In short, Washington is saying that a nation is happy according to its level of virtue. Here are remarks he made in his Circular Letter to the States, June 8, 1783:

The Citizens of America, placed in the most enviable condition, as the sole Lords and Proprietors of a vast Tract of Continent, comprehending all the various soils and climates of the World, and abounding with all the necessaries and conveniencies of life, are now by the late satisfactory pacification, acknowledged to be possessed of absolute freedom and Independency; They are, from this period, to be considered as the Actors on a most conspicuous Theatre, which seems to be peculiarly designated by Providence for the display of human greatness and felicity...¹⁷⁵

To Reverend John Rodgers, Head Quarters, June 11, 1783:

Glorious indeed has been our Contest: glorious, if we consider the Prize for which we have contended, and glorious in its Issue; but in the midst of our Joys, I hope we shall not forget that, to divine Providence is to be ascribed the Glory and the Praise.¹⁷⁶

To Marquis de Lafayette, June 19, 1788:

I do not believe, that Providence has done so much for nothing.¹⁷⁷

And we could go on and on and on and on.

To George Washington, Providence is omniscient (knows all things), omnipotent (can do all things), and omnipresent (everywhere at the same time). These are the very same attributes of God outlined by the historic Christian faith.

CONCLUSION

To squeeze Washington into a secular image requires that substantial evidence be ignored, distorted or suppressed. When one realizes that the use of the term “Providence” was Washington’s favorite and most frequent way of referring to God, then it is clear that he consciously and constantly referred to God throughout his entire life. To hold that Washington was a Deist is to make the self-professed preacher of Providence into the very opposite of what he claimed to be.

THIRTY

George Washington’s Christian Worldview

“It is vain to exclaim against the depravity of human nature...the experience of every age and nation has proved it...No institution, not built on the presumptive truth of these maxims can succeed.”

George Washington, 1778

¹

While a Christian worldview may be defined differently by various scholars, it seems clear to us that a thoroughgoing Christian worldview will include an affirmation of the following:

1.   God’s existence

2.   An affirmation of the three persons of the Trinity

3.   The deity of Christ (a subset of #2)

4.   God’s decree, plan or will

5.   God’s self-revelation in the scriptures and in nature

6.   The doctrine of Creation

7.   Mankind’s sinfulness

8.   God’s saving work in Christ

a.   His birth

b.   His exemplary life

c.   His teaching

1)   The two great commandments

2)   The Golden Rule

3)   Acquaintance with other teachings of Jesus

d.   His Crucifixion

e.   A recognition of his Resurrection

9.   An understanding of the Gospel

a.   The reality of and the way to heaven

b.   God’s judgment upon sin and the pains of hell

c.   Man’s spiritual nature

d.   The difference between true and false religion

e.   The importance of faith and unbelief

f.   The need for justification before God

g.   The forgiveness of sins by God, and man’s repentance

10. God’s providential care of his people

11. The life of the Christian and the work of the church

a.   The work of ministers of the Gospel

b.   The importance of missionary work to non-Christians

c.   The Christian practice of forgiveness

d.   The importance of the church, the clergy, and worship

e.   A call for Christian conduct that is pleasing to God’s nature

12. An ultimate hope