MTC Tour Day 11: Better Than Carnegie Hall!

How do you top Carnegie Hall?  How about spending Independence Day at WEST POINT??!!!  That’s right!  We sang in a concert at the United States Military Academy at West Point.  We performed with the West Point Army Band.

Today’s event was a closely guarded secret.  Even the Choir and Orchestra didn’t know where we were going until we got on the busses this morning.  The reason for the cloak-and-dagger confidentiality was that the outdoor venue known as Trophy Point can’t accommodate a very large audience, even though the event was open to the public.  The Army didn’t want to let the public know that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir would be performing as it might have drawn a massive crowd.

As it was, our performance was a wonderful surprise treat for the audience and the Army cadets.  And it was an unexpected treat for us as well.  We were privileged to hear some wonderful performances from military musicians.

And the fireworks were spectacular!

I especially enjoyed touring the memorials of that historic location.  At Trophy Point, we saw many cannons that were captured in various wars, from the Revolutionary War to the Spanish-American war.  Confederate cannons from the Civil War were buried barrel-down, symbolically representing that they would never again be fired against the United States.

We heard the story of Benedict Arnold’s treachery when he plotted to deliver West Point to the British.  Although nothing remains of the original fortress, we got to see and handle part of the massive chain that was stretched across the Hudson River to deny passage to the English Navy.

Today, West Point United States Military Academy represents the polar opposite of Benedict Arnold’s treason: honor and service.  What a wonderful way to spend the 4th!

I love this country.  More importantly, I love what she represents: freedom, honor, and the God-given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  I pray God that we will return and embrace and defend the principles of our Heaven-inspired Constitution.

America is unique among the nations of the world.  Our might comes not from our Army, but from our God.  Our freedom and rights come not from our government or our president, our congress, or our courts.  They come from God.

We must return to Him if we wish to truly be free.