[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13167]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    WISE WORDS FROM AMERICAN HISTORY

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, ``In the situation of this assembly, 
groping as it were in the dark to find political truth . . . , how has 
it happened, sir, that we have not once thought of humbly applying to 
the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding?
  ``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, how it is probable that an empire can 
rise without His aid?
  ``I therefore beg--that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance 
of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberation, be held in this 
assembly every morning before we proceed to business.''
  Mr. Speaker, with this advice by Benjamin Franklin in 1787, our 
ancestors knelt in prayer each day before designing and drafting the 
powerful U.S. Constitution. We continue that wise tradition. Each 
morning we pray to the Almighty. Then we pledge to the Flag. Then we 
get on with the people's business.
  We would do well to remember the words of the Old Book, ``Unless the 
Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.'' ``Unless the Lord 
watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.''
  And that's just the way it is.

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