Political Division: The Solution

At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the Founding Fathers got heatedly entrenched on the issue of State’s representation—an issue so controversial that it endangered the whole process.  At some point, Dr. Ben Franklin made the wise suggestion that the members seek guidance from God.  Below is an excerpt from his speech taken from a letter written by James Madison to Jared Sparks in 1831, containing Franklin’s written speech:

The small progress we have made after four or five weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other, our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ays, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding….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 understandings?... 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?... I therefore beg leave to move, that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of the City be requested to officiate in that service.

This act, spurred by Dr. Franklin's wise advice, broke the logjam and made way for the completion of our wonderful Constitution. Let us hope that the wisdom of Ben Franklin has not been left behind in the onward evolution of our Republic.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. [Jesus, Mt 5:9].  

For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end [Eph 2:14-16].