And Then They Prayed
Moments In American History Impacted By Prayer
Barry Loudermilk
Copyright © 2011 Barry Loudermilk
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2011-10-24
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my Mother who, in December 2002, went home to be with our Lord, and my Father, a WWII veteran, who instilled in me a dedicated love of Jesus Christ, an appreciation for our nation’s history, and good ole fashion patriotism.
Acknowledgements
My heartfelt gratitude goes out to my family, who sacrificed much time and energy to make this book possible. I would like to especially thank my wife, Desiree, who not only put up with my countless hours of research, but endured endless nights of my reading and writing. I could never adequately express my appreciation for the hours she spent reading and editing these stories.
Special recognition is also due to our three grown children Travis, Christiana and Michael, who have assisted, through the years, listening to and reading my stories, as well as sharing ideas and editing.
Introduction
In the fall of 1746, the Governor of the Massachusetts colony received an alarming message; ninety six French vessels were assembling off the coast of New England, preparing to attack Boston. With forty well armed warships and fifty six troop transports, it was the largest Naval Armada to ever approach the American colonies. Their mission was to destroy coastal cities from Massachusetts to Georgia and, aboard the warships, sailors were already preparing their cannon to lay siege on Boston. Aboard the transports, 13,000 soldiers prepared to invade and burn what remained.
The colonies had few coastal defenses and their militias were no match for the highly trained and experienced soldiers of the French Army, but Governor William Shirley had a responsibility to protect the Massachusetts colony and its’ citizens. As the impending invasion was only days away, Governor Shirley needed to take quick and decisive action.
The colonists had only one reliable weapon at their disposal capable of thwarting such a massive invasion, and Governor Shirley immediately called the people to prepare for battle. He issued an official proclamation calling for citizens all across the colony to assemble in their churches for a day of fasting and prayer.
On the morning of October 16, hundreds of Bostonians made their way to the city’s Old South Church where they would assemble together to pray for God’s Divine intervention. The autumn morning brought a clear, calm sky, making for a pleasant walk to the church building. Once the congregation had assembled in the sanctuary, Reverend Thomas Prince ascended the high pulpit and immediately began a strong and fervent prayer. “Deliver us from our enemy,” he prayed emphatically, “Send thy tempest, Lord, upon the waters to the eastward!”
Reverend Prince’s powerful voice echoed off of the church’s stone walls as he prayed, “Raise Thy right hand. Scatter the ships of our tormentors and drive them hence.” Filled with emotion, he lifted his head toward heaven and continued to call upon God to not only protect the people from harm, but to destroy the French fleet. Suddenly, the sunlight, which only moments earlier illuminated the sanctuary, disappeared. Outside, the clear skies gave way to ominous clouds that enveloped the church in their dark shadows. At that moment, a tremendous wind slammed into the church, and the windows shook violently as they strained to hold back the tempest. The pounding of heavy rain on the church’s roof reverberated inside the sanctuary. Undaunted by the raging storm outside, Reverend Prince continued his prayer, “Sink their proud frigates beneath the power of Thy winds,” he cried out. He paused momentarily just as the church’s bell rang twice with a strange and uneven tone. As there was no one in the bell tower, the Reverend took this to be a sign from God.
Reverend Prince raised both hands toward heaven and, with a voice of victory exclaimed, “We hear Thy voice, O Lord! We hear it! Thy breath is upon the waters to the eastward, even upon the deep. Thy bell tolls for the death of our enemies!” Silently, he lowered his hands and bowed his head before the great congregation. For several moments he stood motionless. Then, with tears streaming down his cheeks, he raised his head and, closing the prayer he proclaimed, “Thine be the glory, Lord. Amen and amen!”
Hearing of Reverend Prince’s prayer and the miraculous storm that ensued, Governor Shirley sent the sloop, The Rising Son, northward to obtain news of the French fleet. When she returned, the captain gave an astonishing report; nearly the entire fleet had been lost in the storm. Distraught by what had befallen their mighty fleet, the French Admiral, the Duke of d’Anville and Vice Admiral d’Estournelle had taken their own lives. Of the 13,000 soldiers, only about a thousand survived, and a majority of these were severely ill and unfit for battle. The few ships still afloat were reported as being under sail, returning to France.
As He had done so many times before, God had again delivered America from the hands of their enemies. When their liberty, safety, and security were threatened, the people of Boston had prepared their homes and property for the invasion and then, they prayed.
The account of this miracle is well documented, and was once as well known as the story of Paul Revere. The American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who penned the famous poem Paul Revere’s Ride, also wrote of this miraculous event in the poem, The Ballad of the French Fleet.
One hundred and ninety seven years after Reverend Prince stood in the pulpit at Old South Church and prayed for God’s deliverance, America was again in desperate need of divine assistance. On June 6, 1944 the United States and its allies were landing on the beaches of Normandy, in order to liberate France from the grip of Nazi Germany. Just as Reverend Thomas Prince had climbed to the high pulpit in Old South Church to lead the people of Boston in prayer, President Franklin Roosevelt took to the airwaves and led the people of the United States in prayer for our soldiers, sailors and airmen.
Through the crackle and static of thousands of radios across the nation, Roosevelt made his appeal to heaven. “Almighty God,” he prayed, “Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.” From New York to California, millions of Americans huddled around their radio sets, with bowed heads, as the Commander in Chief continued his solemn prayer, “Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.”
Just as Governor Shirley called the people of Boston to fast and pray for deliverance, Roosevelt knew the nation needed God’s protection in this difficult hour. He also knew that the enemy was strong and the fight would be long and arduous. “But because the road is long and the desire is great,” Roosevelt implored, “I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.”
The President of the United States
