The Sentinel=record., 1914-10-04
NATION ID KNEEL
 IN PRAYER TODAY
GENERAL SUPPLlcATlON FOR THE RESTORATION OF PEACE OF
 WARMING EUROPE
The Few Instances In Past History When It Was Thought Necessary to Have Day Set Aside for Prayer

Washington, October 3.-With all
 the nation kneeling in prayer tomor-
 row for the end of war in Europe. the epochs in American history were
 recalled when the President had pro- claimed day of general supplication for divine intervention to preserve or
 restore peace. Between 179S and 1881, seven such proclamations were made:
 179S-President John Adams named
 May as a national day of prayer be-
 cause France threatened to make war upon the United States.
 1S15-President James Madison proclaimed January 12 as a day of prayer when trouble was brewing be- tween the American republic and Al
 giers.
 1S61-President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in Sep
 tember for national prayer for the restoration of peace between the North and South.
 1S63-President Lincoln called for
 second day of prayer-April 30- recommending that the people keep the day in all humility and with all religious solemnity to the end that
 the united prayer of the nation may ascend to the throne of grace and bring down bountiful blessings upon our own country"
 ( l,n fpH 14fr n a
 war between the States a general day of prayer was proclaimed. That was
 August lst, 1864. Lincoln wrote: 'In
 sincerity and truth let us rest humbly
 in the hope, authorized by the Divine
 teachings, that the united cry of the nation will be heard on high and an swered with blessings no less than the pardon of our national sins and
 the restoration of our divided and suf-
 fering country to it's former happy condition of unity and peace"
 1865 - President Johnson pre-
 claimed June 1 day of prayer in commemoration of President Lincoln who died on April IS, the victim of Booths bullet.
 1SSl-President Arthur designated September 26 for general prayer to mark the burial of President Garfield , who had died September 19 from an assassins attack.
 President Wilson's call for a day of supplication was issued September s. It was the first time in American his tory that the people had been urged
 to pray for the restoration of peace in foreign lands. He requested that "all God-fearing persons repair to their places of worship, there to unite their petitions to Almighty God that, over ruling the counsel of men, setting straight the things they cannot go- yern .or alter, taking pity on the na- tions now in the throes of conflict, in His mercy and goodness showing a
 way where men can see none, He vouchsafe His children healing peace again, and restore once more that concord among men and nations, without which there can be neither 1 HdDDiuto0 HUI u ut II iNlANSAAlP AiCA any wholesome fruit of toll or thought
 in the world"
 While Adams was the first presi-
 dent to proclaim prayer days, yet the people of the New England colonies
 initiated periods of general prayer
 early in their history. As far back as | 1921 Governor Bradford called upon
 the people to give thanks for boun.
 teous crops. That was in realty the first Thanksgiving Day in the west
 ern hemisphere. A second day of prayer was called in the colonies While the people were gathered in
 their churches rain began 10 fall in plenty. The crops were saved