In 1952, “President Truman’s War” in Korea was at a stalemate. The previous year, he had fired the people’s favorite general, Douglas MacArthur. Truman, ironically in his fight against communism, attempted to nationalize the steel industry and had implemented wage and price controls. Truman’s approval rating stood at 22% as his actions garnered a congressional impeachment inquiry. The cloud of nuclear war covered all, while the Truman administration was viewed as so corrupt that he chose not to run for re-election.
America faced dark times.
America prayed.
Hotel magnate, Conrad Hilton, knew the power of prayer. On his knees, he had sought God as he shepherded his budding hotel enterprise through the Great Depression. He knew that, in the dark times of the 1950’s, America needed to repent and pray.
In 1952, he published his prayer, “America On Its Knees” in major magazines and newspapers across the nation. Later, he joined Senator Frank Carlson (Kansas) sponsoring the legislation to establish the First Thursday of May as the National Day Of Prayer. Conrad also hosted the first National Prayer Breakfast.
America is again facing dark times. We need to repent and pray. Please join me in praying Conrad Hilton’s prayer “America On Its Knees” (full text below). If there’s a National Day of Prayer event near you, please join them in prayer, or, just remember to pray for America, wherever you are!
Note: I’m just a guy who discovered this history in the museum at Conrad Hilton Center. To my knowledge, I am not related to Conrad except that I share his faith in prayer.
AMERICA ON ITS KNEES:
*** Not beaten there by the hammer & sickle, but FREELY, INTELLIGENTLY,
RESPONSIBLY, CONFIDENTLY, POWERFULLY, America now knows it can destroy communism
& win the battle for peace. We need fear nothing or no one . . . except God.
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN:
WE PRAY that YOU save us from ourselves.
The world that YOU have made for us, to live in peace,
we have made into an armed camp.
We live in fear of war to come.
We are afraid of “the terror that flies by
night, and the arrow that flies by day,
the pestilence that walks in darkness
and the destruction that wastes at noon-day.”
We have turned from YOU to go our selfish way.
We have broken YOUR commandments
and denied YOUR truth. We have left YOUR altars
to serve the false gods of money, and pleasure and power.
FORGIVE US AND HELP US
Now, darkness gathers around us and we are confused
in all our counsels. Losing faith in YOU,
we lose faith in ourselves.
Inspire us with wisdom, all of us of every color, race and creed,
to use our wealth, our strength to help our brother,
instead of destroying him.
Help us to do YOUR will as it is done in heaven
and to be worthy of YOUR promise of peace on earth.
Fill us with new faith, new strength and new courage,
that we may win the Battle for Peace.
Be swift to save us, dear God,
before the darkness falls.
***
Conrad Hilton
1952
