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MacArthur's Prayer for His Son

MacArthur’s Prayer for His Son

   The following appears in Here’s How by Who’s Who, published and edited in 1965 by Jesse Grover Bell, Cleveland, OH. It is “a compilation of messages from successful men, directed to the youth of America, in the hope that herein will be found a spark of inspiration that will point the way to individual achievement.” The book includes literary contributions from 56 influential and prominent men in America who have been successful in such fields as religion, politics, military, industry, sports, and entertainment.

   The individual copy of this book used by Warren Apologetics Center is from the personal library of Dr. James D. Bales (1915-1995) who served as moderator for Dr. Thomas B. Warren during the Warren-Flew debate in 1976. Both Warren and Bales were professors at Harding Graduate School of Religion and Harding University respectfully. Interestingly, the late Dr. George S. Benson, president of Harding (1936-1965) was a contributor to the book which also includes such men as Barry Goldwater, Bill Graham, Otto Graham, Herbert Hoover, J. Edgar Hoover, Norman Vincent Peale, Ronald Reagan, Lawrence Welk, and others.

   The following prayer by General Douglas MacArther for his only son, Arthur, was penned while the general was stationed in Australia and serving as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific area. It was contributed to the book courtesy of Mrs. Douglas MacArther.

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   “Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

   “Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee—and  that to know himself is the foundation-stone of knowledge.

   “Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

   “Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men, one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

   “And after all these things are his, give him, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength.

   “Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, ‘I have not lived in vain.’”

Douglas MacArthur