Deakin Resigns on his first day- Prayers No 13

February 1879 Alfred Deakin was elected as a member of the Victorian Parliament Legislative Assembly.

Seen in this photo above on far left sitting second from the left on the backbench, he was only 22 years old. Destined to be Australia's founding Father, Attorney General and 3 time Prime Minister, yet his prayer book (that he started in 1884) reveals at this period he was unsure of his future destiny.

Amazingly on his very first day, he resigned his position during his maiden speech because there had been a discrepancy in the ballots and being a man of principle he chose not to remain in office with any question to his legitimacy.

The future King George V addressing 12,000 guests at the opening of Australia's First Federal Parliament. Exhibition Buildings Melbourne 9th May 1901

Deakin Prayer on 10th August 1894

"O God teach me to pray - to pray for the knowledge of Thee who art beyond all knowledge in Thy Self but who hast revealed Thyself in Nature and in the Soul.

O God teach me to pray for to pray is to feel Thine infinite power and Thine infinite love and cast myself upon Thine infinite compassion - to know Thee must be to know the sum and substance of all knowledge. All that has been, all that is but imperfectly though wonderfully declares Thee. To know Thee is to know myself and my destiny in Thy Will - it is joy and strength and expansion of my whole being. That I may come to know Thee O God teach me to pray and to pray for this revelation."

Alfred Deakin - 34 Years old, during the Australasian Federal Convention in Sydney 1891