Update - By K. Brewster Hastings

The following quotations are taken from One Nation Under God: The History of Prayer in America by James P. Moore. This book is an extensive survey of the essential and particular role that prayer (contact and communication with God) plays in the history, life and soul of our nation. It is an excellent read. Moore writes, “To dismiss prayer in the life of America is to embark on a fool’s errand. Prayer has been and always will be an integral part of the national character.” (p. xxiii)

In 1521, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon made landfall in present day St. Augustine, Fl. This is the location where the first Catholic Mass on the American mainland was celebration. (p.25) “Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian native air.” William Bradford, First Governor of the Plymouth Colony, 1620. (p.16) The following is a section of a “Prayer for Philadelphia” written by William Penn in the 1682. It reads like verses from the Book of Revelation in which the seven ancient cities are addressed, warned and exhorted. “O that thou mayest be kept from evil that would overwhelm thee, That faithful to God of thy mercies, in the Life of Righteousness, thou mayest be preserved to the end. My soul prays to God for thee, that thou mayest stand in the day of trail, that thy children may be blest of the Lord and thy people saved by His Power.” (p. 23) Atop of the 555 foot Washington Monument is carved the words, “Praise be to God.” (p. xx) Chiseled in the rotunda of the Jefferson Memorial are the words from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.” (p. xx) “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord may soul to keep; if I should die before I wake; I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take.” -From The New England Primer (1813) which sold over 5 million copies. It was a basic catechism, taught the alphabet with examples from the Bible and prayer. (p. 41) “In France I had seen the spirits of religion and freedom almost always marching in opposite directions. In America I found them intimately linked together in joint reign over the same land.”- Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835. (p. 80) The following is a Spiritual from the era of slavery. It was sung at work in the field and at secret prayer meetings held at night in the South. (p. 125) Lord, how come me here? I wish I never was born. There ain’t no freedom here, Lord. I wish I never was born. They treat me so mean here, Lord. I wish I never was born. They sold my child away, Lord. I wish I never was born. Lord, how come me here? I wish I never was born.

“Oh Lord, Thou hast told us how to pray. Help us to shut the door, shutting out the world, and the enemy, and any fear or doubt, which spoils prayer. May there be no distance between our souls and Thee.” – John Wanamaker, 1889. (p. 221)

Today’s opening hymn, “Lift ev’ry voice and sing” was composed by the brothers James Weldon Johnson (lyrics) and J. Rosamond Johnson (music) in 1900 for a Stanton High School ( Jacksonville, FL.) convocation held in honor of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth. 500 schoolchildren debuted the song. It struck a deep chord in the Black community and would eventually be called “The Negro National Hymn.” (p. 277-9) “Our Father in Heaven, we pray that You would save us from ourselves…” - Conrad Hilton, entrepreneur, founding of Hilton Hotels, one-time owner of largest hotel conglomerate in the world. (p. 331) In an interview with the Brooklyn Eagle after he retired, Jackie Robinson candidly described how he would pray on his knees: “It’s the best way to get close to God and a hard-hit ground ball.” (p. 350) In 1954 President Dwight Eisenhower explains why he signed into law the addition of “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. “In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future. In this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.” (p. 337) After John Glenn’s historic orbit around the earth in February, 1962, a reporter asked him, “Colonel, did you see God in space?” Glenn replied, “I didn’t expect to. The God I believe in isn’t so small I thought I would run into Him just a little bit above the atmosphere.” (p. 380) In his 1974 Christmas card to friends, Duke Ellington wrote in the sign of a cross, (p. 390) L GOD V E On the morning of September 11, 2001, on board Flight 93, Todd Beamer prayed over his cell phone with GTE operator, Lisa Jefferson, “Our Father, who art in Heaven…” before Todd and other several other passengers rushed the terrorists. (p. 444)

“Only America combines such intense religious devotion with such wide religious diversity.” –Gueorgui Pinkhassov, noted photographer in, 2003. (p. 462)

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Our nation’s founding and history, culture and laws, past, present and future are inextricably bound to the Judeo-Christian tradition. When someone thinks, writes or speaks contrary to this fact, he or she is either misinformed, ignorant or possibly possesses an ideological agenda corrosive to the American soul. Resist such malfeasance with prayer and truth and love. –Father K. Brewster Hastings, Saint Anne’s Church, Abington, PA