American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 41
ARC Prayer Meeting
Psalm 35 in some ways can be considered America’s Psalm. It played an important role in preparing our Founding Fathers and our nation for the War of Independence. The makeshift Congress was gathering to consider the cost of breaking ties with England to become a separate and independent nation in the earth. They thought it prudent to have a minister of the Gospel come to offer a prayer in that regard. At first, there were some objections. It was not based upon seeking the Lord in prayer, but what denominational clergyman would be acceptable to the men gathered.
Samuel Adams, considered the Father of the American Revolution, put those objections to rest. He stated that He was no bigot, and could hear a prayer from a gentleman of piety and virtue, who was at the same time a friend to his country. They ended up inviting Reverend Duche an Episcopal clergyman.
Duche showed up with formally written prayers, read Psalms 35, and then broke out in a spontaneous prayer, which was rare in those days. The impact was enormous. John Adams, our second president, wrote his wife Abagail an account on what transpired as our Founding Fathers were led in prayer.
He wrote, “I never saw a greater effect upon an audience. It seemed as if Heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read on that morning. After this Mr. Duche, unexpected to everybody, struck out into an extemporary prayer, which filled the bosom of every man present. I must confess I never heard a better prayer or one, so well pronounced.”
After the war was won and our Founding Fathers were struggling with replacing the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution, once again prayer played an important role. There was bickering going on between the colonies. Agreement on particulars could not be found. Some colonies were boycotting the Constitutional Convention altogether. In the midst of the chaos and contentions, the elder statesmen in the room, Benjamin Franklin, offered this sound advice:
I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.
I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.
That was wise, sage advice that needs to be heeded today.
