The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-08-18
THE FIRST PRAYER IN CONGRESS

| The subjoIned extract Of characteristic letter
from John Adams, describing scene in the hrs, Cow
gress in Philadelphia in September, IVA shows very
clearly on what power the mighty men of old restl
their cause. Mr.. A. thus writes to a friend at The
| time:
"When the Congress met, Mr.. Gushing made IN .
! ton that IT should be opened with prayer. 1t was
opposed by Mr. jay of New York. and Mr.. Rat
! ledge, OF South Carolina, because were so divided
! N religious sentiments, some Episcopalians, some
! Quakers some AnabapIsts, some Presby teriaus and
some Cungregatonalists, that we could not Ipla 90
| the same act OF worship. Mr.. Samuel Adams aro,r
and said that he bgot, and could hear PRAYER
from any gentleman of piety aud virtue who wa. o,
! the same time friend TO his country. He wa, q
stranger IN Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr..
Duche, (Dushay they pronounced it, deserved tia,
character, and therefore he moved that Mr.. DuChc,
an Episcopal clergyman, might be desired To read
| prayers tomorrow morning. The motion was Sc
( conded aud passed in the Affirmative Mr. Ran.
dJlph our President, waited on A.r. Duche and re-
celyed for answer, that If his health would permit be
certainly would, Accordingly next morning he APP
pear'd with his clerk and III his pont6cas, and read
several prayers in the established form and then read
the collect for the 1th day of September which was the
35th psalm. You must remember, this was the next
morning after We had heard the rmor of the hoTri-
bic cann(nade OF Boston. II seemed as u htaren had
/ ordIRtd that psalm 10 bertdd on mat morning.
Alltt lHs, MI DuCHe unexpectedly 10 every BODY
struck out into an eXtemporary payer which filled
the bosom of every man present. must comics, !
never heard better prayer, one well pronUuu-
ced. Epscopallan as he IS DR.. Cooper never prayed
with such ieryOr, such ardor such correctness aud
pathos, and IN language so elegant and sublime for
America, for Congress, for the province Of hlassa-
chusets Bay, especially the town OF Boston II has
had an excellent eit c upon every body here. must
beg you 30 read that psalm II there Is any faith m
the surtes NlrgiiiIancu, sortcs Homerice or es-
pecIally the sones Bbllce, it would be thought pro-
yldentIan
Here was a scene worthy Of the painters art It
was in Carpenters Hall in rhilade pha, a building
which eve learn by recent article) still survive, ~
it, original condition, though sacregiously con-
yertcd, we believe, INTO auction mart Tor the sale
of chairs and tables, that the IL ndyi uals met 10
whom this service read.
Washington knceng there and Henry, aud
Randolph, and Rutodgc, and Lee, aud Jay, and by
their side there stood bowed in reverence the Puf-
tan patriots OF New England, who at that moment
| had reason 10 believe that an armed soldlory Vas
wasting their humble households. Ii was believed
that Boston bad been bombardcd and DESTROYED -
They prayed tcryenty for America, 70 the Congrr..
for the province of Massachusetts Bay aud especial.
ly for the town Of ston; and who can realize Dhe
emotions with which they turned mplorngly 10 llci
for divine lnterpo ltIon and add II enough
says Mr.. Adams, TO melt heart Of stone / saw
the tears gush into the eyes Of The old pacific qua
kels of PhIladelphia