The unthinkable happened on this day in 1814 and one lady depicts herself as quite the heroine and patriot. Several other versions of the day’s events are told differently, calling into question our heroine’s tale. However, though the years, her story has stuck and the others are merely whispers challenging the veracity of her story. It’s the tale of First Lady Dolley Madison and a portrait of the first president, George Washington.
The War of 1812 lasted from June 18, 1812, to February 17, 1815. “President James Madison left the White House on August 22 to meet with his generals on the battlefield, as British troops threatened to enter the capitol. Before leaving, he asked his wife Dolley if she had the “courage or firmness” to wait for his intended return the next day. He asked her to gather important state papers and be prepared to abandon the White House at any moment.
“The next day, Dolley and a few servants scanned the horizon with spyglasses waiting for either Madison or the British army to show up. As British troops gathered in the distance, Dolley says in later correspondence, she decided to abandon the couple’s personal belongings and save the full-length portrait of former president and national icon George Washington from desecration by vengeful British soldiers, many of whom would have rejoiced in humiliating England’s former colonists. Different accounts tell different stories.
“In a letter dated August 23, Dolley wrote to her sister that a friend who came to help her escape was exasperated at her insistence on saving the portrait. Historians speculate on whether Madison [wrote that letter well after the fact](http://historians believe that the formal tone of this particular letter suggests that Dolley rewrote its content in the years after the war knowing that it would be published and serve as an historical account.) to amplify her role in saving the painting, and a book by White House servant Paul Jennings, who was there at the time, contradicts her account. It is likely she ordered the painting removed, but did not have time to supervise it herself. (Jennings relates that she left only with what silver she could carry.) Dolley left the White House and found her husband at their predetermined meeting place in the middle of a thunderstorm.”1
Perhaps Dolley had an inflated opinion of her own valor and importance in the situation. Only God knows what really happened that day. But it did make me think about something. If someone was coming to loot and burn your house and you only had moments to escape, what would you save and take with you?
I would hope that first on our list is our family. For me, the next thing I want is my Bible. Next, I want my computer and cellphone. Also on the list is my billfold. Keys would seem to be a smart thing to grab. If time would allow, maybe gather important papers and documents, although insurance agents, financial advisors, and lawyers would have copies. What additional things would you add to the list?
The questions I’m posing have gotten my wheels turning. Wouldn’t it make sense to
always have a “Disaster Bag” ready that would have most of these items already together along with a change of clothes and shoes? A lot of logistics needs to be worked out for this, but it sure makes sense.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 says, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. (14) If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
This is a sad concept to consider. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, there will be those believers who didn’t have anything worth saving other than themselves. Their accumulated works didn’t pass God’s test and were destroyed. They escaped only with their lives because their salvation was purchased by the blood of Jesus. Not even the smallest thing could be salvaged and offered as praise and worship to God.
D.L. Moody once said that converts ought to be weighed as well as counted. David Guzik writes in the Enduring Word Commentary, “It is a sobering thought: many, many people who believe they are serving God, but are doing it in an unworthy manner or with unworthy “materials” will come to find in eternity that they have, in reality, done nothing for the Lord. Some will be saved, but with a life that was wasted, and receive no crown to give to Jesus, for His glory.”
Hopefully, as we come to church today, we’ve come desiring to worship the Lord. There is a day coming, though, where our worship will far exceed anything we could have given this side of eternity. Those crowns are merely tokens of worship to be cast at the feet of Jesus. Imagine not having anything to give!
Revelation 4:4, 10-11 says, “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold… (10) The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (11) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/august-24/dolley-madison-saves-portrait-from-british
Images are taken from https://pixabay.com/, https://www.pexels.com/, or https://unsplash.com/images or created in Windows Copilot. According to the websites, they are Royalty Free and free to be used for our purposes.
