Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

A day of prayer

An ad in the newspaper caught my eye this afternoon. Apparently today is the National Day of Prayer.

This "National Day of Prayer" ad mentioned the long history of calls to prayer going back to the Continental Congress in 1775, but it reminded me of something I learned about during family vacations in Williamsburg as a kid.

For those who haven't been to Colonial Williamsburg, a trip to the visitor's center usually starts with the movie Story of a Patriot. I have friends who can't get past the fact that the movie stars a very young Jack Lord, but I think the film does a really nice job of setting the historical context of late colonial Virginia.

I have a Virginia-centric view of early American history, I admit it. If I were a New Englander I'd probably know a lot more about Paul Revere and Sam Adams, but my revolutionary heroes have always been Patrick Henry and George Wythe.

Anyway, one of the pre-revolutionary situations portrayed in Story of a Patriot is Thomas Jeferson's idea to show solidarity with Boston over the closing of the port with a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. The resolution was actually proposed to the House of Burgresses by moderate Robert Carter Nicholas, because Jefferson had already become too closely allied with hothead Patrick Henry, who wasn't exactly a hero in Virginia in 1774. (My favorite line in the movie is Henry explaining why he wouldn't be able advance the day of prayer proposal, since "if I merely propose the opening of a window on a sultry day there are those who see in my request treachery and evil.")

Imagine, the founding fathers as crafty young radicals, hiding their agenda behind something so pure as prayer.

So I noticed that while the current National Day of Prayer does have a presidential proclaimation behind it, the chair is Shirley Dobson. The honorary chair is Oliver North. Not exactly Robert Carter Nicholas.

Personally I don't really pray much any more. It struck me awhile ago that when I did pray I was sounding a little too much like a kid on Santa's lap, even if what I was asking for were good and noble things...I was still just asking for presents.

I do get a laugh, though, out of the idea that if I were to mark today with a prayer or five, there would be those who saw in my prayers treachery and evil.

Posted by Nic at May 6, 2004 08:29 PM