Introducing: Witty Wednesdays!

Notice: Henceforth on Wednesdays I will be choosing one founding father of our wonderful nation to quote. These quotes are so very insightful and inspiring, that these Wednesdays shall be called "Witty Wednesdays".


All quotes are from "America's God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations" by William J. Federer.



To inaugurate this special day, I will start with Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790).

Benjamin Franklin

Many people who desire to forget our Christian past argue that Benjamin Franklin was a deist. Nothing could be farther from the truth. These are some of my favorite sayings from Franklin.

----"I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help His other children and my brethren. For I do not think that thanks and compliments, though repeated weekly, can discharge our real obligations to each other, and much less those to our Creator. You will see in this my notion of good works, that I am far from expecting to merit heaven by them. By heaven we understand a state of happiness, infinite in degree, and eternal in duration. I can do nothing to deserve such rewards....Even the mixed, imperfect pleasures we enjoy in this world, are rather from God's goodness than our merit; how much more such happiness of heaven. For my part I have not the vanity to think I deserve it...but content myself in submitting to the will and disposal of that God who made me, who has hitherto preserved and blessed me, and in whose fatherly goodness I may well confide, that he will never make me miserable; and that even the afflictions I may at any time suffer shall tend to my benefit."

----"I never doubted the existence of the Deity, that he made the world, and governed it by His Providence."

----"Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no ambition corrupt thee, no example sway thee, no persuasion move thee to do anything which thou knowest to be evil; so thou shalt live jollily, for a good conscience is a continual Christmas.

----My very favorite: During the Constitutional Convention, Franklin stood and made this speech, "In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding?

    In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. -Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor.

    To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have now we forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need his assistance?

    I have lived, Sir, a long time, and 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, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

   We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a bye word down to future ages.

   And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

   I therefore beg leave to move - that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

All I can say when I read these profound speeches is "Wow"!

Please leave your favorite founding fathers sayings in the comments section below. Once I get enough quotes from my readers, I will have a Wednesday especially dedicated to submitted quotes! If you would like your name under the quote ("submitted by ________"), then please sign your submissions. I can't wait to hear from y'all!

Come back next week to hear from George Washington!