Ballard, “The Washington Hypothesis” (reviewed by Catherine C. Peterson)

Review
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Title: The Washington Hypothesis
Author: Timothy Ballard
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Genre: History, United States
Year Published: 2016
Number of Pages: 255
Binding: Hardbound
ISBN: 9781629721781
Price: $22.99
Reviewed by Catherine C. Peterson for the Association of Mormon Letters

Timothy Ballard, a former Central Intelligence Agency operative, puts his investigative skills to work in writing his book, “The Washington Hypothesis.”

After noticing the unique symbols in the stained glass windows adorning his boyhood LDS church, Ballard began a search to link their meanings with similar American symbols. He visited historical Revolutionary War sites and found proof of George Washington’s mission to establish a free country where “the hand of Providence” prepared the nation to usher in the Restoration, and ultimately prepare the setting for temple building. He posits that Washington understood the importance of establishing a righteous nation through personal revelation and as foretold in the scriptures.

Ballard uses primary sources and historical records to show numerous ways how George Washington was protected from danger, how the rag-tag continental soldiers were victorious against the most powerful military of the era, and how the scriptures were being fulfilled by the events of those years. George Washington is compared to Moses, bringing our nation out of captivity into freedom and the covenant of a promised land. Other revolutionary patriots mentioned in the book, Alexander Hamilton, John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin and others, are included to show how many true-hearted people worked together to give birth to our nation, under heavenly guidance.

Ballard enumerates several battles under the leadership of General Washington where the odds were strongly skewed against the revolutionary soldiers. Propitious fog, winds, cold, mud or rains hedged up the way of the British and gave the victory to the patriots. General Washington was well aware that the United States had a particular destiny to be the beacon of freedom to the world, and that it had a covenant relationship with God. Several examples are cited that demonstrate that Washington knew that a righteous populace would bring the blessings needed to thwart the old world ways of subjugation and control.

The author shares several instances where Washington repeatedly admonished his troops to refrain from vices and to pray. As an example, after the victory at Dorchester Heights he sent out the following order: “Thursday…being set apart …by this province as a day of fasting, prayer and humiliation, to implore the Lord, and Giver of all victory, to pardon our manifold sins and wickedness’s, and that it would please him to bless the Continental Arms with his divine favour and protect, – All Officers, and soldiers, are strictly enjoined to pay all due reverence, and attention on that day, to the sacred duties due to the Lord of hosts, for his mercies already received, and for those blessings, which our Holiness and Uprightness of life can alone encourage us to hope through his mercy to obtain.” Ballard uses these calls to reverence to indicate that George Washington understood the covenant wherein the Lord blesses his children with prosperity when they are righteous.

In our time the history of the United States has been secularized to the point that God has been removed from textbooks, schools and university curricula. After reading the citations, research and assertions made by Ballard, I see that the Washington Hypothesis is backed by persuasive evidence. It also makes it more apparent to me that we have become an ungrateful nation, indifferent to the source of the blessings we enjoy here.

You probably won’t ever see a PBS special about the material found in this book, but it would be a great story. Enthralling. Dramatic. Amazing. Miraculous. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the backstory and lead-up to the creation of our Constitution, and the Restoration.