School Books or Bars and Factories?

It has been a rough and disturbing year politically speaking. Nearly every day, I read something that shocks or stuns me and forces me to wonder, “Can this actually be happening in America!”

It’s at moments like these where I feel powerless.

I do believe God, however one defines it, speaks to each of us privately and quietly in surprising moments, unasked, and always in a language we understand so that we can act on what we hear. Action is important.

At times like these, it’s very hard to stand on the sidelines and bear witness to the social u-turn our nation is steadfastly undertaking.

For instance, last century’s child labor laws are being dismantled in states like Iowa, Arkansas, New Hampshire, and New Jersey among others—for the sake of greater profits. These are federal laws that took children out of dangerous mines and factories and put them into schools instead so that they would be sufficiently educated to perform civic duties as adults—duties such as voting and understanding the value and purpose of our democracy.

What hope is there for a child who must forgo an education? How must they grow up and compete successfully against a grownup who received that education? And in who’s world is it ever okay for a 14 year-old to be hired as a cocktail waitress and serve alcohol to older men? Yet this is happening in America unless someone stops it in court.

At times like these when I feel despair for where we’re headed as a nation, I hear that quiet voice that reigns anonymously within and is always full of love. In offering wisdom it sets me straight and reminds me there is something I can do—something we can all do. Listen to its quiet voice instead of stewing over what is.

So I did.

Upon hearing the key words it offered, I conducted a search on the internet and found something interesting: A pdf copy of a very old book catalogued in the Library of Congress, written by Philip Eugene Howard, and published in 1911 by the Sunday School Times Company in Philadelphia. Its title is “A Prayer Before the Lesson”.

Since this book was long before my time, I had never heard of it or its author. Was there something specific I was to read in this book? Yes, a prayer on page 4 which I share below:

“O GOD of all power, who hast given unto men the power to overcome the evil that men would do, grant unto us the courage and strength to strive valiantly for the relief of those who are bond-slaves today because of man's greed for gain.

Help us to remember the children whose lives are darkened, whose bodies are hindered, whose minds are shadowed by the toil of days and nights in shop and factory and mine; and may we do what thou canst enable us to do to set these children free.

And if any one of us today is struggling on in the bondage of a self-made slavery to any wrong habit of thought or deed, merciful Father, may the bonds be broken quickly, and may there come into such a life the freedom of full surrender to thy will. Amen.”