Year 250

2026 begins the 250th year of the American experiment

When the calendar turned over from 2025 to 2026, the Washington Monument was illuminated with the American story to start the celebration of America’s 250th birthday year. It was the first of many ways that the country and our history will be commemorated in the coming months. From newly minted coins marking key historical moments, a video series highlighting The Story of America, to the Great American State Fair, the birthday of America is being celebrated by reminding the nation of who we are and who we can be.

It’s worth noting that “in preparation for the 250th Birthday of our Country”, the White House has a webpage dedicated to “An invitation to prayer and rededication of the United States as One Nation Under God.” The page goes on to call Americans to pray and gather weekly for praying for our country and its people. The page cites George Washington’s Farewell Address and provides a document of calls to prayers by leaders throughout American history.

One of my favorite speeches from American history is a little known or at least little talked about speech by Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention. This speech doesn’t fit the narrative of the Founders all being deists. Benjamin Franklin, who was likely the least religious of the Founders and not a Christian, called the convention to prayer and fasting for guidance and wisdom from God- not something a bunch of deists would do.

“Mr. President:

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. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.

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? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the 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 we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that 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 [H]is notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without [H]is 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 [H]is concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. 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 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 this City be requested to officiate in that service.”

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Psalm 127:1) Franklin acknowledges that any effort endeavoured by men succeeds only if God wills it to succeed. Ultimately, a house cannot be built, a city defended, a nation formed unless the Lord does it.

In many ways, our Constitution and form of government were a grand experiment in self-governance. We take it for granted what the Founder’s created in our form of government- individuals governing themselves through elected representatives, accountable to the people and the Constitution. It doesn’t seem revolutionary now, but it was in 1776.

I have often wondered what the Founding Fathers would think of America today. Usually I think “they would roll over in their graves if they knew how big the government is, that there are further restrictions on guns than the Second Amendment, or the staggering national debt…” the list goes on. But part of me thinks they would be amazed that we made it 250 years.

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 [H]is notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without [H]is aid?

Benjamin Franklin