    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [January 31, 1991]
    [Pages 85-86]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast
    January 31, 1991

        Thank you very much for that warm welcome. And let me just greet
    Prime Minister Henry here and Prime Minister Ratu Mara and President
    Goncz over here, and all the other visitors from overseas.
        And I want to pay my special respects to the members of the Senate
    and House Prayer Group. I would also like to single out Doug Coe, who
    has been such a guiding light in all of this. And, of course, our
    special thanks to Joe Gibbs and to Governor Buddy Roemer for sharing in
    such a personal way their faith.
        My heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone involved in this marvelous
    event. Dr. Graham was reminding Barbara and me when we came over here of
    its genesis and how President Eisenhower, he felt, seemed very nervous
    about whether this would be the right thing to do and whether it would
    be a fulfilling experience for the people that attended. And I expect
    Ike would--if he could have attended this one--would have had no doubts
    whatsoever.
        I want to thank everyone for their concern and prayers about
    Barbara's recent accident. In these days of environmental terrorism--
    [laughter]--I can happily report that the tree is very well and so is
    Barbara Bush--doing very well, I might say. And I say that with
    considerable pride.
        This is a diverse group. I've never seen anything quite like it--
    politically or anything else. But we do have one thing in common: We
    stand together in prayer. Let me just share a letter--a true letter I
    received here from a mother who told me a story about her 5-year-old
    son's evening prayers. As he knelt by his bed--this kid was kneeling in
    prayer, and his parents explained that they were going to pray together
    for President Bush so that he would have the
    wisdom to get the hostages out of Iraq. And after a minute of deep
    thinking, the little boy said, ``Mom, how is a bush going to
    get the people out of the rock, and

    [[Page 86]]

    how did they get there in the first place?'' Well, the mother, in her
    wrap-up of the letter, said that it was a good thing the Lord knew what
    the boy was praying for, because he sure didn't. [Laughter] But, you
    know, the hostages came out of Iraq. [Laughter]
        So, I believe the Lord does hear our prayers. Joe put it very
    beautifully here. I know our country is praying for peace. And across
    this nation the churches, the synagogues, the mosques are packed--record
    attendance at services. In fact, the night the war began, Dr. Graham was
    at the White House. And he spoke to us then of the importance of turning
    to God as a people of faith, turning to Him in hope. And then the next
    morning, Dr. Graham went over to Fort Myer where we had a lovely service
    leading our nation in a beautiful prayer service there, with special
    emphasis on the troops overseas.
        So, I expect when Barbara and I were there at that prayer service,
    we were only doing what everyone in America was doing--praying for
    peace.
        You know, America is a nation founded under God. And from our very
    beginnings we have relied upon His strength and guidance in war and in
    peace. And this is something we must never forget. Just yesterday--
    you're going to think I do nothing but read the mail--[laughter]--but
    just yesterday I got a letter from a man who pointed out to me that
    during the State of the Union Message that I had neglected to make any
    mention of God. And I was somewhat defensive about that, so I quickly
    went back and I did see at the very end ``may God bless America.'' But
    then I got realizing that this man was correct. I have learned what I
    suppose every President has learned, and that is that one cannot be
    President of our country without faith in God and without knowing with
    certainty that we are one nation under God. So, I think I should have
    made that clear--more clear that God is our rock and salvation, and we
    must trust Him and keep faith in Him.
        And so, we ask His blessings upon us and upon every member not just
    of our Armed Forces but of our coalition armed forces, with respect for
    the religious diversity that is represented as these 28 countries stand
    up against aggression.
        Today I'm asking and designating that Sunday, February 3d, be a
    national day of prayer. And I encourage all people of faith to say a
    special prayer on that day--a prayer for peace, a prayer for the safety
    of our troops, a prayer for their families, a prayer for the innocents
    caught up in this war, and a prayer that God will continue to bless the
    United States of America.

                        Note: The President spoke at 9:50 a.m. in the
                            International Ballroom at the Washington Hilton
                            Hotel. In his opening remarks, he referred to
                            Prime Minister Geoffrey Henry of the Cook
                            Islands; Prime Minister Ratu Mara of Fiji;
                            President Arpad Goncz of Hungary; Douglas Coe,
                            event coordinator for the National Prayer
                            Breakfast; Joe Gibbs, coach of the Washington
                            Redskins football team; Gov. Buddy Roemer of
                            Louisiana; and evangelist Dr. Billy Graham. Mrs.
                            Bush had fractured her left leg while sledding
                            at Camp David, MD.