We are often given the impression that the founding fathers intended a “strict separation of church and state” with no religious references allowed in the government.

But in reality, on June 28, 1787, during an impasse at the Constitutional Convention, one of the least orthodox of the founding fathers—Dr. Ben Franklin—called on the convention to pray to help break the logjam. This speech turned out to be a positive turning point in a convention that almost seemed doomed to failure.

The recent movie featuring Michael Medved, “The American Miracle,” captures the tension quite well—conflicts between big states and little states and an enormous rift over slavery. The movie crescendos with Franklin’s speech.

Said Dr. Franklin (as recorded by James Madison and emphasized by wallbuilders.com):

“The small progress we have made after 4 or 5 weeks close attendance…is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding….

“In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding?

“In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, & they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending Providence in our favor.

“To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?

“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.’ [Psalm 127:1] 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 a byword down to future ages….

“I therefore beg leave to move—that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing 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.”

Wow. Here was one of the least religious of the founding fathers, a man whose beliefs were not orthodox, asking the delegates to remember God and seek His help.

Opponents of the thesis that America began as a Christian nation generally ignore this speech. But if they do mention it, they argue that the specific solution Franklin spelled out (that they bring in clergy for daily prayers) was not voted for. Nor was it voted against. Franklin felt his request seemed to fall on deaf ears.

But a variation of his request—that the framers pray together for God’s help to finish the task—did happen.

What impact did Dr. Franklin’s speech have on the Constitutional Convention? New Jersey delegate Jonathan Dayton tells us what it was like on July 2, when they reconvened for the first time since Franklin’s speech: “We assembled again; and…every unfriendly feeling had been expelled, and a spirit of conciliation had been cultivated.”

Then on July 4th, the entire Convention attended a special church service, wherein Rev. William Rogers prayed for them:

INTRODUCTORY PRAYER

Supremely great and infinitely glorious Lord our God! From everlasting to everlasting Thou art the same! Unchangeable in thy nature, in thy word, in all thy works! – Cloathed with light as with a garment, and with majesty as with a robe! Who maketh the clouds thy chariot, and walkest upon the wings of the winds! Possessed of every adorable ATTRIBUTE and divine PERFECTION!

We, thy unworthy but dependent children, assembled on this joyful occasion, humbly desire to approach the THRONE of thy GRACE, in and through the merit of thy coequal SON, our EVER BLESSED SAVIOUR! For HIS sake, be pleased to pardon our manifold sins, and to blot out all our transgressions! Justify our persons through IMMANUEL’S righteousness, and sanctify our natures by the powerful influences of thy most HOLY SPIRIT! May we wholly be devoted to thy service, and live uniformly to thy praise!

With united hearts and uplifted voices, we render unfeigned thanks to thy name, O THOU SOVEREIGN RULER OF ALL WORLDS, for those numberless mercies wherewith we have been and continue to be visited! We adore thee for thy creating power, preserving goodness, and redeeming love! Suffer us never to forget any of thy favours, as we are altogether undeserving, even of the least! Particularly, O God! Are the inhabitants of these States, on THIS DAY, under the strongest obligations to bless THY NAME, for that Liberty, civil and religious, which they so fully enjoy! We would join the general body, and ascribe praise and thanksgiving to thy ADORABLE MAJESTY, for this AUSPICIOUS Anniversary, a DAY long to be remember by us and future generations! A DAY, whereon this extensive continent was, by the representatives of a numerous and oppressed people, DECLARED FREE AND INDEPENDENT! HEAVEN approved the declaration, our arms were crowed with success, sweet peace hath visited our borders, the soldier once more became the citizen: Retiring, without regret, from stations of command, our military officers returned with cheerfulness to the several duties of domestic and tranquil life! Our ears are not more pierced with the confused noise of war, our eyes are no longer pained with the horrid fight of garments roll’d in blood. – While we thus thankfully acknowledge thy reiterated favours in our political hemisphere, we beg leave also to mention thy providential smiles in crowning the YEAR with thy goodness, and causing thy paths to drop fatness: “Our pastures are cloathed with flocks, our fields are covered over with corn and wheat, our husbandmen shout for joy – yea, they also sing.”

That we may continue to enjoy these important blessing, be pleased, O Lord, to visit all the nations of the earth, and incline their hearts to peace and love; shower down upon them thy heavenly grace; may they know THEE as the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS! In an especial manner, DO THOU visit our land, graciously regard our country, protect and defend our infant, but hitherto highly favoured Empire, bless our CONGRESS, smile upon each particular State of the UNION: May those who are in authority rule in thy fear, prove a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them who do well! As this is a period, O LORD! big, with events, impenetrable by any human scrutiny, we fervently recommend to thy fatherly notice, that august Body assembled in this city, who compose our FEDERAL CONVENTION; will it please THEE, O THOU ETERNAL I AM! to favour them from day to day with thy immediate presence; be thou their wisdom and their strength! Enable them to devise such measures as may prove happily instrumental for healing all divisions, and promoting the good of the great WHOLE; incline the hearts of all the people to receive with pleasure, combined with a determination to carry into execution, whatever these thy servants may wisely recommend; that the United States of America may furnish the world with ONE example of a free and permanent government, which shall be the result of human and mutual deliberation, and which shall not, like all other governments, whether ancient or modern, spring out of mere chance, or be established by force. – May we triumph in the cheering prospect of being completely delivered from anarchy; and continue, under the influence of republican virtue, to partake of all the blessings of cultivated and civilized society! In tender mercy bless this Commonwealth, the President, Vice President, and Supreme Executive Council, our Legislative Body, and the respective Judicial Departments!

Finally, we commend to thy paternal regard, all orders of men, all seminaries of useful learning, the Ministers of the gospel of every denomination, the Church of CHRIST, and all for whom we ought to pray. – With heart-felt gratitude we anticipate the GLORIOUS ERA, when instead of the thorn, shall come up the fir-tree; instead of the briar, shall come up the MYRTLE-TREE; and WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE shall be the stability of the times, both in church and state.

Prepare us, O LORD, MOST HOLY! For every dispensation of thy righteous Providence; for life, for death, for judgment, and the joys of Paradise – Humbly intreating THY gracious assistance, in suitably discharging all those enjoined us by thy word, and enforced by thy authority, we close this, our solemn address, by saying, as our Lord and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST hath taught us –

OUR Father, who art in Heaven; hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. AMEN.3

But didn’t the founding fathers maintain the view that prayer in the public square was “unconstitutional”? Uh, these were the men who gave us the Constitution.

How low we have sunk in our secularism. We don’t need less God today, we need more godly influence, even in our government—as Dr. Franklin well noted.