The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-07-10
~ D. Workman
Invoking Divine Guidance
W. D. Workman

blessings of Almighty God upon
this nation.
Yet the Supreme Court finds
fault with a nondenominational
prayer which is a simple affir-
nation of American faith:
Almighty God. We acknowl-
edge our dependence upon Thee.
and we beg Thy blessings upon
us, our parents. our teachers and
our Country
The Court itself, for all of its
supposed knowledge of the Con-
stltution of the United States,
would do well to read James
Madison's notes Of the Constitu-
tlonal Convention for a greater
understanding of the American
heritage.
1t was on June %. 1887 - al
most exactly Us years prior to
the Supreme Courts decision of
June rs, 1862 - that the dele
gates to the Convention were
caught up in fruitless impasse.
Nerves were frayed, tempers
were short, and progress was at
standstill.
1t was then that the Sl-year-
old patriarch of the new nation,
Dr.. Benjamin Franklin. took the
floor to suggest that divine guild
ance be sought:
I'm the beginning OF the con-
test with Great Britain, when we
were sensible of danger we had
daily prayer in this room for the
divine protection. Our prayers,
Sir, were heard, and they were
graciously answered. All of us
who were engaged in the strug-
gle must have observed frequent
instances of a superintending
providence in our favor. To that
kind providence we owe this
happy opportunity Of consulting
IN peace on the means of eS-
tablishing our future national fe-
llclty. And have we now forgot
ten that powerful Friend? Or do
we imagine that we no longer
need His assistance?
II have lived, Sir, a long time,
and the longer I live, the more
convincing proofs l 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?
1--WE have been assured. Sir, in
the sacred writings, that except
the Lord build the House they
labour in vain that build it, 1
firmly believe this, and l also
believe that without His concur
ring aid we shall succeed in this
political building no better than
the builders of Babel
l therefore beg leave to move
that henceforth prayers implor-
ing the assistance of Heaven,
and its blessings on our delibera-
tons, be held in this Assembly
every morning before we pro
coed to business :"
There is no record of Frank
Inns motion having been carried,
but the course of American his
tory from that day to this bears
out the nations acceptance of its
dependence upon God.
Our coins bear the imprint.
In God We Trust" Our national
anthem carries the words, I'm
God is our trust. Our Pledge of
Allegiance to the flag has the
acknowledgement, zone nation,
under God" The daily sessions
OF both House and Senate in Con-
gress are opened with prayer.
And the Supreme Court itself is
convened with the cry, God
save the United States and this
honorable court
Are all these things now to
pass away because of a far
fetched decision which equates
the voluntary uttering of a nom
UNCONVENTIONAL prayer with an
establishment of religion?"
And are our public schools no
longer to recognize Christmas,
Easter, or other religious &C.
casions-be they Christian, Jew
ish, Moslem or otherwise?
Has the Supreme Court segre-
gated God from these United
States?