The 250^th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

This month we celebrate the 4th of July.  There will be picnics, barbeques, and fireworks, but will there be prayers?  Many things have changed over the 250 years since the Second Continental Congress convened.  One of those changes is that the title “Independence Day” is not used very often. Another is that often there is no prayer at our celebration.  Why is that important?  The obvious answer is that we should thank God every day for His many blessings one of which is living in the land of the free.  A less remembered reason is America’s history.  The 1^st Continental Congress met for 7 weeks starting in September of 1774.  This was in response to the British blockade of Boston harbor following the Boston Tea Party.  One of their first actions was that the daily sessions of Congress begin with a prayer.  That tradition continues today.   That first prayer is easy to find on the internet.  Here is a small sample of that prayer (it’s very long):  

“O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords… look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection… Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly… All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.”

On June 10, 1775, the 2^nd Continental Congress convened and would continue with some short breaks until March of 1781.  That congress was acting as the first government of the United States.  The tradition of beginning each session of Congress with prayer continues.  

The Congress spent most of June, 1776, debating whether the colonies should declare independence.  The representatives were in a locked room to keep their debates secret until they had come to a conclusion.  They knew they were committing treason even discussing independence.  On July 2, the resolution of independence was passed.  Now they needed a formal explanation of this decision.  It was approved on July 4^th.  Then it was published and circulated to the colonies.  It was entitled “United States Declaration of Independence”.  On July 4, 1776, the declaration was “Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress, John Hancock, President, Attest, Charles Thomson, Secretary".  There were only 2 signatures on that document.  The other 54 were added on August 2, 1776.  

In the first paragraph the Declaration refers to “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” and the last line is “…with firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence (God), we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor”.   

Prayer mattered to our founders and with our prayers may God continue to bless America.