Congress and the Founding Fathers pray

The good prayer and fasting you have done cannot be underestimated. He has often frustrated evil and moved God in heaven. It is terribly unfortunate that very few know the truth about American history and the great influence that men of prayer who lived fasting lives had on this nation.

The Continental Congress made its first official act, a call to prayer, on September 6, 1774, after receiving news that British troops had attacked Boston. The first sentence in Congress was delivered on September 7, 1774, at Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia.

The Library of Congress, from the reports collected from the various patriots, recorded in a famous historical poster the effect of that first sentence on Congress:

“Washington was kneeling there, and Henry, Randolph, Rutledge, Lee, and Jay, and beside him stood, bowing in reverence, the Puritan Patriots of New England, who at the time had reason to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their humble homes, Boston was believed to have been bombed and destroyed.

They prayed fervently ‘for America, for Congress, for the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the people of Boston’, and who can tell the emotion with which they went imploring Heaven for Divine interposition and – ‘Enough’ says Mr. Adams, ‘to melt a heart of stone. I saw the tears well up in the eyes of the earnest old Pacific Quakers of Philadelphia.

Fasting is a means to humble ourselves individually and as a nation before God. Moses taught the Israelites to “afflict their souls” by fasting (Lev. 16:31). Devout Jews interpret this as God’s command to fast and strictly adhere to it (Acts 27:9).

The founding fathers of the United States of America, the Pilgrims, attributed their success to God through fasting and prayer. Setting aside special days of fasting and prayer was an accepted part of life in Plymouth Colony. A law was enacted on November 15, 1636, allowing the Governor and his aides “to order solemn days of humiliation for fasting, etc. And, also, for thanksgiving when occasion offered.”

The Virginia assembly passed a resolution on June 1, 1774 as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. George Washington, our first president, established a pattern for the leaders of this country to fast and pray. The Washington Journal records: “I went to church and fasted all day.”

Our country has priority in fasting and praying to avoid war. John Adams, our second president, proclaimed May 9, 1798, as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer. The United States was on the brink of war with France.

Under our fourth president, James Madison, when he was at war with Great Britain, both houses of Congress passed a joint resolution calling for a day of public humiliation, fasting, and prayer on January 12, 1815.

Abraham Lincoln, the Savior of the Union, the greatest president of the country, proclaimed three fasts. During the Civil War, Lincoln called on the nation to pray and fast for peace and national unity. Lincoln’s second call on March 30, 1863 was to repent as a nation through prayer and fasting. Honest Abe’s third proclamation was on the first Thursday in August 1864. He made a special appeal for those in positions of authority to seek God with fasting and prayer.

The power that prayer and fasting wield cannot be underestimated, as humble petitioners before the throne of grace and open the arm of the Almighty to intervene in the earthly affairs of men. In fact, we “have not” because “we do not ask” (James 4:2). Could it be that we are so absorbed in responding to the demands of our flesh that we cannot hear from our spirit? If we weren’t so quick to indulge our flesh in everything it asks for, we might have the time and attention to ask for the spiritual blessings that ultimately affect the natural world in which we live.

Author: admin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *