Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously
answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle 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
establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that
powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? 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 the House,
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 become
a reproach and byword down to future ages. 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.
This is a striking speech since it reflects the sentiments of one who is
admittedly one of the least religious of the Founders. Roger Sherman of
Connecticut seconded Franklin’s motion for prayer, but some opposed it,
pointing out that since the Convention had no funds it could not pay for a
chaplain. 147 Franklin’s motion was therefore tabled.
However, some accounts indicated that prayer did later
occur as a result of Franklin’s request. 149 Delegate Edmund Jennings Randolph
of Virginia also proposed: That a sermon be preached at the request of the
Convention on the Fourth of July. To accommodate that proposal, on Monday, July
2, the Convention adjourned until Thursday, July 5, so that, as James Madison
explained, “time might be given to such as choose to attend to the celebrations
on the anniversary of independence.” On July 4, many delegates attended that special
service.
