Reverend Charles Nall, who frequently provides the invocation for the Amherst County Republican Committee meetings, read a prayer written by Thomas Jefferson at a recent committee meeting. Since this is the weekend of July 4th, I thought it would be appropriate to pass it along to my readers.
As most of my readers, but few of our school children, know, the Fourth of July or Independence Day is the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the members of the Continental Congress when it declared independence from the despotic rule of Great Britain and mad King George III.
Thomas Jefferson was the principal writer of the Declaration of Independence (as well as the third President of the United States).
Reverend Nall mentioned this prayer to a National Park Service guide at Monticello, and the guide declared that to be impossible “since Jefferson was an atheist.” Unfortunately for the guide and anyone who listens to the guide expecting the truth, Jefferson was not an atheist. The first two sentences of the Declaration show the fallacy of believing Jefferson was an atheist. The first sentence talks about “the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” The second sentence reads, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” I’ve heard several different opinions about exactly what Jefferson did believe, but the most famous document he ever wrote clearly indicates that he was anything but an atheist.
[The socialists/communists who seek to destroy our country do so by first destroying the moral fiber of our country. They do so by denigrating the Church, by removing Christianity from the national fabric, and by denying the Christian heritage provided by our Founding Fathers, but I digress.]
This copy of Jefferson’s prayer comes from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. In 1928, America was still a Christian America, and that stood us in good stead thirteen years later when we became involved in World War II.
We are involved in another war now, not for the freedom of foreign nations but rather for the soul of America. We need to be praying for our country. If you don’t know what to pray, you could always use Jefferson’s. It is entitled “For Our Country.”
ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage; we humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will.
Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners.
Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogancy, and from every evil way.
Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues.
Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pray for America. Pray for America on Independence Day. Pray for America every day. Considering the people within the country, within the government who are trying to destroy America, once a day might not be enough.
And Mr. Jefferson’s prayer is a good prayer for all of us. There isn’t a line in there is isn’t an immediate need today.
Cordially,
Steve “Doc” Troxel, Ph.D.