th century, stores began to advertise Christmas shopping and newspapers were creating separate sections for holiday advertisements which often featured images of the newly-popular Santa Claus.

In the early 1890’s, the Salvation Army needed money to pay for the Christmas meals they provided to needy families, so they began dressing men up in Santa Claus suits and sending them into the streets of New York to collect donations. To this day, the familiar Salvation Army Santas are ringing bells on the street corners of America, spreading joy and collecting donations for the needy.

Present day Santa Claus is known for his bright red coat, full white beard, and a sack full of toys for children. This image was first started in 1822 by an Episcopal minister, Clement Clarke Moore, who wrote a Christmas poem for his three daughters named An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas. This poem unknowingly created a new and immediately popular American icon. In 1881, cartoonist Thomas Nast drew inspiration from Moore’s poem to create the first “Santa Claus” image, which depicted Santa as a cheerful man with a white beard, holding a sack full of toys for children. He also gave Santa his bright red suit with white fur, his workshop at the North Pole, and his wife, Mrs. Claus.

Image by Getty Images.

Santa Claus has since been used in ads for just about anything. The most popular and well-known company that uses Santa Claus to advertise is Coca-Cola. Coke ads have been featuring Santa since the 1920’s, and these ads helped shape the image of present-day Santa. In 1931, Coca-Cola began placing ads in popular magazines, and wanted to show a wholesome Santa who was both realistic and symbolic. From 1931 to 1964, Coca-Cola advertising showed Santa delivering toys, pausing to read a letter and enjoy a Coke, visiting with the children who stayed up to greet him, and enjoying the treats left for him by the children.

Throughout history, the physical image of Santa Claus has changed drastically, from being described in the book The History of New York by Washington Irving as a “rascal” with a blue three-cornered hat and yellow stockings, to a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a “huge pair of Flemish trunk hose.”

The modern-day Santa is known for his jolly presence, red suit, and eight reindeer who fly him all over the world to deliver presents to children. The most popular reindeer of the eight is known as “Rudolph,” and was created by Robert L. May, who created a Christmas themed story to help bring traffic into his department store. The sales trick worked; Americans loved the underdog story of Rudolph being bullied by his fellow reindeer because of his glowing red nose, and then showing how Santa needed his glowing red nose to see when the weather was foggy. Still today, Americans love rooting for Rudolph the underdog reindeer and taking their kids to get their picture with a jolly Santa Claus at their local mall.

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Did you know that the history of Santa Claus dates back to 1773? The name Santa Claus evolved from the Dutch nickname “Sinter Klaas,” which was a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas. Dutch families in New York used to gather in honor of the anniversary of St. Nicholas’ death on December 6th, and referred to him as “the protector of children and sailors.”

Washington Irving, the famous author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, helped popularize the Sinter Klaas stories when he referred to St. Nicholas as the patron saint of New York. As a result, American families started to center the holiday around children and gift giving. So, in the early 19th century, stores began to advertise Christmas shopping and newspapers were creating separate sections for holiday advertisements which often featured images of the newly-popular Santa Claus.

In the early 1890’s, the Salvation Army needed money to pay for the Christmas meals they provided to needy families, so they began dressing men up in Santa Claus suits and sending them into the streets of New York to collect donations. To this day, the familiar Salvation Army Santas are ringing bells on the street corners of America, spreading joy and collecting donations for the needy.

Present-day Santa Claus is known for his bright red coat, full white beard, and a sack full of toys for children. This image was first started in 1822 by an Episcopal minister, Clement Clarke Moore, who wrote a Christmas poem for his three daughters named An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas. This poem unknowingly created a new and immediately popular American icon. In 1881, cartoonist Thomas Nast drew inspiration from Moore’s poem to create the first “Santa Claus” image, which depicted Santa as a cheerful man with a white beard, holding a sack full of toys for children. He also gave Santa his bright red suit with white fur, his workshop at the North Pole, and his wife, Mrs. Claus.

Santa Claus has since been used in ads for just about anything. The most popular and well known company that uses Santa Claus to advertise is Coca-Cola. Coke ads have been featuring Santa since the 1920’s, and these ads helped shape the image of present-day Santa. In 1931, Coca-Cola began placing ads in popular magazines, and wanted to show a wholesome Santa who was both realistic and symbolic. From 1931 to 1964, Coca-Cola advertising showed Santa delivering toys, pausing to read a letter and enjoy a Coke, visiting with the children who stayed up to greet him, and enjoying the treats left for him by the children.

Throughout history, the physical image of Santa Claus has changed drastically, from being described in the book The History of New York by Washington Irving as a “rascal” with a blue three-cornered hat and yellow stockings, to a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a “huge pair of Flemish trunk hose.”

The modern-day Santa is known for his jolly presence, red suit, and eight reindeer who fly him all over the world to deliver presents to children. The most popular reindeer of the eight is known as “Rudolph,” and was created by Robert L. May, who created a Christmas themed story to help bring traffic into his department store. The sales trick worked; Americans loved the underdog story of Rudolph being bullied by his fellow reindeer because of his glowing red nose, and then showing how Santa needed his glowing red nose to see when the weather was foggy. Still today, Americans love rooting for Rudolph the underdog reindeer and taking their kids to get their picture with a jolly Santa Claus at their local mall.

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Born William Claude Dukenfield on January 29, 1880, W.C. Fields was juggler, well known actor and an American comedian performing on Broadway, in silent films, and variety shows. He became a juggler by thirteen. Over the years, he wrote and improvised a number of his performances and is considered one of the best comedians of his time. Despite his success he was a very sad man and lived a hard life. Fields passed away on Christmas Day in 1946 at the age of 67 at a Sanatorium from complications of alcoholism.

Fields grew up with an alcoholic and short-tempered father leading him to run away from home several times. At age twelve, after a fight with his father, Fields ran away a final time. Much later, he spent a portion of his own life estranged from his wife and son, reconciling after a series of alcohol-related illnesses.

Fields once said, “Comedy is a serious business. A serious business with only one purpose – to make people laugh.” Many of his famous quotes are laced with references to alcohol and a dark sense of humor. But there are other times when the human-centric side of Fields comes through: “If I can make them laugh and through that laughter make this old world seem just a little brighter, then I am satisfied.”

Mercury One has a W.C. joke box. It has a collection of various jokes used at different events. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

We love Thanksgiving leftovers, don’t you?!

Did you know that many of the days of Thanksgiving in our nation’s history had nothing to do with the Pilgrims, Native Americans, or a celebration of the harvest? Instead, they were days of prayer and thanksgiving for a different kind of harvest – a harvest of blessings received from God.

Check out these excerpts from George Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation made on January 1, 1795 recognizing the nation’s prosperity, internal tranquility, and the exemption from foreign wars:

Meet together

He recommends the day “to all religious societies and denominations, and to all persons whomsoever, within the United States... as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer: and on that day to meet together and render their sincere and hearty thanks to the great Ruler of nations.”

Duty to act

He then gives the people a vision of their duty “as citizens and as men... to render this country, more and more, a propitious asylum for the unfortunate of other countries --- to extend among us true and useful knowledge --- to diffuse and establish habits of sobriety, order, morality, and piety --- and, finally, to impart all blessings we possess or ask for ourselves, to the whole family of mankind.”

As we begin the Christmas and holiday season, how can we use these “Thanksgiving leftovers” to help us to impart of the blessings we possess “to the whole family of mankind?”

George Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

What do “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and our national Thanksgiving holiday have in common?

Answer: Sarah Josepha Hale.

Who was she and what is the connection?

In addition to authoring one of the most famous children’s poems of all time --- “Mary Had a Little Lamb” --- Hale was arguably the most persistent advocate for a national day of Thanksgiving. She proposed the last day of November as a day for the nation to observe and acknowledge God as the dispenser of blessings and to emphasize unity in our nation, which had become sorely divided during her lifetime.

How did her advocacy lead to a national Thanksgiving holiday?

Hale petitioned five presidents, governors and many others over a 17-year period that included the years leading up to and during the Civil War. Instead of abandoning the cause when national strife was at its peak, she continued her pursuit and petitioned Abraham Lincoln about the matter in a letter dated September 28, 1863.

Sarah Joseph Hale's petition for a national day of Thanksgiving from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Five days later, President Abraham Lincoln issued a Proclamation of Thanksgiving on October 3, 1863, with the purpose to “set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer to our beneficent Father, who dwelleth in the heavens...” and to “fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

President Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation of Thanksgiving from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

While perusing the original 1974 script for the classic film, The Princess Bride (stored in the Mercury One artifact vault), Glenn's daughter, Mary, noticed something was missing. The script neither began nor ended with the words “as you wish.”

Inconceivable! Right?!

Without that phrase, the movie masterpiece might just have been another addition to a long line of adventures with “fencing, fighting, torture, poison, true love, hate, revenge, giants, hunters, bad men, good men, beautifullest ladies, snakes, spiders, beasts, chases, escapes, lies, truths, passion and miracles.”

Instead, that little phrase tied The Princess Bride together in a way that served as a catalyst for miracles in the lives of not only Wesley and his beloved Buttercup, but also that of the grandfather and grandson.

Why? Because it meant “I love you.”

In both cases, the word “love” was spelled T-I-M-E and was coupled with selfless service. Is there any other “miracle pill” with or without a “chocolate coating to make it go down easier” that more effectively facilitates learning, trust and understanding?

Mary, who works with the Mercury One team, shared her thoughts in her own words:

In the 1987 film, The Princess Bride, a child’s grandfather comes to read a story. In the beginning, the grandson has no interest in listening to the book. But he began to listen. Over time, he loved reading it with his grandfather although he does not want to show it. In the end of the film, the grandson says, “Grandpa, maybe you could come over and read it again to me tomorrow.” The grandfather replies, “as you wish,” which, in The Princess Bride, this phase means “I love you.”

We realize that we do not know many people in the millennial generation that want to spend time with their grandparents, let alone their very own parents. Yet, in these times, we must gather together with all generations. We must sit down and listen to each other. We know that sometimes it could start uncomfortably, but over time, it can become the greatest memories. The best part about it is either way you can sit down together as long "as you wish."

The 1974 first draft of 'The Princess Bride' from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

"Create your own visual style . . . let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others." --- Orson Welles

Orson Welles is remembered in the entertainment industry for his innovative work in theater, radio and film throughout the 1930s and 1940s. His Broadway variation of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar brought him recognition in the world of theater. He is perhaps best known for his legendary adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel, The War of the Worlds, performed on his radio anthology series, The Mercury Theatre on the Air. The infamous broadcast caused widespread panic when listeners thought the world was under attack from extraterrestrial beings.

Although he directed 13 full-length films during his career, his first film, Citizen Kane is consistently ranked one of the all-time greatest films. Welles was an outsider to the studio system and struggled for creative control on most of his projects. Nevertheless, he persevered and followed up Citizen Kane with critically acclaimed films including The Magnificent Ambersons and Touch of Evil. Historical retrospectives call him the second most acclaimed director of all time, behind Alfred Hitchcock.

Later in his career, Welles found himself in great demand on television talk shows. He made regular appearances for Dick Cavett, Johnny Carson, Dean Martin and Merv Griffin. On October 9, 1985, he recorded his final interview on the TV program, The Merv Griffin Show, and died the following morning of a heart attack.

Welles lived an incredible life and was able to create amazing entertainment in multiple types of media.

The camera Orson Welles used personally for several projects, from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Two years ago today, at Restoring Unity in Birmingham, The Nazarene Fund was born to help rescue Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East. The gifts you provided, both large and small, resulted in miracles for those seeking refuge from the horrors of war and genocide.

Glenn Beck at Restoring Unity in Birmingham, AL, August 28, 2015.

Since Restoring Unity in Birmingham, this is what your gifts to The Nazarene Fund have accomplished:

• Delivered Emergency Humanitarian Aid to over 35,000 people in the Middle East

• Cleared 4 refugee camps and moved 5,462 people into homes located in safe areas

• Evacuated 7,602 refugees --- who can never go home --- to safe harbors in 6 countries

• Sponsored the rescue and recovery of 61 mothers and children held as slaves by ISIS

Additionally, dozens of partners on six continents helped set right the injustices leveled on so many innocents. These partners are servants to the causes of justice, compassion and the rendering of aid. This is a celebration of them, too.

From everyone at Mercury One, we want to say “thank you” for believing that together we could do what seemed impossible.

We also want to thank you on behalf of the 50,000 Christians and other persecuted religious minorities you have directly assisted in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and wherever the ISIS war has caused destruction, displacement and damage to the human spirit.

In 2016 and 2017, The Nazarene Fund has focused on the task at hand, placing all efforts on the mission to rescue, rebuild and restore people’s lives. Soon we will start a new chapter. And although much has been done, the work has just begun. Once again we ask for you to stand with us. To help us look evil in the eye and say, “No. You will not win today.”

Help us celebrate life. Help us celebrate hope. Help us celebrate The Nazarene Fund by donating at www.TheNazareneFund.org.

Born on January 15th, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. was the iconic social activist who played a key role in the American Civil Rights movement, up until his assassination in 1968. Inspired by advocates such as Mahatma Gandhi, King paved the way for nonviolent, peaceful protests during a time of unrest and violent retaliation. King faced criticism from clergy leaders in Birmingham, Alabama because they saw him as an outsider and an agitator, and when King did not refrain from his peaceful protests in Birmingham, he was arrested for civil disobedience. While in jail, he wrote a letter explaining why “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Letter From a Birmingham Jail became one of the most important texts of the Civil Rights Movement.

RELATED: The Iconic Life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Watch)

Martin Luther King, Jr. was the driving force behind events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, which helped bring about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

During the March on Washington on August 28, 1963, King delivered one of his most memorable contributions to the Civil Rights Movement --- his inconic I Have a Dream speech, drawing a crowd of around 250,000 to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. He shed light on the injustices African-Americans faced across the country.

RELATED: Expert Explains What Made ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech One of the Greatest in History

In 1983, members of Congress, as well as President Ronald Reagan, signed a bill creating a U.S. federal holiday in honor of King which is observed on the third Monday of January.

Today, King is remembered for his perseverance through the hardships he had to face to bring about such landmark legislation. We can keep King’s actions alive by mirroring his perseverance for what we believe is right, and by keeping our righteous principles intact.

**Please note that the image featured here is a replica. It is non-copyright and it is owned by the government. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid, education and restore the human spirit. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Less than two months before her death, Mother Teresa composed a thoughtful reply to a request for her autograph. In it she states, “More important than autograph is what we do for Jesus and through Him for others.”

She invites the man who made the request to “look around and see --- there are so many in the world who are lonely, unwanted, who have no one to call their own --- may be in our own home” and ultimately encourages him to “be the sunshine of God’s love to your own --- for this is where our love for each other must start.”

Letter from Mother Teresa displayed with her photo from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One

What are some lessons we can learn and apply from examining this piece of history?

Why do you think she said it is “easy to love the people far away” and “easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home?” Could it be that we each have a responsibility to love “our own” portion of humanity?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Closeup of Mother Teresa's letter from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Hurricane Harvey is expected to make landfall on the Texas coast as a Category 3 storm late Friday night or early Saturday morning. It has been 18 years since the Texas coast has seen a hurricane of this magnitude. Harvey will be the worst hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Katrina 12 years ago in 2005.

There will be a major effect for 100 miles inland as the storm comes in. Up to three feet of rainfall is expected in some areas and 125 MPH winds lasting for 48 hours. Storm surges are expected to be at least 12 feet, with waves cresting at 20 feet. The effects of this storm are already being felt --- in supply shortages, long waits at the gas station, and a Friday afternoon tornado warning for Central Galveston County which has now expired, but there could be more.

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The National Guard is already on site. In a phone call with Texas Governor Abbott, President Trump has pledged support for Texas ahead of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall. Seven counties are under mandatory evacuation and 30 counties along the coast are under volunteer evacuation. At the time of publication, Hurricane Harvey will most likely stall along the Texas coast, causing massive amounts of flooding with damage expected to exceed $22 billion.

The bread section of a Kroger store is empty as people prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas. (Photo Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Mercury One has been in contact with its disaster relief partners. Each partner has been in constant communications with Homeland Security, the Office of Emergency Management, and the Texas chapter of the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TXVOAD). They have been preparing to respond for the last several days and are deploying to the region ASAP with water, blankets, food, supplies and volunteers.

If you would like to assist with the disaster recovery effort in Texas, please visit Mercury One for a full list of our disaster relief partners, as well as immediate and forthcoming needs on the ground in Texas.

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We wish everyone in the path of this storm safety.

The film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs took four years of grueling production work before it was complete. It premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on December 21, 1937 and was later released nationwide on February 4, 1938. Based on a German fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm, Snow White was the first full-length animated film created by Walt Disney and has become one of the most successful animated films in history.

At the 10th Academy Awards in 1938, the film was nominated for Best Musical Score and the following year Walt Disney was awarded an honorary Oscar. Renowned filmmakers such as Sergei Eisenstein and Charlie Chaplin praised Snow White as a notable achievement in cinema.

The character Snow White demonstrated many firsts, including the first Disney princess and first fictional female character with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Originally voiced by American actress Adriana Caselotti, Snow White has been portrayed by various prominent singers since. Snow White was also the first film with an official soundtrack with music composed by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey. Before Snow White, a film soundtrack recording was unheard of and had little value to a movie studio.

Walt Disney always wanted to make a full-length animated film and once stated, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

This film is a great example of a man’s dream coming true. He believed “all our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” This showed us that if we dream and work hard towards the goal, it can be accomplished.

The Mercury One Museum is fortunate to have ownership of original drafts of the script and story outline for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Photographed below is a portion of one of the original manuscripts.

The tentative script and story outline for the third draft of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

This weekend at a G-20 Summit session in Hamburg, Germany, President Trump had daughter Ivanka sit in for him while he attended another meeting. Typically cabinet members take this role, but the session concerned one of Ivanka Trump's projects, the World Bank finance initiative for women entrepreneurs.

After receiving criticism for allowing his daughter to take his place among several world leaders, President Trump tweeted:

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Followed by:

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

German Chancellor Angela Merkel did, in fact, defend both the president and Ivanka with the following statement:

"The delegations themselves decide, should the president not be present for a meeting, who will then take over and sit in the chair. Ivanka Trump was part and parcel of the American delegation, so that is something that other delegations also do. It’s very well known that she works at the White House and is also engaged in certain initiatives.”

A White House official also stated:

“Ivanka was sitting in the back and then briefly joined the main table when the president had to step out.”

What do you think? Was it appropriate for Ivanka to sit in? Take the poll.

Iva Ikuko Toguri D’Aquino, who was born in Los Angeles, CA on July 4, 1916, was a very proud American citizen with family and ancestral roots in Japan. Shortly before World War II broke out, she traveled to Japan to care for an ill family member and possibly even study medicine. For her visit, she was not issued a passport, but a Certificate of Identification. In September, she applied for one with the U.S. Vice Consul in Japan. However, her request was not been processed in time, as the attack on Pearl Harbor happened in early December of that year. She was stranded in Japan.

Pressured by the Japanese central government to renounce her United States citizenship, D’Aquino refused and was declared an enemy alien. In November 1943, Allied prisoners of war forced to broadcast propaganda selected D’Aquino to host portions of the one-hour radio show, The Zero Hour. She was assured by her producer, who was an Australian Army officer and a fellow POW, that they would not write scripts having her say anything against the U.S. She hosted a total of 340 broadcasts on the radio show.

Though earning only 150 yen, or about $7 a month, she used some of her earnings to feed POWs. Throughout the war, she used her position on The Zero Hour to help Allied troops in the South Pacific. In fact, D’Aquino gave as much information about the Axis’ (Japanese forces who fought against the U.S.) plans to the Allies as she knew. She referred to herself as “Orphan Annie,” but was unfortunately later known as “Tokyo Rose,” a name Allied soldiers gave to female propagandists on Japanese radio stations.

After the Japanese defeat, D’Aquino was detained by U.S. military before being released a year later when the FBI could not find any evidence that she aided the Japanese Axis forces. When D’Aquino tried returning to the U.S. in 1948, the FBI renewed the investigation and she was arrested for “adhering to and giving aid and comfort to, the Imperial Government of Japan during WWII.” She was tried for eight counts of treason in 1949. D’Aquino was found guilty on a single count but served only six years of her 10-year sentence.

After investigative journalists found that key witnesses claimed they were forced to lie during testimony, President Gerald Ford pardoned D’Aquino of treason in 1977 at the end of his presidency. In 2006, she was awarded the annual Edward J. Herlihy Citizenship Award for “her indomitable spirit, love of country, and the example of courage she has given her fellow Americans.”

D’Aquino is a great example of showing bravery for your country and she proved that just one person could change the world. This should give us hope that each of us can make a positive impact. As renowned Scottish poet Robert Louis Stevenson said, “keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.”

Tokyo Rose’s microphone used during WWII from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Even when the odds are against you, victory is possible.

Need proof? Look no further than the famous Battle at Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights during the Seige of Boston at the opening of the Revolutionary War (April 1775-March 1776). After suffering defeat at Bunker Hill, George Washington’s men continued to fight and a year later fortified Dorchester Heights. Realizing Boston was indefensible to the American positions, the British evacuated the town and the siege came to an end.

In 1846, Reverend E.B. Hillard documented the lives of six remaining Revolutionary War veterans in the world’s first photo-interviews captured in the book entitled, The Last Men of the Revolution. The veterans were all over 100 years old when their oral histories were recorded.

Hillard stated, “The present is the last generation that will be connected by living link with the great period in which our national independence was archived. Our own are the last eyes that will look on men who looked on Washington; our ears the last that will hear the living voices of those who heard his words.”

The veterans Hillard interviewed included:

• Adam Link, who fought in the Frontier Service for five years
• Lemuel Cook, the eldest living survivor of the war at the age of 105
• Alexander Milliner, a drummer boy in George Washington’s Life Guard
• Daniel Waldo, who was named Chaplain of the House of Representatives at 95 years old
• William Hutchings, who was taken prisoner by the British after the Siege of Castine
• Samuel Downing, who claimed to be a body guard for George Washington

The book offers a wonderful glimpse into the lives of those who fought for and defined the beginning days of this great nation.

'The Last Men of the Revolution' from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Zachary Taylor knew from a young age that he wanted a military career and very soon after his enlistment, he realized his dream would come true. For the next four decades, he earned the recognition of a national hero in the United States Army. An effective leader, he earned the nickname “Old Rough and Ready” for his willingness to get his boots dirty alongside his men even as a military commander.

In 1845, Taylor gained notoriety as an “Indian fighter” in the nation’s battle with Native Americans in present-day Wisconsin, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida and Texas. Although he fought Native Americans, he also wanted to protect their lands from white settlers and believed a strong military presence was the solution to coexistence.

During the Mexican War, he won major victories at Monterrey and Buena Vista, and by early 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war. By this time, Taylor had emerged in Whig circles as a leading candidate for president, although he identified himself as more of an independent or nationalist.

Taylor declared his candidacy just six weeks before the national convention and won the Whig nomination despite the party’s opposition to the Mexican War. The Northerners protested Taylor, who was a slaveholder. Lewis Cass, the Democratic candidate, was an advocate of “squatter sovereignty,” so they formed a Free Soil Party and nominated Martin Van Buren. In a close election, the Free Soilers pulled enough votes away from Cass to elect Taylor. He was elected the 12th President of the United States, serving from March 1849 until his untimely death in July 1850.

The major challenge facing Taylor as he took office was the sectional debate over slavery and its expansion into the country’s new western territories, but he wanted to hold the United States together despite the conflict. At times, Taylor acted as though he was above politics and tried to run his administration in the same rule-of-thumb fashion he'd used while fighting the Native Americans.

Though history has viewed him more harshly for his passivity in the face of growing sectional tensions, Taylor was a popular president. After his unexpected death, an estimated 100,000 mourners lined his funeral route in Washington, D.C.

Zachary Taylor’s glasses from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

A very special item was presented to Mercury One during a visit to Iraq.

Although this item is not of our typical “historical” pieces, it now resides in our museum --- along with our American Flags from D-Day and letters from former Presidents. We truly believe that the work our donors are allowing us to do through the Nazarene Fund is history in the making.

Presented to us by General Tarik Hareny of the Peshmerga on the frontlines of war with ISIS in Iraq, this piece was made by the daughter of a Peshmerga soldier who was killed last summer during the Battle of Telskof. The same Battle that U.S. Navy SEAL Charles Keating was killed.

We are so humbled and honored to have been bestowed this piece, and hope this story touches you as much as it did us.

Woven American flag from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

A 48-star American ensign was flown on the USS LST-493.

The USS LST-493 was a ship-to-shore transport ship, that delivered supplies to troops on Gold Beach during the D-Day Offensive at Normandy. Making her first landing in the early afternoon of June 7th, she then turned around to go back to England to begin what would be nine months of cargo runs to various beachheads in France to support Allied forces.

“When I first saw this flag I was overwhelmed with the struggle and the power of the human spirit. While the human experience is itself exceptional, those who deny the will to endure and the willingness free mankind from those who wish to control and oppress miss what makes the average American truly exceptional throughout the world,” Glenn said.

The flag remains a poignant American symbol of the spirit of freedom, hope and personal sacrifice --- the American ideals that ended the tyranny of the Axis Powers. During the Normandy Invasion, the practice of going ashore with a national flag was forbidden so only naval flags such as this one exist to tell the tale of the Battle.

This precious artifact is part of Mercury One’s collection and is displayed at events around the country.

48-star American ensign from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here . Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

The very large and very heavy Bible (approximately 2' long and 1.5' wide) on the left side of the image below is referred to as the “Vinegar Bible.” This version of the Bible was printed in 1717 by John Baskett, “Printer to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty,” and it is truly beautiful to behold. It is replete with beautiful engravings from recognized artists of the day that depict biblical scenes on thick parchment-like paper.

However, when one begins to study the text, it seems that Baskett paid more attention to the opulent beauty of the Bible than to the accuracy of the text, as it is peppered with errors. In fact, Baskett’s contemporaries called it a “Baskett-ful of errors.” The most infamous error is found at the top of the page of Luke 20 and reads “The parable of the vinegar” instead of “The parable of the vineyard.” Oops...

What can we learn from this piece of history?

Do we, like Baskett, sometimes focus more on form than substance in our lives?

How are you using your Bible? Is it a showpiece? A status symbol? A source of truth? A paperweight? An instruction book for happiness in life? A way to hear God’s voice?

Collection of Bibles. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.

Support Mercury One and their initiatives to provide humanitarian aid and education and to restore the human spirit by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.