28 A Discourse on National Sins: Delivered May 9, 1798 Being the day recommended by the President of the United States to be observed as a day of General Fast By William Linn, D.D. One of the ministers of the Reformed Dutch Church in the City of New York. New York: Printed by T. & J. Swords, No. 99 Pearl-Street, 1798. Linn wrote,
“In the fourth place, that the prevalence of infidelity is a cause of divine judgments. Not many years ago, a professed deist, in this country, was rare. If any doubted, they were ashamed to avow it, and they had so much decency as not to ridicule what the generality of mankind held sacred. But infidelity is now no longer concealed. Its advocates are numerous, and propagate their sentiments with a brazen front. Formerly, some of the most celebrated infidels attacked the Christian religion indirectly; but we have seen it represented as a fable not even cunningly devised, as destructive of morality, and the source of innumerable miseries. We have seen it loaded with all manner of reproach, and a bold attempt made to eradicate it from the earth. From an American press have issued the most horrid blasphemies which have ever been uttered. From an American press issued the first part of the “Age of Reason;” and the second part was re-printed here; a multitude of copies were imported, and circulated with uncommon industry. Surely, if our ports be shut, it should be against such principles as these. Were it possible to lay an embargo on them in the country from which they come, it ought to be done; for they are infinitely more to be dreaded than all the fleets and armies of Europe....”
“Perhaps we may date the growth of infidelity among us, from the entrance of the French army. While they brought us the assistance we desired, and accelerated our independence, they leavened us with ungodliness, and it may yet be said of us, “The strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.” Deism and atheism have long been propagated among that people, and at their revolution appeared in full maturity. Their very Clergy, the professed Ministers of the religion of Christ, headed by the Archbishop of Paris, came before the National Convention, and abjured the Christian religion, declaring that they considered it as an imposture. What else but horrid deeds were to be expected from those who gloried in the confession of their hypocrisy? What confidence can be placed in those who defy the Majesty of heaven and earth? ... As to the leading object of Thomas Paine, I have expressed an opinion. It is certain that his principles directly tend to confusion, and every evil work.... To the necessity of religion, President Washington has borne ample testimony, in his most excellent address on his resignation; an address fraught with political wisdom, and which, in matter and manner, is worthy the pen of the greatest philosopher and statesman in the world. “Of all the dispositions and habits,” says he, “which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained “without religion.”—If the heathen found their religious institutions and worship absolutely necessary, and highly beneficial, what advantages are to be expected from the profession and influence of the true religion? “There was never found,” says the great Lord Bacon, who may be set against an host of infidels, “in any age of the world, either philosophy, or sect, or religion, which did so highly exalt the public good, as the Christian Faith.”—The French legislators have not satisfied themselves with renouncing revealed religion, but have endeavored to destroy natural religion itself. They have denied the being of God and his providence; that there is any future state of existence; declared death to be an eternal sleep; and set up, no objects of worship, Reason and Liberty.”
29 WGW, vol. 2, 7-20-1758
30 Ibid., vol. 4, 4-29-1776.
31 Ibid., vol. 7, 4-15-1777.
32 Ibid., vol. 11-18-1775.
33 Ibid., vol. 27, 12-12-1783.
34 Ibid., vol. 27, 11-2-1783.
35 Ibid., vol.27, 8-10-1783.
36 Ibid., vol. 26, 6-8-1783.
37 Ibid., vol.27, 8-25-1783.
38 Ibid., vol. 28, 4-10-1785.
39 Ibid., vol. 30, 9-28-1789.
40 Ibid., vol. 30, 10-3-1789.
41 Ibid., vol. 35, 9-19-1796.
42 Ibid., vol. 36, 10-24-1798.
43 Ibid., vol. 37, 1799.
CHAPTER 19
1 WGW, vol. 10, 12-17-1777.
2 This Psalm is indeed remarkable in this historical context. The following selection is taken from The New International Version of the Bible.
1. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
2. fight against those who fight against me.
3. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
4. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
5. May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.
6. May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
7. may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
8. Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,
9. may ruin overtake them by surprise—may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
10. Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.
11. My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
3 Cited in Robert Gordon Smith, ed., One Nation Under God: An Anthology for Americans (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1961), pp. 39-40. “Sadly for the American cause, Reverend Duché became a loyalist as the City of Philadelphia fell to the British. He wrote a letter calling on Washington to resign and end the war. Duché left for England. But when the War was over, he returned, and ever the gracious gentleman, Washington answered Duché letter indicating that he held no ill will. Duché’s brother-in-law, Francis Hopkinson, signer of the Declaration and designer of the American flag, wrote a letter to Washington when he learned of the letter from Reverend Duché that had called on him to resign and to end the war.” This was Washington’s response. WGW, vol.10, 11-21, 1777. To Francis Hopkinson.
“Sir: I am favoured with yours of the 14th. inclosing a letter for the Reverend Mr. Duché. I will endeavour to forward it to him, but I imagine it will never be permitted to reach his hands.
[WGW, Note: Hopkinson’s letter to Duché, who was his brother-in-law, is dated November 14 and is printed, in part, in Life and Works of Hopkinson, by George E. Hastings (Chicago, 1926): “Words cannot express the Grief and Consternation that wounded my Soul at the sight of this fatal Performance.... I could go thro’ this extraordinary Letter and point out to you the Truth distorted in every leading Part; But the World will doubtless do this with a Severity that must be Daggers to the Sensibilities of your Heart. Read that Letter over again: and, if possible, divest yourself of the Fears and Influences, whatever they were, that induced you to pen it ... you have by a vain and weak Effort attempted the Integrity of one whose Virtue is impregnable to the Assaults of Fear or Flattery; whose Judgment needed not your Information and who, I am sure, would have resigned his Charge the Moment he found it likely to lead him out of the Paths of Virtue and Honour.... And with whom would you have him negotiate. Are they not those who, without the Sanction of any civil, moral or religious Right, have come 3000 Miles to destroy our Peace and Property: to lay waste to your native Country with Fire and Sword and cruelly muther its Inhabitants. Look for their Justice and Honour, in the Gaols of New York and Philada. and in your own Potter’s Field. ...”]
I confess to you, that I was not more surprised than concerned at receiving so extraordinary a Letter from Mr. Duché, of whom I had entertained the most favourable opinion, and I am still willing to suppose, that it was rather dictated by his fears than by his real sentiments; but I very much doubt whether the great numbers of respectable Characters, in the State and Army, on whom he has bestowed the most unprovoked and unmerited abuse will ever attribute it to the same Cause, or forgive the Man who has artfully endeavoured to engage me to Sacrifice them to purchase my own safety.
I never intended to have made the letter more public than by laying it before Congress. I thought this a duty which I owed to myself, for had any accident have happened to the Army intrusted to my command, and it had ever afterwards have appeared that such a letter had been wrote to and received by me, might it not have been said that I had betrayed my Country? and would not such a correspondence, if kept a secret, have given good Grounds for the suspicion?
I thank you for the favourable sentiments which you are pleased to express of me, and I hope no act of mine will ever induce you to alter them.”
4 First Prayer in Congress—Beautiful Reminiscence (Washington, D. C.: Library of Congress); John S. C. Abbot, George Washington (NY: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1875, 1917), p. 187.
5 Consider the following from the pen of a revolutionary soldier: “Our enemy does not knock them on the head, or burn them to death with torches, or flay them alive, or gradually dismember them till they die, which is customary among Savages &Barbarians. No, they are worse by far. They suffer them to starve, to linger out their lives in extreme hunger. One of these poor unhappy men, driven to the last extreme by the rage of hunger, ate his own fingers up to the first joint of his hand, before he died....” John Joseph Stoudt, Ordeal At Valley Forge: A Chronicle Compiled from the Sources (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1963.) p. 24-25
