National Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer

On April 30, 1863, the country observed a National Day of Fasting and Prayer. It is interesting, as one studies the Civil War (1861-1865), that prior to this date the War went very badly for the Federal government. From April 30th to May 6th, 1863, the Battle of Chancellorsville was fought and won by the Confederacy: their last significant victory of the war, and in which their most impressive offensive general, Stonewall Jackson, was killed by friendly fire in the darkness. Less than 3 months after this proclamation, the Union won the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, sealing the eventual doom of the South as an independent nation. The struggle continued on until April of 1865, but any hope of victory for the Confederacy was gone.

I confess I do not know how moments such as these are taught from a 'secular' perspective in our schools, but I wonder how one can study the events of our nation's past and not see the providential hand of God working within our nation's history. Perhaps this is the first time you have heard of this particular proclamation. Take a moment and read it. Far from being ancient history, there is much here that is deeply relevant to our modern age.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.

And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.

And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty seventh.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward, Secretary of State.

Thanksgiving 2009

And so another holiday season is upon us... seems like Resurrection Sunday was last week, and yet here we are with Thanksgiving 3 days away. Thanksgiving as an annual national holiday began back in 1863. Here is the text of the speech President Lincoln gave:

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

When these words were spoken, the nation was in the middle of a terrible struggle, the Civil War. Why then these words of thankfulness, in such a dark time?

Perspective. Note the language used by our Secretary of State. Can you imagine the current office holder speaking in such a manner, for any occasion? The original purpose behind the day was a moment of reflection, a pause to give thanks to God for his blessings, even in the midst of trial. And that is the perspective we now lack. Ultimately the course our nation takes in foreign policy, health care, union/management relations, or "global warming" is meaningless unless we are building upon the proper foundation. And that foundation is crumbling. Our nation drifts without a sense of purpose, no longer understanding the vision of those who founded it. We either can not or will not acknowledge the great gift our very nation is to us, from God Himself. And as we drift, our sense of gratitude is also fading. Having left ourselves with no greater purpose than our own will, what do we have to be truly thankful for? To whom are we grateful? So much has been given for us. So much has been sacrificed by others so that we have what we have.

This year, I encourage all of us to remember. Implicit within gratitude is memory, the remembrance of what we have been given. Let us thank God even as we ask Him to restore knowledge of Himself to our nation, that our foundation would again grow strong. By His grace we, as the United States of America, have the power to lead the world. But this is not a change that will come about politically. Conservative, centrist, liberal - none of these hold the key. True change will come about as gratitude leads us to greater sense of humility, and humility leads us to knowledge of the Truth.

May God richly bless each of you this day of Thanksgiving, and may he touch your hearts with His wisdom and understanding.