Another Lesson on Obedience

Washington - Precious Penknife

"An obedient man shall speak of victory." Proverbs, 21:28.

One of the most picturesque spots in the country is Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. On my way there several years ago I stop­ped at Alexandria, Virginia, to review some of the revered relics of the Father of our Country. Among them is a little penknife with this inspiring story.

As every school boy knows, Washington was born at Wakefield, West­moreland County, Virginia. While he was still a tiny child, the parental home burned down, and his father moved the family to a plantation near Fredericksburg. To this city now and then came ships with foreign goods, which they exchanged for the raw materials of Virginia. What boy would not be enchanted with dreams of distant ports brought nearer by these boats? Washington's facination was fed by the fact that his half brother, Lawrence, sailed with the English navy. The salt of the sea ran strong in his blood. He, too. wanted to be a sailor.

He persuaded his brother, Captain Washington, to secure him a com­mission in the British fleet. The occasion was a visit to his brother's beautiful home, Mount Vernon. Lawrence felt it would be good training for his younger brother, and made the necessary arrangements. George hurried home to bid good-bye to his mother.

He was due for a disappointment. To his request for her permission his mother replied:

"For one thing, my son, you are too young to leave home. Another thing, I do not want you to enter the navy. The life is rough and unsuited to a boy of fourteen."

Trained in obedience from infancy, George saw nothing to do but sub­mit to the desire of his mother, and give up his ambition of sailing the seven seas. Mother Washington appreciated his deference to her desires, and expressed her pleasure by giving George a white-handled knife. With the knife she offered him some admirable advice:

"Always obey your superiors."

The fourteen-year-old future president kept that precious penknife with him until his death-fifty years later. From year to year it meant more to him as the following incident bears witness.

Many moons later Washington was chosen commander-in-chief of the patriots of the Revolution. His mother's gift was always with him. He once showed the knife to his chief of staff, General Henry Knox, telling the story of how he received it, and repeating his mother's words: "Always obey your superiors."

Soon came Valley Forge and the terrible winter of 1777-1778. Days of suffer­ing followed. Clothing, bread, meat, and blankets were scarce and often wanting. Tattered, famished, freezing and feeble, his suffering followers were losing faith in their leader. Washington felt that Congress was fail­ing to back them up with food and supplies.

Sympathy for his men almost drove him to despair. The strain was more than he could stand. He would hand over the sword to another. He penned his resignation to Congress. He summoned his officers to tell them his decision. Present was General Knox, chief of staff. The precious penknife lay upon the written resignation. Thoughtfully Knox picked it up. Silently he handed it to Washington. After a moment Knox broke the silence by telling the story of the little knife. Then he asked Washington:
"Who elected you leader of the American Army?"

"Why, the Congress did," replied Washington.

"Have you had any orders to leave your post?"

"No," answered Washington.

The point was clear; the penknife clinched it. He was sworn to obey the orders of Congress. Obey he would. A burst of flame in the fireplace was the last anyone saw of that resignation.

One shudders to picture early American history - without that pen­knife. Had Washington disregarded his mother's wish, had he resigned, had he walked out on the Revolution, what might have happened to the infant America? Truly precious was that penknife.

Its value has increased with the years. It points a lesson most necessary right now - obedience to the laws of God and the laws of our country.

"Always obey your superiors," is a patriotic lesson; it is a religious lesson.

Our celebration of the birthday of Washington, February 22, must place in prominence everything for which that penknife stood.

We need all the lessons of Washington's life. We need the respect he had for his mother. We need his courtesy and patience. We need his spirit of work, his desire for improvement, his temperance, his humility, his bravery. More than all else we need his religious heart, his spiritual ideals. Religion and morality are still what he called them, "the pillars of America." We need his Valley Forge spirit of prayer, his grateful affection for his Catholic friends and compatriots, his unbiased, unembarrassed appreciation of the help of the Catholic Church here and abroad.

Beside his hatchet place his penknife, precious relics both. Truth­ - may you love it ever. Loyalty and obedience - may we give them ever. Amen.
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Adapted from Occasional Talks
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (© 1949)