Next time, I’ll clarify something I wrote in Blog #52, but the stalemate in Washington is so timely it reminded me of a great turning point in our nation. I shared it years ago in my “American Heritage” radio  broadcasts.  

In May, 1787, the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia to amend the Articles of Confederation. Various states’ representatives became quarrelsome and hopelessly divided. New York’s delegation even left in disgust. The situation looked hopeless when old Ben Franklin said, in part:

“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 swallow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, it is probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

“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.”

The words of the prayer that followed are unknown although it obviously was not merely a perfunctory ritual recitation. Squabbling delegates then worked together to create perhaps the world’s most unique governing document: our Constitution; a great turning point in our nation’s history.