The Book for the Nation and the Times (1864) was published anonymously in the midst of the War Between the States. Its author, like many Presbyterians of his day across denominational lines, took issue with the fact that the U.S. Constitution did not acknowledge God or the authority of Jesus Christ over the nation. The Book called upon all Americans to look to God, and scorned the idea that God and religion should be kept out of politics, in light of the fact that God is Lord of all spheres of life. (He qualified that idea by stating that "all state matters ought to be leavened with religion, but religion ought never to be leavened with politics.") Interestingly, this book was published the same year that the National Reform Association was founded, an organization devoted to securing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ over the nation.
This book, however, was not published under the auspices of the National Reform Association. The author was George Morton (1807–1893), a Presbyterian minister who had around 1850 been engaged in a conflict in the press over the issue of exclusive psalmody (Morton argued against the teaching). He was born in Derry, Ireland; and after arriving in America he studied at Oakland College in Mississippi and Western Theological Seminary near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a minister of the gospel he served various pastorates in Pennsylvania, and as an author he published four books over four decades.
The Book for the Nation and the Times is a powerful call to repent as a nation for "the sin of slavery," but most of all to return as a nation to the God who rules over all the nations. Until we do so, Morton says, "the Almighty ruler of nations hath a controversy with us." It is not sufficient to be a nation populated by Christians who nevertheless fail to acknowledge in our national charter that we are a Christian people who aim to serve the Lord. He is not content with the official proclamation of mere words, however, and calls his fellow citizens to search their hearts and amend their ways in all their doings.
"We have sinned in the adoption of our Constitution — we sin in appointing our rulers — in the enactment of our laws — in our judicial decisions — and also in the executing of our laws. But the primary and radical sin, is no doubt, found in our Constitution; and lays a foundation for the easy and ready commission of all the others." Just as "national calamities are the punishment of national sins,...national repentance and reformation are sure to be met by the returning favor of the Lord." He argues that that nation is blessed whose people belong to the Lord (Ps. 33:12).
The Book will sound foreign to many modern Americans but, although slavery has long since been outlawed, the Constitution has not been amended as our author wished. The times have changed, but the underlying principles of which he speaks — if he is correct and God does still deal with nations as nations — must endure. It is a book worth prayerfully reading in these interesting times too.