Prayer of First Continental Congress

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PRAYER

First Continental Congress

September

, 1

774

The

Reverend Jacob Duché

recognized as giving the

first

prayer in the Continental Congress of America on the

7th

September 1774

Accounts of that event tell of concerns and opinions that

are

our nation's history. We learn that at the opening of

the

Continental Congress, a motion was made

that

opening prayer

should be given. However, a couple of

people suggested that

the great religious diversity would

make such prayer unwise.

Now comes the opinion of

Samuel Adams to pave the way by

which we still join

together today as "one nation under God" in

agreement

with

the words in the Pledge Of Allegiance.

Amidst

the

opinions

of conflict

within

religious diversity, Samuel

Adams settled

the matter when he said that he was "no

bigot, and could

hear a

Prayer from any gentleman of

Piety and virtue, who

was at the

same time a friend to his

Country." The motion

for prayer was

approved.

fter

his

read

ing of

the 35th Psalm,

Reverend Jacob

Duché

then

ave

the following

extemporaneous prayer:

Reverend Jacob Duché

Rector of Christ Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

September 7, 1774, 9 o’clock a.m.

O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of

kings, and

Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold

all the dwellers

on earth and reignest with power supreme

and uncontrolled

over all the Kingdoms, Empires and

Governments; look down in

mercy, we beseech Thee, on

these our American States, who

have fled to Thee from

the rod of the oppressor and thrown

themselves on Thy

gracious protection, desiring to be

henceforth dependent

only on Thee. To Thee have they

appealed for the

righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they

now look up

for that countenance and support, which Thou

alone canst

give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under

Thy

nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in

the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel

adversaries;

convince them of the unrighteousness of their

Cause and if they

persist in their sanguinary purposes, of

own unerring justice,

sounding in their hearts, constrain

them to drop the weapons of

war from their unnerved

hands in the day of battle!

Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the

councils of

this honorable assembly; enable them to settle

things on the

best and surest foundation. That the scene

blood may be

speedily closed; that order, harmony and

peace

may be

effectually restored, and truth and justice,

religion and

piety,

prevail and flourish amongst the people.

Preserve the

health of

their bodies and vigor of their

minds; shower down on

them and

the millions they here

represent, such temporal

blessings as

Thou seest

expedient for them in this world and

crown them

with

everlasting glory in the world to come. All this

we ask in

the

name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy

Son

and our

Savior.

Amen.

Many

Info

rmation

ource

for this 1st prayer are found

***************

Read More Recent Prayers
Given To Open The Sessions of
Congress

Senate - September 13, 1990
Senate - September 18, 1989
Senate - October 16, 1990
House - August 1, 2001
House - August 2, 2001
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