Words From Our Founders: Congressional Prayer Proclamation, 1778

Words From Our Founders,

Today we continue our series examining our Founding Fathers in their own words and considering their high esteem for religion, religious liberty, and virtue.

Below is proclamation of prayer and fasting authorized by the Continental Congress on March 7, 1778–during the American Revolution.

From the Journals of the Continental Congress:

Whereas, Almighty God, in the righteous dispensation of his providence, hath permitted the continuation of a cruel and desolating war in our land; and it being at all times the duty of a people to acknowledge God in all his ways, and more especially to humble themselves before him when evident tokens of his displeasure are manifested; to acknowledge his righteous government; confess, and forsake their evil ways; and implore his mercy:

Resolved, That it be recommended to the United States of America to set apart Wednesday, the 22d day of April next, to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer; that at one time, and with one voice, the inhabitants may acknowledge the righteous dispensations of Divine Providence, and confess their iniquities and transgressions, for which the land mourneth; that they may implore the mercy and forgiveness of God; and beseech him that vice, prophaneness, extortion, and every evil, may be done away; and that we may be a reformed and happy people; that they may unite in humble and earnest supplication, that it may please Almighty God, to guard and defend us against our enemies, and give vigour and success to our military operations by sea and land; that it may please him to bless the civil rulers and people, strengthen and perpetuate our union, and, in his own good time, establish us in the peaceable enjoyment of our rights and liberties; that it may please him to bless our schools and seminaries of learning, and make them nurseries of true piety, virtue and useful knowledge; that it may please him to cause the earth to yield its increase, and to crown the year with his goodness.

And it is recommended to the inhabitants of the United States to abstain, on that day, from labour and recreations.

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ENDA: Sen. Pryor Supports It; Sen. Boozman Opposes It

Homosexuality,

sen-pryor-photosen-boozman-photoLate yesterday Senators Pryor and Boozman cast important votes on the so-called Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

This bill is not about preventing discrimination. It is about injecting sexual preferences and sexual expression into the workplace.

Yesterday, Senator Pryor voted in support of ENDA. Senator Boozman voted against it. You can read a breakdown of the votes here.

The United States Senate is expected to take a final vote on ENDA today to pass it and send it for consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.

ENDA runs roughshod over religious employers, including Christian publishing companies and bookstores; it treats conscientious disagreement with homosexual and trangender lifestyles as bigotry; it will allow men who “self-identify” as women to use women’s restrooms and locker rooms in the workplace, and vice versa; its ambiguities can only be clarified through expensive and time-consuming litigation at the expense of our nation’s taxpayers and employers.

Family Research Council and Heritage Foundation have written extensively about the problems this bill poses.

You can download FRC’s fact sheet here.

You can download Heritage Foundation’s fact sheet here.

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Heritage Foundation: ENDA Threatens Fundamental Civil Liberties

Homosexuality,

sen-boozman-photo sen-pryor-photoWe have written recently about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which — despite its name — is not so much about preventing discrimination as it is injecting sexual expression into the workplace and workplace decisions.

The Heritage Foundation has written a fact sheet outlining ENDA and the problems it would create. A few of those problems include:

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