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overriding role of the contingent,
the unforeseen, and the accidental
in history.
Most historians today take a di–
versified or eclectic approach to his–
tory, drawing upon elements of each
school of thought in analyzing and
explaining history. Rather than at–
tempting to discern sorne type of
"grand design," they limit them–
selves to exploring the numerous
and varied causative factors and in–
fluences on the course ofhistory.
Major Factor Overlooked
Most modern historians, however,
have overlooked a major factor in ,
the rise and fall of nations and em- ·
pires. In their reconstruction and in–
terpretation of history, the vast
majority have rejected the notion
that the course of history has been
directly inftuenced and guided by
providential
intervention.
Yet , when the evidence is exam–
ined, "the conclusion that history in
its broad outlines is providentially
governed seems inescapably appar–
ent. Many of the actual
makers
of
history - grea t statesmen and mili–
tary leaders at the helms of nations
and armies - have come to that
very conclusion.
Winston Churchill, for example,
clearly perceived God's hand in his–
tory. In an address before the U.S.
Congress on December 26, 1941, the
British prime minister asserted that
"he must indeed have a blind soul
who cannot see that sorne great pur–
pose and design is being worked out
here below.. . ." On another occa–
sion in Britain sorne 10 months
!ater, the war-time leader further
32
expounded his belief in divine inter–
vention, observing:
"1
sometimes
have a feeling of interference....
l
have a feeling sometimes that sorne
Guiding Hand has interfered."
Benjamín Franklin held a simi lar
conviction. Speaking at the Consti–
tutional Convention in Philadelphia
in June 1787, Franklin asserted:
"The longer 1 live the more con–
vincing proofs
1
see that
God governs
in the affairs of men.
And if a spar–
row cannot fall to the ground with–
out his notice [a reference to
Matthew 10:29], is it probable that
an empire can rise without his aid?"
Changing the Course of Hlstory
Historical evidence to support such
a belief is abundant. Strange, in–
explicable, and miraculous circum–
stances at certain crucial junctures
in the stories of nations and empires
seem to point unmistakably to the
guiding hand of God. Sorne exam–
ples:
• In his quest for world domina–
tion, King Philip 11 of Spain sent
his "invincible" 124-ship Armada
against England in July 1588. After
about a week of fighting against the
English, who were led by Sir Francis
Drake, the Armada crossed the
English Channel and anchored at
Calais. On the night of July 28,
Drake sent blazing tire ships adrift
among the anchored Spanish fleet,
causing the Spaniards to cut cable
and put to sea in confusion.
The Armada fled northward, pur–
sued hotly by Drake. The hardest
fighting of the entire naval cam–
paign followed, and the Spanish lost
heavily. But before Drake could de-
liver the knockout punch , the
English ran out of ammunition! As
the Spanish attempted to escape
and return home to Spain by way of
the North Sea, however, unprece–
dented gale-force winds arose and
drove many of the ships to their
doom on the rocky shores of Ireland
and Scotland.
For many days, fragments of
Spanish vessels were cast by every
tide upon the northern coasts of the
isles. The tattered ships which es–
ca ped disaster limped home
to
Spain, but many were so badly bat–
tered by the severe storms that they
were unfit for further service.
Philip's quest for European domina–
tion was foiled , in part, by a timely
change in the weather.
In commemoration of the Spanish
defeat , Queen Elizabeth 1 - aware
or
the real source of the victory -
ordered the striking of a silver com–
memorative meda!, bearing the in–
scription: "God blew, and they were
scattered." Also, in a song of thanks–
giving composed shortly after the
Armada's defeat , Eliza beth de–
clared: "He made the wynds and
waters rise, To scatter all myne ene–
mies...."
• Napoleon's dramatic victory
over the combined armies of Russia
and Austria at Austerlitz on Decem–
ber 2, 1805, established his domi–
nance over the European continent.
But his victory cannot be attributed
solely to his tactical brilliance.
December 2 began with thick fog
and mist. The Russians and Austri–
ans could have wished for nothing
better. Under its cover, they hoped,
the Austro-Russian armies would be
The
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1977