US: National Days of Prayer

During the colonial days, preparing for the Revolutionary War, and during the progress of the War, the colonial leaders called often for days of fasting and prayer, for days of appealing for God's help in their endeavors.

In June of 1778, Congress, who had fled Philadelphia because of the British control of that city and were meeting secretly in York, heard that the British troops had evacuated Philadelphia in order to send troops to fight the French in the West Indies.

So Congress returned to Philadelphia and they were able to celebrate the second anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, just where they had celebrated it in 1777 and 1776.

It caused great celebration to be able to return to the birthplace of the Revolution.

There were several days of fasting and prayer designated in September and October. By November it seemed that the French would likely come into the War as our ally. More encouraging news.

A thanksgiving resolution drafted by Samuel Adams was adopted by Congress on November 3, 1778, recommending Wednesday, December 30, as a day of public thanksgiving and praise, "it having pleased Almighty God through the course of the present year, to bestow great and manifold mercies on the people of these United States."

Samuel Adams and others in New England conceived of a God above us who was willing to intervene for the American cause, but only if the Americans themselves did their share by acting with virtue. He wrote from Philadelphia on December 21, 1778, "Our independence, I think, is secured. Whether America shall long preserve her freedom or not, will depend on her virtue."

To many colonial leaders happiness, liberty and virtue are always connected concepts.

I can't find a single reference to liberty in the writings of Samuel Adams that did not link it with virtue. The "pursuit of happiness" phrase of Jefferson meant, "pursuit of a life of virtue."

We define "happiness" nowadays mostly as possession of things, material objects we can touch and secure for ourselves. Jefferson first wrote in the Declaration the original phrase, popularized by philosophers of his day, "life, liberty and the pursuit of property." He didn't want to make our aims quite that materialistic, and so he changed property to happiness, meaning to pursue a virtuous life.

Now we have come full circle and interpret happiness as material goods! I wonder if he would shake his head now and wonder if we knew what we were saying? or thinking?

It all seems to be related to the Old Testament, so often quoted by our early leaders. Israel was saved (brought out of Egypt) before the law was given. So that is grace, right? But God also warned them repeatedly that they would not be able to keep their national liberty unless the nation honored God through obedience to His laws. Their political freedom was related directly to their obedience to His commands. (This is concerning their national freedom, not the godly individuals who daily walked with Jehovah in their often ungodly culture.)

"I am afraid the cry of too many," Samuel Adams said, "is get money, money, and then let virtue follow if she will.

"The inordinate love of gain will make a shameful alteration in the character of those who have heretofore sacrificed every enjoyment to the love of their country. He is the best patriot who stems the torrent of vice, because that is the most destructive enemy of his country."

Adams and his colleagues felt the American colonies were the "new Israel" that God was calling to be a lighthouse for the world. They often compared the ships bringing colonists over to America to Noah and his ark. As God saved a remnant of people from the devastating flood, intending them to start a new civilization in an unspoiled new world, so God brought a remnant of people over from the evil and darkness of Europe to found a new world, one that worshiped and obeyed Him.

Our earliest National Days of Prayer were proclaimed to restore that sense of virtue.