“By the merest accident Mr. Henkels discovered this document. While making arrangements for the sale, he came across a dilapidated trunk, which Mr. Washington assured him contained only papers of no value, papers which had been rejected by authorities of the Smithsonian Institute when offered for exhibition. In looking them over he came across this document and recognized at once what he considered the penmanship of Washington. His judgment was substantiated by other experts, to whom the manuscript was submitted.
“Mr. W.E. Benjamin, the well-known New York dealer, purchased the manuscript for twelve hundred and fifty dollars, and by him it was sold to the late Reverend Charles Frederick Hoffman, D.D. Naturally the discovery and sale of such an important manuscript of Washington attracted considerable attention and in the columns of the New York Evening Post the authenticity of the manuscript was challenged. It is not my purpose to revive the controversy. Where experts disagree a layman’s opinion counts for little. Able experts declare the prayers were written by Washington. One says they were written by a Washington. Another, they are ‘written in the unformed hand of the great patriot. It is well-known fact that Washington between the years 1755 and 1763 changed his hand from the angular to the round formation.’
“The ultimate judgment must be based on the chirography, for there are no a priori arguments to prove that Washington did not write them.
“What disposition Dr. Hoffman made of the manuscript I have been unable to discover. In Dr. Potter’s Washington a Model in his Library and Life is the following statement: ‘The Reverend Dr. Chas. F. Hoffman has lately purchased “Washington’s Prayers,” The MSS. [manuscripts] containing morning and evening prayers for various days of the week. He has under consideration, for the benefit of young men and others, a division of this very valuable manuscript, forming a sermon every page, for deposit in the fire-proof libraries of St. Stephen’s College, Hobart College, Trinity College, and the University of the South, each institution to have also a complete free circulation of the whole work.”
“An analysis of this first prayer shows that it is made up almost entirely of sentences from the Prayer Book, and the other prayers are drawn largely from the same source. Almost every part of the Prayer Book has been laid under contribution, showing that the author was very familiar with its entire contents.
“While the Prayer Book is undoubtedly the source of the prayers, the question of this authorship is not determined. Dr. Lyman Abbott and Prof. Upham attributed them to Washington.
“No proof can be given that these prayers were composed by Washington, but, on the other hand, no proof had been produced to show that they were not his work. Professor Lucien M. Robinson is of the opinion that they are taken from some collection of prayers, but has not yet been able to confirm his opinion. I think this is very probable, and have endeavored to discover their source, but so far the search has been in vain. At present, the question is an open one, and its settlement will depend on the discovery of the originals, or upon the demonstration that they are the work of Washington.”
These being the arguments in favor of the prayers, the arguments against them may be considered, without dwelling over much on their discovery in a neglected old trunk whose contents, as Mr. Henkels confesses, “had been rejected by the authorities of the Smithsonian Institute when offered for exhibition.”1
Below are these disputed prayers that some scholars claim were in Washington’s own handwriting, while other scholars disagree.
THE DEBATED “DAILY SACRIFICE” PRAYERS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON
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 honor.
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 doest to regard the sacrifice of fools, or hear sinners who tread in the 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 prayers may come before thee as incense; and as 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 and 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 has sent it. Bless my family, kindred, friends and country, be our God & 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 these 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 are 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 ans. for 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 repentance 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 favor, I may in thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal life. Bless my family, friends and kindred, and unite us all in praising and 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 to pray our Father, &c.
The authenticity of these written prayers continues to be strongly debated
Monday Evening...Most Gracious Lord God, from whom proceedeth every good and perfect gift, I offer to Thy Divine Majesty my unfeigned praise and 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 at this time; I have sinned and done very wickedly, be merciful to me, O God, and pardon me for Jesus Christ sake: instruct me in the particulars of my duty, and suffer me not to be tempted 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 the 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. Worm 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 sake, in whose most holy name and Words, I continue to pray, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name….
Tuesday Morning...O Lord our God, most mighty and merciful father, I, thine unworthy creature and servant, do once more approach Thy presence. Though not worthy to appear before Thee, because of my natural corruptions, and the many sins and transgressions which I have committed against Thy Divine Majesty; yet I beseech Thee, for the sake of Him in whom Thou are well pleased, the Lord Jesus Christ, to admit me to render Thee deserved thanks and praises for Thy manifold mercies extended toward me, for the quiet rest & repose of the past night, for food, raiment, health, peace, liberty and the hopes of a better life through the merit of thy dear son’s bitter passion. and O kind father continue thy mercy and favour to me this day, and ever hereafter; prosper all my lawful undertakings; let me have all my direction from thy holy spirit, and success from thy bountiful hand. Let the bright beams of thy light so shine into my heart, and enlighten my mind in understanding thy blessed word, that I may be enabled to perform thy will in all things, and effectually resist all temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. preserve and defend our rulers in church & state. bless the people of this land, be a Father to the fatherless, a Comforter to the comfortless, a Deliverer to the captives, and a Physician to the sick. Let Thy blessing be upon our friends, kindred and families. Be our Guide this day and forever through Jesus Christ in whose blessed form of prayer I conclude my weak petitions—Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name….
Tuesday Evening...Most gracious God and heavenly Father, we cannot cease, but must cry unto Thee for mercy, because my sins cry against me for justice. How shall I address myself unto thee, I must with the publican stand and admire at they great goodness, tender mercy, and long suffering towards me, in that thou hast kept me the past day from being consumed and brought to nought. O Lord, what is man, or the son of man, that thou regardest him; the more days pass over my head, the more sins and iniquities I heap up against thee. If I should cast up the account of my good deeds done this day, how few and small would they be; but if I should reckon my miscarriages, surely they would be many and great. O, blessed Father, let thy son’s blood wash me from all impurities, and cleanse me from the stains of sin that are upon me. Give me grace to lay hold upon his merits; that they may be my reconciliation and atonement unto thee,—That I may know my sins are forgiven by His death and passion. Embrace me in the arms of thy mercy; vouchsafe to receive me unto the bosom of Thy love, shadow me with Thy wings, that I may safely rest under Thy protection this night; And so into Thy hands I commend myself, both soul and body, in the name of Thy son, Jesus Christ, beseeching Thee, when this life shall end, I may take my everlasting rest with Thee in Thy heavenly kingdom. Bless all in authority over us, be merciful to all those afflicted with Thy cross or calamity, bless all my friends, forgive my enemies and accept my thanksgiving this evening for all the mercies and favors afforded me;
Hear and graciously answer these my requests, and whatever else Thou see’st needful grant us, for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and Words I continue to pray, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name….
Wednesday Morning...Almighty and eternal Lord God, the great Creator of heaven and earth, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; look down from heaven, in pity and compassion upon me Thy servant, who humbly prostrate myself before Thee, sensible of Thy mercy and my own misery; there is an infinite distance between thy glorious majesty and me, thy poor creature, the work of thy hand, between thy infinite power, and my weakness, thy wisdom, and my folly, thy eternal Being, and my mortal frame, but, O Lord, I have set myself at a greater distance from thee by my sin and wickedness, and humbly acknowledge the corruption of my nature and the many rebellions of my life. I have sinned against heaven and before thee, in thought, word & deed; I have contemned thy majesty and holy laws. I have likewise sinned by omitting what I ought to have done, and committing what I ought not. I have rebelled against light, despised thy mercies and judgments, and broken my vows and promises; I have neglected the means of Grace, and opportunities of becoming better; my iniquities are multiplied, and my sins are very great. I confess them, O Lord, with shame and sorrow, detestation and loathing, and desires to be vile in my own eyes, as I have rendered myself vile in thine. I humbly beseech thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins, for the sake of thy dear Son, my only Saviour, J.C., who came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; be pleased to renew my nature, and write thy laws upon my heart, and help me to live, righteously, soberly and godly in this evil world; make me humble, meek, patient and contented, and work in me the grace of thy holy spirit. prepare me for death and judgment, and let the thoughts thereof awaken me to a greater care and study to approve myself unto thee in well doing. Bless our rulers in church & state. Help all in affliction or adversity—give them patience and a sanctified use of their affliction, and in Thy good time, deliverance from them; forgive my enemies, take me unto Thy protection this day, keep me in perfect peace, which I ask in the name and for the sake of Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday Evening...Holy and eternal Lord God who art the King of heaven, and the watchman of Israel, that never slumberest or sleepst, what shall we render unto thee for all thy benefits: because thou hast inclined thine ear unto me, therefore will I call on there as long as I live, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same let thy name be praised. among the infinite riches of the mercy towards me, I desire to render thanks & praise for thy merciful preservation of me this day, as well as all the days of my life; and for the many other blessings & mercies spiritual & temporal which thou hast bestowed on me, contrary to my deserving. All these thy mercies call on me to be thankful and my infirmities & wants call for a continuance of thy tender mercies: cleanse my soul, O Lord, I beseech thee, from whatever is offensive to thee, and hurtful to me, and give me what is convenient for me. Watch over me this night, and give me comfortable and sweet sleep to fit me for the service of the day following. Let my soul watch for the coming of the Lord Jesus; let my bed put me in mind of my grave, and my rising from there of my last resurrection; O heavenly Father, so frame this heart of mine, that I may ever delight to live according to thy will and command, in holiness and righteousness before thee all the days of my life. Let me remember, O Lord, the time will come when the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall arise and stand before the judgment seat, and give an account of whatever they have done in the body, and let me so prepare my soul, that I may do it with joy and not with grief. Bless the rulers and people of this and forget not those who are under any affliction or oppression. Let thy favour be extended to all my relations friends and all others who I ought to remember in my prayer and hear me I beseech thee for the sake of my dear redeemer in whose most holy words, I farther pray, Our Father, &c.
Thursday Morning...Most Gracious Lord God, whose dwelling is in the highest heavens, and yet beholdest the lowly and humble upon earth, I blush and am ashamed to lift up my eyes to thy dwelling place, because I have sinned against thee; look down, I beseech thee upon me thy unworthy servant who prostrate myself at the footstool of thy mercy, confessing my own guiltiness, and begging pardon for my sins; what couldst thou have done Lord more for me, or what could I have done more against thee? Thou didst send thy Son to take our nature upon
Note: The manuscript ended at this place, the close of a page. Whether the other pages were lost, or the prayers were never completed, has not been determined.2
RUPERT HUGHES’ FIVE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THEIR AUTHENTICITY
As we have seen, Rupert Hughes calls Washington’s “Daily Sacrifice Prayers” the “Spurious Prayers” of Washington. There are five basic arguments used by Rupert Hughes against the authenticity of these prayers.
(1) George Washington was not a Christian
According to Hughes, Washington was not a Christian, so he wouldn’t have written or copied such prayers. (But we have thoroughly answered and disproved that claim throughout this book. Further, Washington’s life long use of and exposure to the Anglican Book of Common Prayer would also be an argument for the potential authorship of copying of these prayers that in many ways come from the Book of Common Prayer.)
(2) The Differences of Tone and Style
Hughes writes,
To one who has read at all widely in what Washington has written, the tone is as foreign as if they were written in Greek. There is not a misspelled word, not a touch of incorrect grammar, not a capitalized noun or other emphatic word except the titles of the deity. In the final two entries of his Diary for December 12 and 13, 1799, Washington spells the following words with a capital: “Cloudy, Mercury, Moon, Night, Hail, Rain, Snowing, O’clock.” The punctuation is precise and faultless.3
(3) The Question of Historical Context
Hughes writes,
This is not the place for a theological or bibliological treatise, but one who will read such a work as Reverend Dr. John Wright on Early Prayer Books of America will find it hard to believe that either Washington or anybody else could have written this manuscript until the early part of the Nineteenth Century. Washington died in 1799.4
(4) Possibility of Another Author
Hughes writes,
Mount Vernon was occupied variously after his death, and some member of the household – probably a woman- may easily have begun a transcript of phrases from the Prayer Book and given it up before the work was done.5
(5) Question of Handwriting Styles
Again Hughes notes,
The rejection of the manuscript neither implies nor excuses any suggestion of fraud in their connection. Sincerity is granted to the believers in it. Forgery is not to be considered since a forger would have given at least an imitation of Washington’s penmanship. And of this there is no trace. The little memorandum-book contains twenty-four pages of handwriting consisting of a series of daily prayers headed “The Daily Sacrifice.” There is a prayer for each morning and evening, beginning Sunday morning and ending abruptly in the middle of a sentence under Thursday morning.6
The impossibility of the work being in Washington’s hand should be apparent to the most casual comparison. The writer of the Prayers, for instance always crosses his final “t’s” and all his “t’s” are squatty and flat. Washington always wrote a tall thin “t,” and usually ended it with a mere sidewise uplift. Little words like “and,” “the,” “this,” and “most” are utterly unlike his, nor the familiar “G,” nor the “L,” nor the “D,” nor any of the capitals. The same is true of the small letters, their joining and angles. The dates and days of the week are not in the least like his. Never in his life could Washington have written the sentence as they run. The “round hand” he practiced for a time has no resemblance to this specimen. The tracings herewith may be compared with the facsimiles from Washington’s Note Books of 1757 which were written in the so-called “round hand” he used for ten years.7
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, the argument for or against the authenticity of these prayers cannot be solved by this current study. Perhaps an extensive forensic science analysis of the handwriting along with a radio carbon-dating assessment of the pages might help clarify the question of whether Washington could have written these prayers largely drawn from the Book of Common Prayer. Again, since we have taken the “minimalist facts” approach in this study, our argument is not dependent in any way upon the authenticity of these prayers. We include them here because of their extensive use in the debate over George Washington’s Christianity.
Furthermore, simply peruse the prayers found in the Book of Common Prayer, and one will find prayers similar to those of the “Daily Sacrifice.” Prayers from both sources invoke the mercy of Jesus Christ as well as seeking and accepting his forgiveness. Since Washington was a regular user of the Book of Common Prayer, it is easily conceivable that he could have used the prayers of the “Daily Sacrifice” as well.
At the very least, we can ask the question of why a Deist would even bother to have such Christian manuscript prayers in his possession in the first place. If they were given to him, why did he accept them? Why did he keep them? These are the sorts of prayers a Christian would likely have had in his personal possession. This fact coheres with the evidence of Washington’s Christian faith.
The bottom line is that the authenticity or non-authenticity of these “Daily Sacrifice Prayers” make no difference to the evidence of Washington’s Christianity. Authentic or not, Washington’s own one hundred plus written prayers from his own public and private letters are more than sufficient to demonstrate his Christian faith.
APPENDIX FIVE
A Summary of Washington’s Most Important Sermons
