At the age of 81 Dr. Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest member in the hall.  Frail and not in the best of health, he had watched for weeks as his fellow delegates wasted their time with endless and meaningless debate.  Like those who had gone home in disgust, he had had his "fill" of the sorry proceeding.  As the close of business approached on June 28th he could hold his peace and ignore the problem no longer.  "Sage" of the convention, the wise old man caught the attention of George Washington and asked to be heard.

"The small progress we have made after four or five weeks' close attendance and continual reasonings with each other--our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ayes--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 Great Britain, when we were sensible of dangers, 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 his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his 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 His 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 become a reproach and by-word down to future ages.  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."

Two and a half months later the Constitutional Convention adjourned having successfully drafted a document for a form of government unlike anything in human history, the United States Constitution.   Alexander Hamilton pointed out that the final product was the work of many men and that no single delegate's ideas were "more remote" from the final document than his own.  How could such teamwork have emerged from such a diverse group of egos and private agendas?  Hamilton pointed out that the participants had "taken appropriate steps to avoid anarchy and convulsion."