God Governs in the affairs of men. Do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?

As we move towards our General Election in which we will choose the next President of the United States, I invite you to pause and reflect on the evidence of the hand of God on the events surrounding the establishment of our nation. Following is an excerpt from One Nation Under God.

The fear of an abusive power was almost as much an influence on the establishing of a new American government as the desire to make something good and functional. After the colonies declared independence from their mother country, they immediately set about the task of creating new governments as sovereign states.

Americans, Jefferson observed, “shed monarchy like an old suit of clothes.” 

There was no precedent for the type of government the Americans wanted to make. No other nation of people had established a form of government in which they elected their own leaders. However, the Americans were drawing from a century and half of experience in governing themselves. They had a wealth of ideas of what they wanted their new government to be, but creating a framework that worked for everyone was an incredibly daunting task. 

Although the Founders were influenced by specific Enlightenment principles, when it came to setting up a government, they approached the process with a mindset much more in line with that of the ancient philosopher, Aristotle. Unlike the main school of Enlightenment thought concerning government as an artificial man-made construct, Aristotle taught that it was a God-given tool to help humans live orderly lives. The Founders wanted to design a government for the people, by the people, and as Jefferson had written in the Declaration of Independence, those people had a right to replace any government that became tyrannical.   

Many of the representatives who were part of the Constitutional Congress, were religious men. Abraham Baldwin graduated and tutored at Yale University until he enlisted in the Continental Army as a chaplain during the Revolutionary War. His experience interacting with men from every walk of life during the war convinced him that education was going to be key in the development of the frontier. After the war, he moved from Connecticut to Georgia, where he practiced law and worked to establish the University of Georgia. He was also elected to be a representative in the Georgia legislature. It was in this position that he attended the Constitutional Convention. 

As Abraham Baldwin watched tensions rising over the small states versus large state debate, he knew what he needed to do. Despite being from a larger state, when the final vote was made, Baldwin sided with the smaller states in favor of equal representation. By doing so, he split the vote and ended the contest for the time being so a real compromise could be worked out.  

After Abraham split the vote, the delegates were forced to discuss the compromise which would eventually lead to the ratification of the Constitution. A committee was formed with one representative from each state to work together to come up with a solution. Abraham was chosen to represent Georgia on that committee. Later he was chosen to be part of the committee tasked with transferring the government from the Articles of Confederation to the new government under the Constitution.  

Abraham Baldwin worked alongside many of the famous Founding Fathers, yet many people have never heard of him. He is best known in Georgia because of his work as their representative and his influence on the educational system. Abraham greatly admired George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. His belief in education carried into his politics, and he believed that “knowledge would lead to good citizenship and without such knowledge, the government was doomed to failure.” To this end, he was instrumental in working to create an informed American public. 

God’s hand in history is evident in how He guided Abraham Baldwin’s life, eventually bringing him to the Constitutional Convention. This humble man counted the cost to do what was necessary to bring the stalemate disagreement to an end, therefore bringing the entire assembly back to the point where they could find a compromise. 

When standards and morals are at stake, compromise is not a good option. In these situations where obedience to God’s standards of righteousness are being challenged, compromise with evil is wrong. However, there are times when being willing to work with others to come to an agreeable compromise is absolutely the right path. The Bible is full of instances where we are urged to try to find common ground for the sake of unity. Belligerent dogma in government has led our country down a road far from the incredible compromises reached by the Constitutional Congress. Perhaps that ability to compromise has a considerable connection to how those men in that stuffy room in Philadelphia viewed God’s involvement in human existence. 

On June 28, 1787, the hostile feelings between the small state and large state representatives had reached a boiling point. Benjamin Franklin, a man not known for having an outstanding Christian faith or a chaste lifestyle, yet more gripped with reverence for God than many modern day preachers, stood to his feet and spoke to the assembly. Here are the last three paragraphs of Dr. Franklin’s rebuke of the assembly. 

In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and 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 the 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.” 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 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.      

Benjamin Franklin

A delegate from New Jersey wrote this about the reaction to Franklin’s rebuke. 

The Doctor sat down; and never did I behold a countenance at once so dignified and delighted as was that of Washington at the close of the address; nor were the members of convention generally less affected.

The motion was carried and furthered with the request for a minister to come deliver a sermon to the assembly on July 4th in honor of Independence Day. On July 2nd, the Convention assembled again. Delegate Edmund Jennings Randolf noted, “…Every unfriendly feeling had been expelled, and a spirit of conciliation had been cultivated.” 

How do you think our country would be right now if our government had stayed true to Benjamin Franklin’s words about God governing the affairs of man?