39 Book of Common Prayer.
40 Norman Cousins, In God We Trust—The Religious Beliefs and Ideas of the American Founding Fathers (NY: Harper & Brothers, 1958), p. 60.
41 Sparks, The Writings of George Washington, vol. VI, p. 36.
42 We considered these in the previous chapter.
43 Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, vol. 3 p. 486.
44 Rhodehamel, George Washington: Writings, p. 582.
45 WGW, vol. 17, 11-27-1779.
46 Jackson, Twohig, Diaries of George Washington, 11-11-1751.
47 Ibid., 11-17.
48 Descriptions of Washington would not overlook the fact that he was a smallpox survivor. “I would not mention to you the person of this excellent man, were I not convinced that it bears great analogy to the qualifications of his mind. General Washington is now in the forty-seventh year of his age; he is a tall well-made man, rather large boned, and has a tolerably genteel address: his features are manly and bold, his eyes of a bluish cast and very lively; his hair a deep brown, his face rather long and marked with the small pox; his complexion sun burnt and without much colour, and his countenance sensible, composed and thoughtful; there is a remarkable air of dignity about him, with a striking degree of gracefulness: he has an excellent understanding without much quickness; is strictly just, vigilant, and generous; an affectionate husband, a faithful friend, a father to the deserving soldier; gentle in his manners, in temper rather reserved; a total stranger to religious prejudices, which have so often excited Christians of one denomination to cut the throats of those of another; in his morals irreproachable; he was never known to exceed the bounds of the most rigid temperance: in a word, all his friends and acquaintance universally allow, that no man ever united in his own person a more perfect alliance of the virtues of a philosopher with the talents of a general.” W. S. Baker, Character Portraits of George Washington (Philadelphia: Robert M. Lindsay, 1887), p. 12 John Bell.
49 WGW, vol. 6, December 20, 1776.
50 Ibid., vol. 5 June 13, 1776.
51 1660 Book of Common Prayer.
52 Boller, George Washington & Religion, p. 181.
53 Rhodehamel, George Washington: Writings, p. 351.
54 WGW, vol. 35, June 4, 1797.
55 See the chapter “George Washington and Communion.”
56 Johnson, George Washington The Christian, p. 59.
57 Rhodehamel, George Washington: Writings, p. 733.
58 WGW, vol. 29, February 11, 1788.
59 “But providence, for purposes beyond the reach of mortal scan, has suffered the restless and malignant passions of man, the ambitious and sordid views of those who direct them, to keep the affairs of this world in a continual state of disquietude; and will, it is to be feared, place the prospects of peace too far off, and the promised millenium at an awful distance from our day.”
60 “If this maxim [meddling as little as possible in their affairs where our own are not involved] was generally adopted Wars would cease, and our swords would soon be converted into reap-hooks, and our harvests be more abundant, peaceful, and happy. ‘Tis wonderful it should be otherwise and the earth should be moistened with human gore, instead of the refreshing streams, wch. the shedders of it might become, instruments to lead over its plains, to delight and render profitable our labours. But alas! the millenium will not I fear appear in our days.”
61 Rhodehamel, George Washington: Writings, p. 693.
62 See the appendix of Washington’s Biblical allusions.
63 WGW, vol. 3, 6-20-1773. To Burwell Bassett.
CHAPTER 31
1 WGW, vol. 17, 11-27-1779. General Orders.
2 Joseph J. Ellis, His Excellency: George Washington (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004), 7. In general, he talks about “Parson Weems’ fabrications.” Ellis, His Excellency, p. 11.
3 We have provided the Daily Sacrifice prayers in full as an appendix.
4 Washington wrote to John Sullivan, December 15, 1779, “A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words are the true criterion of the attachment of his friends....” He noted to Captain John Posey, September 24, 1767: “...it is Works and not Words that People will judge from, and where one Man deceives another from time to time his word being disregarded all confidence is lost.” He penned to Henry Lee a similar observation (February 13, 1789): “For I hold it necessary that one should not only be conscious of the purest intentions; but that one should also have it in his power to demonstrate the disinterestedness of his words and actions at all times, and upon all occasions.” He noted to William Heath (May 20, 1797): “there will always be found a wide difference between the words and actions of any of them [the European powers].” And one final example should cement the point that deeds were more important to Washington than mere words. He noted to John Trumbull (June 25, 1799): “the words and actions of the governing powers of that Nation [France] can not be reconciled.”
5 George Washington, 1763, George Washington letter to Robert Stewart, April 27, 1763, John Rhodehamel, ed., George Washington: Writings (New York: The Library of America, 1997), 108.
6 George Washington, speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs, May 12, 1779, John Rhodehamel, ed., George Washington: Writings (New York: The Library of America, 1997), 351.
7 WGW, vol. 29, 5-2-1788.
8 Slaughter, The History of Truro Parish, p. 34.
9 Schaff’s Creeds of Christendom, vol. III, p. 494.
10 Book of Common Prayer (Oxford: Thomas Baskett, 1751).
11 Online Book of Common Prayer 1662.
12 See Chapter 14, note 5.
13 John Rhodehamel, ed., George Washington: Writings (New York: The Library of America, 1997), 279.
14 WGW, vol. 33, 12-23-1793.
