At the heart of the Deist perspective is the sense that God is not involved in human history. So if a Deist prays, it is really inconsistent with his worldview, since prayer is not a central tenet of their belief system. So it is consistent for those historians who argue that Washington was a Deist to deny or to diminish any claims of Washington’s alleged prayers. This is evident in the rejection of the story of Washington’s prayer at Valley Forge. It is what motivates the strident criticisms that have been leveled at the use of what has been called Washington’s prayer for America. And it certainly is one of the motivations for the absolute rejection of the significance of the “Daily Sacrifice” prayers that have often appeared in the debate concerning Washington’s faith, prompting some to rename them, the “Spurious Prayers.”
So it may be unexpected to discover that there are more than, one hundred written prayers in Washington’s vast correspondence! How many preachers could find that many written prayers in their letters? What makes this significant is not just the sheer quantity. What Washington revealed in these prayers is also quite important for the question of his religious beliefs. There is always the ready argument available to set aside the force of these prayers—Washington didn’t write them, they were put in his writings by his secretaries and speech writers.18 But that argument just won’t work as we will now see.
For example, one of the draft letters containing a prayer was prepared by Thomas Jefferson, who was not known as a particularly religious man of prayer. This is significant because it answers this allegation that these written prayers were foisted on Washington by his hyper-religious military staff that hailed from the Puritan New England states. Consider Jefferson’s draft that was written during Washington’s first term, at the time of the opening of the new government in the wake of the French Revolution:
To THE PROVISORY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF FRANCE
I assure you, with a sincere participation, of the great and constant friendship, which these U.S. bear to the French nation. of the interest they feel in whatever concerns their happiness and prosperity, and of their wishes for a perpetual fraternity with them, and I pray God to have them and you, very great and good friends and allies, in his holy keeping.19
Similarly, Washington’s staff member Alexander Hamilton also knew to put in prayers in Washington’s letters:
To GOVERNOR DIEGO JOSEPH NAVARRO [of Havana]
Head Quarters, Middle Brook, March 4, 1779.
With my prayers for your health and happiness, and with the greatest respect I have the honor etc.20
So Washington’s staff, like Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, knew that the commander in chief expected prayers to be in his letters. But at least on one occasion, when a prayer had been overlooked in the draft, Washington himself personally added one. This happened in the following letter, also drafted by Alexander Hamilton. Note that the words in brackets are those that Washington himself added to Hamilton’s draft.
To COMTE DE ROCHAMBEAU
New Windsor, February 26, 1781.
I have an increase of happiness from the subsequent intelligence you do me the favour to communicate respecting Count D’Estaings success. This repetition of advices justifies a confidence in their truth [which I pray God may be confirmed in its greatest extent.] (WGW Note: The draft is in the writing of Alexander Hamilton. The words in brackets are in the writing of Washington.)21
So what we present here is a sampling of the many written prayers that are encountered throughout the papers of Washington. A much fuller presentation of Washington’s written prayers is found in appendix 3. The simple point to be made is this: If someone wrote so many prayers, is it hard to believe that he quietly prayed many unwritten prayers as well? We think that Washington could not have composed such a vast number of prayers had he not been a man committed to the spiritual discipline of prayer. This reality seems to make the story of Washington’s prayer at Valley Forge, preserved by the oral history of the Revolutionary era, something more than a mere myth, even if all of the elements of the story cannot at the end of the day be historically verified.
WASHINGTON’S RECIPROCAL PRAYERS
Another expression of Washington’s faith revealed in his prayers are in some of his letters where the correspondents say that they are praying for him, and he in return writes back and says he is reciprocating or praying the same thing for them as well. This is a gracious custom that could be construed as a mere civility. But in some instances, this cannot be offered as the explanation. That is because some of the prayers are so explicitly Christian and biblical, that to affirm a reciprocal prayer would be to confess a Christian faith. If Washington intended to be the honest, candid person that he claimed to be, and yet also was the Deist that so many have claimed him to be, he could not have offered a reciprocal prayer in such instances. Yet, that is exactly what Washington did on various occasions.
The first example shows that the reciprocation can be in terms of God’s blessings on earthly matters such as “life and public usefulness.”
From THE ARTILLERY COMPANY OF THE TOWN OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
Feb. 27, 1794:
Humbly beseeching the Supreme Giver of all good gifts to continue your life and public usefulness, and that they with their fellow citizens, may still gratefully reciprocate the satisfaction resulting from a faithful discharge of important duties.22
To THE ARTILLERY COMPANY OF THE TOWN OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
February, 1794:
Gentlemen: For your kind congratulations on the anniversary of my birthday, and the other obliging expressions of your Address I pray you to accept my grateful thanks.
To cherish those principles which effected the revolution, and laid the foundation of our free and happy Government, does honor to your patriotism; as do the sentiments of commiseration for the sufferings of the unfortunate, and the good wishes for the happiness of the great family of mankind, to your philanthropy.
Your prayer for me, is reciprocated by the best vows I can offer for your welfare.23
The next example “The Humble Address of the Ministers, Elders and Deacons of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Kingston.” As we consider what these church leaders write, we discover that the reciprocation can also be in terms of the deepest spiritual realities pertaining to the Christian doctrine of salvation:
To the Excellency George Washington Esquire General and Commander in Chief of the American Army etc:
Amidst the general joy which instantly pervaded all ranks of people here on hearing of your Excellency’s intended visit to this place, We the Ministers, Elders and Deacons of the Protestant Reformed Dutch Church in Kingston; participated in it; And now beg leave with the greatest respect and esteem to hail your arrival.
The experience of a number of years past has convinced us that your wisdom, integrity and fortitude have been adequate to the arduous task your country has imposed upon you. Never have we in the most perilous of times known your Excellency to despond, nor in the most prosperous to slacken in activity: But with the utmost resolution persevere until by the aid of the Almighty you have brought us thus near to independence, freedom and peace.
Permit us to add: that as the loss of our religious rights was partly involved in that of our civil, and your being instrumental in restoring the one, affords us a happy presage that the Divine Being will prosper your endeavors to promote the other.
When the sword shall be sheathed and peace reestablished, whensoever it is the will of Heaven that your Excellency has lived long enough for the purposes of nature, then may you enter triumphantly thro’ the Blood of the Lamb, into the Regions of Bliss there to take possession of that Crown of Glory, the Reward of the Virtuous and which fadeth not away.
By Order of the Consistory Kingston, November 15, 1782.24
The Christian view of eternal life in heaven through the work of Christ is unmistakable in the Consistory’s words, “then may you enter triumphantly thro’ the Blood of the Lamb, into the Regions of Bliss there to take possession of that Crown of Glory, the Reward of the Virtuous and which fadeth not away.” Surely Washington, if he were a Deist, could not reciprocate such a prayer. But he did. And this was not a mere oversight. For in so doing, he consciously emphasized the theme of “eternal happiness” and its religious significance in distinction from “temporal happiness.” In his November 16, 1782, answer he wrote these striking words,
In return for your kind concern for my temporal and eternal happiness, permit me to assure you that my wishes are reciprocal; and that you may be enabled to hand down your Religion pure and undefiled to a Posterity worthy of their Ancestors. I am Gentlemen, Etc., GW.25
Washington responded to the Consistory with an unequivocal Christian letter.
Another example of an explicitly Christian reciprocal prayer by Washington is found in the letters that were exchanged between Reverend William Linn and Washington. The Reverend Linn had written from New York on May 30, 1798, stating:
Excuse the liberty I take in enclosing to you a discourse delivered on the late fast day. The reasons for the publication in the manner in which it appears you will see in the preface. To confirm some of my sentiments, I have quoted in the notes a few passages from your address on your resignation and I was sorry that more could not be conveniently introduced from a performance immortal as your fame. I beg leave only to express my wishes, that the evening of your busy and eventful life may be peaceful and happy; that you may see your country established in the enjoyment of those blessings you toiled to secure; and that, when removed from this earthly scene you may, through the merits of the Redeemer, receive a crown of glory in heaven. I am with the highest respect, Your Most Obedient Wm. Linn.26
Washington’s response is as follows:
Mount Vernon, June 4, 1798. Revd. Sir: I received with thankfulness your favour of the 30th. Ulto., enclosing the discourse delivered by you on the day recommended by the President of the United States to be observed as a general Fast. I have read them both with pleasure; and feel grateful for the favourable sentiments you have been pleased to express in my behalf; but more especially for those good wishes which you offer for my temporal and eternal happiness; which I reciprocate with great cordiality, being with esteem and respect, Revd. Sir Your etc.27
What makes Washington’s statements here so powerful is that Linn’s sermon is a direct attack against Deism and the views of Thomas Paine.28 How he could have read this sermon “with pleasure” and have been a Deist is incoherence at the highest level. Washington simply could not have said this and have been a Deist. Moreover, the reciprocal prayers for eternal happiness that Washington affirmed here were explicitly made in the context of the saving work of the Redeemer—Jesus Christ, and the concomitant hope of a “crown of glory in heaven.” If Washington had not really meant these words in this context, it would not only have been intentionally deceptive, it would have been anything but an expression of “cordiality,” “esteem,” and “respect.”
