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Prayer Breakfast, Washington, DC, June 24, 1965
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Prayer Breakfast, Washington, DC, June 24, 1965
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The original documents are located in Box D18, folder "Prayer Breakfast, Washington,
DC, June 24, 1965" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at
the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box D18 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
For Prayer Breakfast;.
I can do no better than to offer you the counsel whire of which Adthe
late Adląi Stevension was fond.
It
is
containedin in a printed page found on his bedside table in New York after
he died. Itzrengezinxpantx Particularly suitable for members of Congress, it
reads in part:
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and learn what peace there
may be in silence. xxxSpeak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to
others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. xxxIf you
compare yourself with others you may become vain and bitter; for there always
therexarexx there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
"Be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be. And whatever
your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with*wx
your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a
beautiful world."
####
BERALD FORD LIBRARY
CARDS
PRAYER BREAKFASTJUNE 24, 1965
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S.
Herald R. 3rd
FEB. 8 1967
public DOCUMENT
M.C.
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
Program Budgest
also Feb. 18, Jean 1967 24
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
MICHIGAN.
- Prayer Breakpot -
after teroion of last few days
Preceding the problems of nept when
with travel problems,
2 retreat into this quotation from
the Biby was has stuck with me
Trust in the Ind itc
medicats
INCIDENT
This in One Man's Way - Each has him
militing
arthmily family
W2 believe in Mod
2 have faith in the Teachings fthe Bible
2 desparately want my cheldren,
GERALD
LIBRARY
my colleagues, my Country + The
World to do the same
at the same time 4 in the contapt
of what we we are Talking about today
2 feel it appropriate to quote
anstracy is 7the Sal not of
the cloth - to hat does this mean -
In The contapt of this descrimin/
It doesn't mean going I chanch
regalarly substance without the necessary
It doesn't mean the ability
to quote from The bible
without translating shore
words into action
DOING /NOT SAYING
It doesn't mean all of the
other things that may
create The surface but
not The substance
What 2 have libel about the
Proyer Breakpat group No -
25 is a personal quite
GERALD
YBRARY
dedicated grup.
Prayer breakfast
Proverb 3 chapter verses 5 and 6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Farth/a sportud optroun
FORD is LIBRARY GERALD
Prayer Breakfast
Bill Peterson--friend in Michigan---writer, philosopher
"Sooner or later, a man if he is wise discovers that life is a mixture of good and
bad days, victory and defeat, give and take.
"He learns that it doesn't pay to be thin-skinned, that he should let some things
go over his head like water on a duck's back.
"He learns that he who loses his temper--loses.
"He learns that carrying a chip on his shoulder is the
easiest way to get
into a fight.
"He learns that the quickest way to become unpopular is to carry tales and gossip
about others.
"He learns that buck-passing always turns out to be a boomerang and that it never paysø
-more-
GERALD
BRARY
breakfast
--3-
"He learns that most of the other f ellows are as ambitious as he is, that they
have brains that are as good or better, and that hard work and not cleverness is
the secret of success.
"He learns that getting along with others depends 90 percent upon his own behavior.
A
2'm found my behavior goes
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
back to Provent 3 - Trust in the
1nd
JERRY,
HERE'S GOOD CLOSING PRAYERI FOR PRAYER BREAKFAST:
0 God of all creation
Grant this our one request;
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
America may be blessed.
####
GERALD
heart;
Prayer Breakfast
Washington, D. C.
Tomat June 24, in not 1965, The Tother Indivith thy mm ways and all h there will Inst her Fry paths 3:56
and
Jean
an
A long time ago I learned that a spirit of optimism-based on
spiritual conviction--gives meaning and direction to living.
One particular instance stands out. It occurred during my football
playing days at the University of Michigan.
We faced Coach Bernie Biermans powerful Minnesota Gophers at their
Big Ten
homecoming game. Among members of that great team were three All Americans.
Michigan Wolverines
The sportswriters and all the experts figured we didn't have a chance.
before
We worked out the day inform the game with all the spirit and
optimism of winners. The great odds facing us only served to strengthen
our faith that we could win that game the next day.
Well, a crowd of 60,000 saw us come out on the short end of a
34 to 0 score. But they saw a good football game. We may have lost that
one, but we all were better young men for it because we played the
refused to give up,
very best we could,
and kept our spirit of optimism.
Because the defeat I think emalysplayer we became a
better team. We accepted the 34 to 0 score without bitterness and looked
ahead to next week's game and the remainder of the season with optimism.
We accepted defeat and planned on winning the next game.
After graduation,my philosophy of optimism was given a strong work-out
at Yale Law School. It helped me through the rough times. Often I depended
on my deep convictions when the jobs of finishing law school while coaching
football were getting too big, too weighty, too overwhelming
for me.
-more-
GERALD
Prayer Breakfast
-2-
counseled
When the late Senator Arthur Vandenberg me on the
advisability of embarking on a career in politics specifically
in the Congress as a Representative from my home district in Michigang
again I based my decision on faith.
I believe that e ach of us has a part in a Divinely-created plan.
For a reason that is beyond me, I made the decision and was successful
in winning election.
All of us that we face a great mass of confusion and strong
divergent forces today. As public servants we are subjected to extreme
pressures and criticism. All around us we see signs of social revolution
irresponsible demonstrations rioting by outsiders who invade quiet
and dignified communities a rising crime rate.
Our enemies abroad are generating strife, turmoil and war. We
live in dangerous times.
And yet, I believe the darkness of the future, the uncertainities,
the doubt, can be wiped away with that patient understanding based on
Hod's
Behal the dim unknown, standeth Hol,
belief in a Supreme plan.
within his own, the shalow, keeping watch above
The capriciousness of destiny is nonsense. We are not at the mercy
offe much assume reshmablity for
of accidents for there are none. Our own character make@ or break us, yeh we
know that m the background is the ommigitatent hand I God.
This is true of an individual, of a nation, of a party, of any
institution.
with the help of Hol
1
We can build any quality into our mentalphy being by meditating upon
that quality every day.
GERALD R.FORD LIBRARY
There is no true desire without faculty and no faculty without
Prayer breakfast
-3-
opportunity.
consestent with Soliwll
When we reality desire to be or to do some thing it is
we divine can be
&
assured shoul will helpure His goil.
sign that the "Fewer wante us to achieve
does mean that we will realize every
This is not to be confused.wit passing wish boy in
summer wanting to be aprofessional baseball player and in the winter he's
changed his mind and wants to be a ski champion
or his sister going
to the Metropolitan opera and thenw anting to be a singer and amonth later
reads of a woman scientist winning the Nobel prize and then thinking she
wants a similar career
these are passing fancies.
A true desire stays. As time goes by it increases
in force.
It is steady and growing and real and me can beliefie that it
in in line moth Hd's plan
The secret of life then is to control our mental states,
for if we do this the rest will follow. Man is not limited by his environment.
helps to
This he create@ by his beliefs and feelings.
X
A splendid example of a person controlling his mental state by
deeply believing that the will of God will be done is an rience
of a young couple in my home of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The man and woman had twin daughters. hey were 3. One lie
in a coma--a tiny child dying in a hospital bed the victim of leukemia.
Her twin sister played around the bed, climbing on her mother's lap and
asking from time to time-"Is my sister going to play with me?----she's sleeping
all the time."
-more-
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
Prayer breakfast
52 -4-
Both parents knew that the child in a coma would be dead by morning.
And they also knew the other little girl would pass away within a few weeks.
Yet the mother and father were steadfast in their belief.
The courageous young father reflected the strong spiritual strength
of himself and his wife when he said, "We accept this. It is His will. We
must not question it. Thank God for having these children with us if even for
short
so a time."
Spiritual optimism? yes. With it came a great and towering strength
to meet life with courage and without questioning His will asking only that
it be done.
A friend of mine in Michigan-- a writer, philosopher and gentle man---
mixits
has expressed a philosophy I have tried to follow to the best of my ility.
I am happy to share it with you.
"Sooner or later," hewrote," a man if he is wise discovers that life is
a mixture of good and bad days, victory and defeat, give and take.
"He learns that it doesn't pay to be a sensitive soul, that he should
let some things go over his head like water on a duck's back.
"He learns that he who loses his temper loses.
"He learns that carrying a chip on his shoulder is the easiest way to
get into a fight.
"He learns that the quickest way to become unpopular is to carry tales
and gossip about others.
"He learns that buck-passing always turns out to be a boomerang and that It
never pays.
GERALD
LIBRARY
--more-
Prayer breakfast
-5-
"He learns that most of the other fellows are as ambitious as he is,
that they have brains that are as good or better, and that hard work and
not LA) cleverness is the secret of success.
"He learns that getting along with others depends 90 percent
Buh behid the dim unknown
upon his own behavior."
stanleth Mhod. keeping watch * * above his own.
And I conclude with his prayer one I have said many, many times
in my church.
"Give us grateful hearts, our Father, for all thy blessings,
"And makes us mindful of the needs of others-through Jesus Christ,
our Lord, amen."
# # #
Conclude with Provute 3:5-6 in same manner
GERALD FORD LIBRARY