Providence: More Than Just A City In Rhode Island?

Benjamin Franklin, on the evidence of his own words, would not be considered an orthodox Christian believer by any stretch.  He knew George Whitefield personally - the "Billy Graham" of his day - and supported Whitefield's work with orphans, but never took Whitefield's message for his own life and faith.  

Of interest to me though, is that even as an unbeliever in the 18th century, Franklin's view of the world included the reality of the "Transcendent" that would be incomprehensible in our 21st century western culture.  There was more to Franklin's world, than simply the physical, cause-and-effect that was the inquisitive scientist in him.  Read through this collection of every use of the word "Providence" in his Autobiography.   CLICK for source.

• From this instance, reader, Be encouraged to diligence in thy calling, And distrust not Providence.
• And now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His kind providence, which lead me to the means I used and gave them success.
• And this persuasion, with the kind hand of Providence, or some guardian angel, or accidental favorable circumstances and situations, or all together, preserved me, thro' this dangerous time of youth, and the hazardous situations I was sometimes in among strangers, remote from the eye and advice of my father, without any willful gross immorality or injustice, that might have been expected from my want of religion.
• I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made the world, and govern'd it by his Providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter.
• What reverses may attend the remainder is in the hand of Providence; but, if they arrive, the reflection on past happiness enjoy'd ought to help his bearing them with more resignation.
• That he governs the world by his providence.
• The scholars increasing fast, the house was soon found too small, and we were looking out for a piece of ground, properly situated, with intention to build, when Providence threw into our way a large house ready built, which, with a few alterations, might well serve our purpose.
• And, indeed, if it be the design of Providence to extirpate these savages in order to make room for cultivators of the earth, it seems not improbable that rum may be the appointed means.

This is exactly what the "Expressive Individualism" of our moment cannot imagine: a non-Christian, with a scientific inclination who recognizes a Transcendent aspect of reality.  Writers like Carl Trueman, to mention only one, have pointed out that Western culture now sees a world with only an "Immanent Frame" of physical, cause-and-effect.  There is no reality outside the purely physical and as a result, no reference point for morals, values or truth outside of one's own experience.  This "Immanent Frame" perspective has been building momentum and taking ground for centuries - read anything by Carl Trueman - but has now virtually taken over and displaced all other options.

IRONY ALERT: My search capabilities are a bit limited on this, but as best I can tell, in terms of speeches from national leaders in our own day, the last president to refer to Providence in a way that would be recognizable to Ben Franklin was Barak Obama, in a speech in 2012:

• "We draw strength from our victories, and we learn from our mistakes, but we keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon, knowing that providence is with us, and that we are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on earth." 

Since then, our presidents only speak of Providence as the capital of Rhode Island.  That is how dramatically things have changed.  Friends, we have crossed a "tipping point!"