Benjamin
Franklin
1706-1790
—
Statesman, scientist, inventor, printer, writer . . . Delegate to Continental
Congress . . . Postmaster General . . . Appointed to committee to draft the Declaration
of Independence, which he signed . . . Diplomat and agent for US in Europe . .
. Served on the Federal Constitution Committee and worked earnestly for ratification
of Constitution . . . In his early life he was said to be a Deist, but later embraced
Christian principles although he believed that the teachings of Christ had been
corrupted . . . Once Franklin had settled upon a . . . set of religious beliefs
about God and man's relation to God, he remained faithful to them.[20]
"Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped . . . As to Jesus of Nazareth . . . I think the System of Morals and his Religion, as he left them to us, is the best the World ever saw, or is likely to see. "[4]
In
Benjamin Franklin's 1749 plan of education for public schools in Pennsylvania,
he said:
"History
will afford the frequent opportunities of showing the necessity of a public religion,
from its usefulness to the public; the advantage of a religious character among
private persons; the mischiefs of superstition &c. and the excellency of the
Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern."[9]
[Franklin] chose a New Testament verse for the motto of the Philadelphia Hospital; . . . he was one of the chief voices behind the establishment of a paid chaplain in Congress; and . . . in 1787 when Franklin helped found the college which bore his name, it was dedicated as "a nursery of religion and learning" built "on Christ, the Cornerstone."[9]
From
a letter to Thomas Paine:
"If men are so wicked with religion, what would they
be if without it?"[3]
From
a letter to his daughter:
"Go
constantly to church, whoever preaches. The act of devotion in the Common Prayer
Book is your principal business there, and if properly attended to, will do more
towards amending the heart than sermons generally can do. For they were composed
by men of much greater piety and wisdom, than our common composers of sermons
can pretend to be; and therefore I wish you would never miss the prayer days;
yet I do not mean you should despise sermons, even of the preachers you dislike,
for the discourse is often much better than the man, as sweet and clear waters
come through very dirty earth."[3,9]
Speech
delivered to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1787, when that body was deadlocked
over drafting our Nation's Constitution:
"In
the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we
had daily prayers in this room for 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
. . . And have we now forgotten this 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 man.' 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. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel . . .
"I
therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance
of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held in this assembly every
morning before we proceed to business.'"[3,9,25]
(The Congress then prayed and opened with prayers each
day thereafter and, by doing so, was able to successfully complete its work.)
"A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in every district — all studied and appreciated as they merit — are the principle of virtue, morality, and civil liberty." (America's God and Country, William Federer, p.246) [43]