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Of great interest to Americans, are George Washington's hand-calligraphied
prayers entitled "The Daily Sacrifice," constituting a morning and evening
prayer for each day of the week. Following are a number of these, reprinted
for all to read:
Sunday Morning
ALMIGHTY GOD, and most merciful father, who
didst command the children of Israel to offer a daily sacrifice to thee,
that thereby they might glorify and praise thee for thy protection both
night and day; receive, O Lord, my morning sacrifice which I now offer up to
thee; I yield thee humble and hearty thanks that thou hast preserved me from
the dangers of the night past, and brought me to the light of this day, and
the comforts thereof, a day which is consecrated to thine own service and
for thine own honour. Let my heart, therefore, gracious God, be so affected
with the glory and majesty of it, that I may not do mine own works, but wait
on thee, and discharge those weighty duties thou requirest of me; and since
thou art a God of pure eyes, and wilt be sanctified in all who draw near
unto thee, who dost not regard the sacrifice of fools, nor hear sinners who
tread in thy courts, pardon, I beseech thee my sins, remove them from thy
presence as far as the east is from the west, and accept of me for the
merits of thy son Jesus Christ, that when I come into thy temple, and
compass thine altar my prayer may come before thee as incense and as I
desire thou wouldst hear me calling upon thee in my prayers, so give me
grace to hear thee calling on me in thy word, that it may be wisdom,
righteousness, reconciliation & peace to the saving of my soul in the day of
the Lord Jesus. Grant that I may hear it with reverence, receive it with
meekness, mingle it with faith, and that it may accomplish in me, gracious
God, the good work for which thou hast sent it. Bless my family, kindred,
friends and country, be our God and guide this day and for ever for his
sake, who lay down in the grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Sunday Evening
O MOST GLORIOUS GOD, in Jesus Christ my merciful & loving father, I
acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of
the duties of this day. I have called on thee for pardon and forgiveness of
sins, but so coldly & carelessly, that my prayers are become my sin and
stand in need of pardon. I have heard thy holy word, but with such deadness
of spirit that I have been an unprofitable and forgetful hearer, so that, O
Lord, tho' I have done thy work, yet it hath been so negligently that I may
rather expect a curse than a blessing from thee. But, O God, who art rich
in mercy and plenteous in redemption, mark not, I beseech thee, what I have
done amiss; remember I am but dust, and remit my transgressions, negligences
& ignorances, and cover them all with the absolute obedience of thy dear
Son, that those sacrifices which I have offered may be accepted by thee, in
and for the sacrifice Jesus Christ offered upon the cross for me; for his
sake, ease me of the burden of my sins, and give me grace that by the call
of the gospel I may rise from the slumber of sin unto newness of life. Let
me live according to those holy rules which thou hast this day prescribed in
thy holy word; make me to know what is acceptable in thy sight and therein
to delight. Open the eyes of my understanding, and help me thoroughly to
examine myself concerning my knowledge, faith and repentance. Increase my
faith, and direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the way, the truth and
the life. Bless, O Lord, all the people of this land, from the highest to
the lowest, particularly those whom thou hast appointed to rule over us in
church & state. Continue thy goodness to me this night. These weak
petitions I humbly implore thee to hear, accept and answer for the sake of
thy dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday Morning
O ETERNAL AND EVERLASTING GOD, I presume
to present myself this morning before thy divine majesty, beseeching
thee to accept of my humble and hearty thanks, that it hath pleased thy
great goodness to keep and preserve me the night past from all the
dangers poor mortals are subject to, and hast given me sweet and
pleasant sleep, whereby I find my body refreshed and comforted for
performing the duties of this day, in which I beseech thee to defend me
from all perils of body & soul. Direct my thoughts, words and work,
wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb, and purge my
heart by thy Holy Spirit, from the dross of my natural corruption, that
I may with more freedom of mind and liberty of will serve thee, the ever
living God in righteousness and holiness this day, and all the days of
my life. Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the gospel; give me
repentence from dead works; pardon my wanderings, & direct my thoughts
unto thyself, the God of my salvation. Teach me how to live in thy
fear, labour in thy service, and ever to run in the ways of thy
commandments. Make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the
terrors of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor
an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a spiritual
slumber, but daily frame me more and more into the likeness of thy son
Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favour, I may in
thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal
life. Bless my family, friends & kindred. Unite us all in praising &
glorifying thee in all our works begun, continued and ended when we
shall come to make our last account before thee blessed Saviour, who
hath taught us thus to pray, our Father, &c.
Monday Evening
MOST GRACIOUS LORD GOD, from whom
proceedeth every good and perfect gift, I offer to thy divine majesty my
unfeigned praise & thanksgiving for all thy mercies towards me. Thou
mad'st me at first and hast ever since sustained the work of thy own
hand; thou gav'st thy Son to die for me; and hast given me assurance of
salvation, upon my repentance and sincerely endeavouring to conform my
life to his holy precepts and example. Thou art pleased to lengthen out
to me the time of repentance, and to move me to it by thy spirit and by
thy word, by thy mercies, and by thy judgments. Out of a deepness of
thy mercies, and my own unworthiness, I do appear before thee at this
time; I have sinned and done very wickedly, be merciful to me, O God,
and pardon me for Jesus Christ's sake: instruct me in the particulars of
my duty, and suffer me not to be tempted above what thou givest me
strength to bear. Take care, I pray thee of my affairs and more and
more direct me in thy truth. Defend me from my enemies, especially my
spiritual ones. Suffer me not to be drawn from thee, by the
blandishments of the world, carnal desires, the cunning of the devil, or
deceitfulness of sin. Work in me thy good will and pleasure, and
discharge my mind from all things that are displeasing to thee, of all
ill will and discontent, wrath and bitterness, pride & vain conceit of
myself, and render me charitable, pure, holy, patient and heavenly
minded. Be with me at the hour of death; dispose me for it, and deliver
me from the slavish fear of it, and make me willing and fit to die
whenever thou shalt call me hence. Bless our rulers in church and
state. Bless O Lord the whole race of mankind, and let the world be
filled with the knowledge of Thee and thy son Jesus Christ. Pity the
sick, the poor, the weak, the needy, the widows and fatherless, and all
that mourn or are broken in heart, and be merciful to them according to
their several necessities. Bless my friends and grant me grace to
forgive my enemies as heartily as I desire forgiveness of Thee my
heavenly Father. I beseech thee to defend me this night from all evil,
and do more for me than I can think or ask, for Jesus Christ's sake, in
whose most holy name & words I continue to pray, Our Father, &c.
On April 30, 1789, George Washington was sworn
into office as first president with his left hand upon the Bible, opened
to Genesis, Chapter 49-50. Genesis 49:22-25c, upon which his hand lay,
was Washington's inaugural Scripture. He swore allegiance to the
U.S. Constitution with his right hand upraised, the event taking place
in Federal Hall, New York. As first president of the United States,
George Washington received letters of congratulations from fourteen
churches. In response, he penned personal addresses to each of them.
Reprinted below are a number of these:
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN
Gentlemen,
I receive with great sensibility the testimonial given by the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of
America, of the lively and unfeigned pleasure experienced by them on my
appointment to the first office in the nation.
Although it will be my endeavour to avoid being elated by the too
favorable opinion, which your kindness for me may have induced you to
express of the importance of my former conduct and the effect of my
future services, yet, conscious of the disinterestedness of my motives,
it is not necessary for me to conceal the satisfaction I have felt upon
finding, that my compliance with the call of my country, and my
dependence on the assistance of Heaven to support me in my arduous
undertakings, have, so far as I can learn, met the universal approbation
of my countrymen.
While I reiterate the professions of my dependence upon Heaven, as
the source of all public and private blessings, I will observe, that the
general prevalence of piety, philanthropy, honesty, industry, and
economy seems, in the ordinary course of human affairs, particularly
necessary for advancing and confirming the happiness of our country.
While all men within our territories are protected in worshipping the
deity according to the dictates of their consciences, it is rationally
to be expected from them in return, that they will all be emulous of
evincing the sanctity of their professions by the innocence of their
lives and the beneficence of their actions; for no man, who is
profligate in his morals, or a bad member of the civil community, can
possibly be a true Christian, or a credit to his own religious society.
I desire you to accept my acknowledgments for your laudable
endeavours to render men sober, honest, and good citizens, and the
obedient subjects of a lawful government, as well as for your prayers to
Almighty God for his blessing on our common country, and the humble
instruments, which he has been pleased to make use of in the
administration of its government.
TO THE BISHOPS OF THE METHODIST
EPISCOPAL
Gentlemen,
I return to you individually, and, through you, to your society
collectively in the United States, my thanks for the demonstrations of
affection and the expressions of joy, offered in their behalf, on my
late appointment. It shall still be my endeavour to manifest, by overt
acts, the purity of my inclinations for promoting the happiness of
mankind, as well as the sincerity of my desires to contribute whatever
may be in my power towards the preservation of the civil and religious
liberties of the American people. In pursuing this line of conduct, I
hope, by the assistnace of Divine Providence, not altogether to
disappoint the confidence, which you have been pleased to repose in me.
It always affords me satisfaction, when I find a concurrence in
sentiment and practice between all conscientious men in acknowledgments
of homage to the great Governor of the Universe, and in professions of
support to a just civil government. After mentioning, that I trust the
people of every denomination, who demean themselves as good citizens,
will have occasion to be convinced, that I shall always strive to prove
a faithful and impartial patron of genuine, vital religion, I must
assure you in particular, that I take in the kindest part the promise
you make of presenting your prayers at the Throne of Grace for me, and
that I likewise implore the divine benefiction of yourselves and your
religious community.
TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED
BRETHREN
FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL AMONG THE HEATHEN.
Gentlemen,
I receive with satisfaction the congratulations of your society,
and of the Brethren's congregations in the United States of America.
For you may be persuaded, that the approbation and good wishes of such a
peaceable and virtuous community cannot be indifferent to me.
You will also be pleased to accept my thanks for the treatise* you
presented; and be assured of my patronage in your laudable undertakings.
In proportion as the general government of the United States shall
acquire strength by duration, it is probable they may have it in their
power to extend a salutary influence to the aborigines in the
extremities of their territory. In the mean time, it will be a
desirable thing, for the protection of the Union, to co-operate, as far
as the circumstances may conveniently admit, with the disinterested
endeavours of your Society to civilize and christianize the savages of
the wilderness.
Under these impressions, I pray Almighty God to have you always in
his holy keeping.
* "An Account of the Manner, in which the Protestant Church of the
Unitas Fratrum, or United Grethren, preach the Gospel and carry on
their Mission among the Heathen."
TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, AND LAITY OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
IN THE STATES OF NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY,
PENNSYLVANIA,
DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, AND NORTH CAROLINA, IN
GENERAL
Gentlemen:
I sincerely thank you for your affectionate congratulations on my
election to the chief magistracy of the United States.
After having received from my fellow-citizens in general the most
liberal treatment, after having found them disposed to contemplate, in
the most flattering point of view, the performance of my military
services, and the manner of my retirment at the close of the war, I feel
that I have a right to console myself in my present arduous undertakings
with a hope, that they will still be inclined to put the most favorable
construction on the motives, which may influence me in my future public
transactions.
The satisfaction arising from the indulgent opinion entertained by
the American people of my conduct will, I trust, be some security for
preventing me from doing anything, which might justly incur the
forfeiture of that opinion. And the consideration, that human happiness
and moral duty are inseparably connected, will always continue to prompt
me to promote the progress of the former by inculcating the practice of
the latter.
On this occasion, it would ill become me to conceal the joy I have
felt in perceiving the fraternal affection, which appears to increase
every day among the friends of genuine religion. It affords edifying
prospects, indeed, to see Christians of different denominations dwell
together in more charity, and conduct themselves in respect to each
other with a more Christian-like spirit, than ever they have done in any
former age, or in any other nation.
I receive with the greater satisfaction your congratulations on the
establishment of the new constitution of government, because I believe
its mild yet efficient operations will tend to remove every remaining
apprehension of those, with whose opinions it may not entirely coincide,
as well as to confirm the hopes of its numerous friends; and because the
moderation, patriotism, and wisdom of the present federal legislature
seem to promise the restoration of order and our ancient virtues, the
extension of genuine religion, and the consequent advancement of our
respectability abroad, and of our substantial happiness at home.
I request, most reverend and respected Gentlemen, that you will
accept my cordial thanks for your devout supplications to the Supreme
Ruler of the Universe in behalf of me. May you, and the people you
represent, be the happy subjects of the divine benedictions both here
and hereafter.
Gentlemen:
I receive with a grateful heart your pious and affectionate
address, and with truth declare to you, that no circumstance of my life
has affected me more sensibly, or produced more pleasing emotions, than
the friendly congratulations, and strong assurances of support, which I
received from my fellow-citizens of all descriptions upon my election to
the Presidency of these United States.
I fear, Gentlemen, your goodness has led you to form too exalted an
opinion of my virtues and merits. If such talents as I possess have
been called into action by great events, and those events have
terminated happily for our country, the glory should be ascribed to the
manifest interposition of an overruling Providence. My military
services have been abundantly recompensed by the flattering approbation
of a grateful people; and if a faithful discharge of my civil duties can
insure a like reward, I shall feel myself richly compensated for any
personal sacrifice I may have made by engaging again in public life.
The citizens of the United States of America have given as signal a
proof of their wisdom and virtue, in framing and adopting a constitution
of govenrment without bloodshed or the intervention of force, as they,
upon a former occasion, exhibited to the world, of their valor,
fortitude, and perseverance; and it must be a pleasing circumstance to
every friend of good order and social happiness to find, that our new
government is gaining strength and respectability among the citizens of
this country, in proportion as its operations are known and its effects
felt.
You, Gentlemen, act the part of pious Christians and good citizens
by your prayers and exertions to preserve that harmony and good will
towards men, which must be the basis of every political establishment;
and I readily join with you, that, "while just government protects all
in their religious rights, true religion affords to government its
surest support."
I am deeply impressed with your good wishes for my present and
future happiness, and I beseech the Almighty to take you and yours under
his special care.
Gentlemen:
I thank you, with great sincerity, for your congratulations on my
appointment to the office, which I have the honor to hold by the
unanimous choice of my fellow-citizens; and especially for the
expressions, which you are pleased to use in testifying the confidence,
that is reposed in me by your congregation.
As the delay, which has naturally intervened between my election
and your address, has afforded an opportunity for appreciataing the
merits of the federal government, and for communicating your sentiments
of its administration, I have rather to express my satisfaction, than
regret, at a circumstance, which demonstrates (upon experiment) your
attachment to the former, as well as approbation of the latter.
I rejoice, that a spirit of liberality and philanthropy is much
more prevalent than it formerly was among the enlightened nations of the
earth, and that your brethren will benefit thereby in proportion as it
shall become still more extensive. Happily, the people of the United
States of America have, in many instances, exhibited examples worthy of
imitation, the salutary influence of which will doubtless extend much
farther, if, gratefully enjoying those blessings of peace, which, under
the favor of Heaven, have been obtained by fortitude of war, they shall
conduct themselves with reverence to the Deity, and charity towards
their fellow-creatures.
May the same wonder-working Deity, who long since delivered the
Hebrews from their Egyptian oppressors, and planted them in the promised
land, whose providential agency has lately been conspicuous in
establishing these United States as an independent nation, still
continue to water them with the dews of Heaven, and to make the
inhabitants of every denomination participate in the temporal and
spiritual blessings of that people, whose God is Jehovah.
xi) George Washington, the first U.S. President, composed his own
prayers, comprised
of a morning and evening prayer for each day of the week. What
title did the first
president give to his prayers? (Circle one)
a) Peace, happiness and prosperity
b) Brotherly love
c) The Daily Sacrifice
d) Successful living
xii) In George Wahington's Sunday Evening Prayer, the first
U.S. President prays in the
name of: (Circle one)
a) A Supreme Being
b) A universal God
c) O most glorious God, and thy dear Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord
d) The Brotherhood of man
xiii) In George Washington's Sunday Evening Prayer, the first
U.S. President humbly
beseeches God to: (Circle all correct answers)
a) Give him grace to heed the call of the Gospel
b) Pardon and forgive his sins
c) Increase his salary
d) Give him more votes
e) Remit his transgressions, negligences and ignorances
f) Cover his sins with the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ
xiv) The above historic evidence proves that George Washington, the
first president,
unhesitatingly, both in the public and private spheres of his
life, confessed his belief in:
(Circle one)
a) Mohammedanism
b) Buddhism
c) Deism
d) Christianity
xv) In George Washington's May,1789 letter to The Hebrew Congregation
of the City of
Savannah, the first U.S. President states that the United
States was established as
an independent nation, (Circle one)
a) Whose god is success
b) Whose god is prosperity
c) Whose God is Jehovah
d) Whose god is sports
Answers:
xi) c
xii) c
xiii) a, b, e, f
xiv) d
xv) c
(Excerpted from, The Christian Heritage of our Nation - Ten National
Landmarks, copyright 1997 by Catherine
Millard.)
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