Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim Burt
Psalm 127:1 (NIV) "Unless the Lord
builds the house,its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches
over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."
Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.
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 partial local interests; our projects will be confounded,
and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word 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.
(Source:
Benjamin Franklin, The Writings of Benjamin Franklin, Jared Sparks,
editor (Boston: Tappan, Whittemore and Mason, 1840), Vol. X, p. 297,
April 17, 1787.)
Psalms 33:12 (NKJV) "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance"
In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
With kind permission of Pastor Tim Burt
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