[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 62 (Monday, April 27, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM PRICE

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 27, 2009

  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention 
to an article written by Donald Conkey, a constituent of the Sixth 
Congressional District of Georgia, regarding the National Day of 
Prayer. Mr. Conkey's article reads:

                         National Day of Prayer

                            Donald S. Conkey

       This column on next week's Metro Atlanta Prayer Breakfast 
     on Tuesday and the National Day of Prayer on Thursday was 
     inspired by an e-mail, from Sally Field, that reminded me of 
     just how much America's Founding Father's depended upon 
     prayer to their ``Creator, the Supreme Judge of the world'' 
     to support their efforts in creating a nation where liberty 
     could be restored after nearly three thousand years of 
     despotic and tyrannical rule that had enslaved mankind 
     worldwide--and become a beacon of liberty to the world.
       The Founders belief in, and their use of prayer, as clearly 
     expressed in the Declaration of Independence, plus all their 
     writings, should be a powerful example for those Americans 
     who fear the nation's current economic challenges and the 
     massive directional changes being made by our nations new 
     administration.
       America's National Day of Prayer has a long history. A 
     resolution by the first Continental Congress in 1775 
     indicated it was ``a time for prayer in forming a new 
     nation.'' President John Adams declared May 9, 1798 ``a day 
     of solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer,'' asking citizens 
     of all faiths to pray ``that our country may be protected 
     from all the dangers which threaten it.'' In 1952 President 
     Truman signed a national day of prayer proclamation and in 
     1988 President Reagan established the first Thursday of May 
     as America's annual National Day of Prayer.
       It is gratifying to know that I am not alone in believing 
     in the power of prayer, or that God listens to and answers 
     prayer (personal revelation), or that He answered the 
     Founders prayers (collective revelation), not once but many 
     times when they pleaded with Him, their Supreme Judge of the 
     World, to establish and restore freedom to a world then 
     enslaved by despots and tyrants. And to be able to join with 
     other believers, of many faiths and cultures, in pleading 
     with the Lord in prayer for ``the protection of divine 
     Providence'' in a National Day of Prayer next week reinforces 
     my beliefs and hopes that we whom He has entrusted to protect 
     those everlasting principles of liberty given us by the 
     Founders is reassuring. -
       The timing of next weeks prayer days may be providential: 
     they are coming during the first 100 days of the new 
     administrations efforts to bring about massive change of 
     direction to the country, both internally and externally, and 
     they follow last week's inspiring ``call to arms'' for 
     Americans of every faith, culture, race and nationality to 
     rally to the defense of their liberties in the form of ``Tea 
     Party'' protestors. Their ``Tea Bag'' could well become 
     America's new symbolic ``Liberty Bell.'' These ``Tea Party'' 
     protestors represent that third of the nation who still 
     believe America is great and that God inspired and raised up 
     the Founders to restore liberty to mankind with a new nation, 
     a nation ``choice above all other nations.'' This third also 
     understands America will not continue to be a powerful and 
     free nation if it continues to allow that secular third, 
     those who reject God and want to remove Him from all aspects 
     of American culture and dominate American politics, as they 
     are doing today.
       This third also understands that it is they who must work 
     to educate (our schools have failed to teach these 
     principles) that middle third who know not what America 
     stands for or that their future liberties and freedoms are 
     directly connected to the restoration of those principles 
     upon which America was founded, with God's help. And they 
     also understand they are involved in an ideological war, a 
     war of ideas and thoughts that if lost could cost them that 
     way of life they cherish so greatly.
       And they, as did the Founders 230 years ago, inspired by 
     Paul's admonition to the Ephesians of old, must put on ``the 
     whole armour of God, that they may stand against the wiles of 
     the devil,'' including their ``breastplate of 
     righteousness,'' and their ``shield of faith wherewith they 
     may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked'' as 
     they battle the enemies of liberty and freedom that want to 
     destroy this nation, and what it stands for, and make it a 
     nation like unto all other nations, as in United Nations.
       And lastly they fully understand they must unite with 
     others of differing faiths with a unity of purpose, in 
     defense of their liberties, as did the Founders who restored 
     those freedoms, and put on their ``helmet of salvation, and 
     the sword of the spirit . . . praying always with all prayer 
     and supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all 
     perseverance and supplication for all saints (freedom lovers) 
     like them.''
       Next week, as we pray individually, as families, and in 
     larger gatherings as with Fields Metro Atlanta Prayer 
     Breakfast, we should, remembering the counsel of ages past, 
     and ``offer a prayer to preserve our nation's liberties'' and 
     ``that our country may be protected from all the dangers that 
     threaten it.''
       Be assured, all righteous prayers offered ``with a firm 
     reliance on the protection of divine Providence'' will be 
     heard, especially from those willing to ``mutually pledge'' 
     to stand with others and take a stand, and work to defend 
     their liberties as did the Founding Fathers stand to create 
     them--230 years ago.

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