REMARKS, GOVERNOR'S ANNUAL PRAYER BREAKFAST

ANNAPOLIS

February 17, 1965

Mr. Whitmore, Congressman Schweiker, Reverend members of the
clergy, members of the Legislature, ladies and gentlemen:

We have met here this morning in a spirit of thanksgiving to acknowl-
edge our debt to the Almighty for the privilege we have in being
citizens of a nation in which we can enjoy the blessings of life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. As the Governor of the State, and on
behalf of all its citizens, it is a pleasure to welcome to our State capital
Congressman Richard Schweiker, of our neighbor state, Pennsylvania,
our principal speaker at this Sixth Annual Governor's Prayer Break-
fast. Congressman Schweiker, it was most generous of you to take your-
self away from your many duties in Washington to join with us in this
prayer breakfast.

The printed program which has been distributed here this morning
quotes from the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Inde-
pendence to show that the United States of America began and lives
as a result of faith in God. With all deference to those who planned
the program, I should like to point out that our Maryland Constitution
also gives recognition to this faith. For the Declaration of Rights,
which is a part of our State Constitution, begins with these words:
"We, the people of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God
for our civil and religious liberty... declare, "and so on with the
enunciation of the principles of our government.

This acknowledgment of our Creator is the foundation upon which
we have built our civilization. And while we, as a free people, zealously
guard our right to worship in accordance with the dictates of our
consciences, we do recognize the importance of reverence to a su-
preme being. Article 36 of our Maryland Declaration of Rights states
that "it is the duty of every man to worship God in such manner as he
thinks most acceptable to him" and that "all persons are equally

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