The First War In North America

The First War In North America

Less than a century before France was the ally of the colonists during the Revolutionary War, she was their worst enemy.

EVER SINCE William of Orange, a firm Protestant, became king of England in 1689, the French attacks on the English colonies in America had been ferocious. In 1745 the New England forces successfully captured Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, from the French with the help of the English fleet. On June 20, 1746, the French angrily responded by dispatching half of their navy “to lay waste the whole seacoast from Nova Scotia to Georgia.” When the New Englanders heard rumors of the impending attack, they weren’t too concerned because they believed that the English navy was so powerful that it would prevent the French ships from even leaving the shores of France. Little did they know that the French had been able to slip out to sea without being detected.

As the Rev. Thomas Prince, pastor of the South Church in Boston, described it: “While we knew no thing of Danger, God beheld it and was working Salvation for us. And when we had none to help in America, He even prevented our Friends in Europe from coming to succour us; that we might see our Salvation as his Work alone, and that the Glory belongs entirely to Him.”

The colonists may not have had the king of England to protect them with his navy, but they had the King of kings. As the seventy French ships headed for Halifax, God first sent a great calm that prevented their ships from sailing, and then he sent several severe storms in which many ships were lost. In addition, a deadly disease swept through the French navy, killing many.

Rev. Jonathan French, a New England pastor, wrote of the people’s response when they saw the French ships approaching Halifax: “Never did the religion, for which the country was settled, appear more important, nor prayer more prevalent, than on this occasion. A prayer-hearing God, stretched forth the arm of His power, and destroyed that mighty Armament, in a manner almost as extraordinary as the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea.”

Shortly after arriving in Halifax, the French admiral, appalled at the loss of most of his fleet and finding his few remaining ships damaged with many crewmen dead or dying, lapsed into a deep depression and died a few days later, his crew suspecting that it was at his own hand. A few more ships limped into port, but they also had so many sick crewmen and such low stocks of food that the commander who replaced the deceased admiral himself committed suicide.

Three days after the remaining French ships left Halifax to attack Annapolis, the citizens of New England held a day of prayer and fasting for God’s deliverance. The Reverand Mr. French described it: “On this great emergency, and day of darkness and doubtful expectation, the 16th of October was observed as a day of fasting and prayer throughout the Province. And, wonderful to relate, that very night God sent upon them a more dreadful storm than either of the former, and completed their destruction. Some overset, some foundered, and a remnant only of this miserable fleet returned to France to carry the news. Thus New England stood still, and saw the salvation of God.”

Reflection

How wonderful to know that God often begins to answer our prayers before we even pray. Has this ever happened to you? What does this tell you about God? Living a life of dependence on God means trusting him to protect us even when we don’t know we are in danger!

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

Isaiah 65:24