The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-02-19
Prayer in the First Continental Con.
greSS.

IRVING says the thirty-ffth Psalm was
read on the occasion, which commences:
"Plead my cause, o Lord, with them
that strive with me; fight against them
that fight against me. Take hold of
shield and buckler and stand up for
mine help" ... r.s..
John Adams wrote to his wife: "You
must remember this was the morning
after we heard the horrible rumor of
the cannonade of Boston. never saw
3 greater effect upon an audience. 1t
seemed as if Heaven had ordained that
Psalm to be read on that morning. Aft
er this, Mr.. Duche (the minister who
conducted the service) unexpectedly
struck out into an eXtemporary prayer
which filled the bosom of every man
present" Washington, who was pres
ent, a Delegate from Virginia, was OBJ
served kneeling in the midst of the AS
sembly: .t ...u.a ...... ..
"Thus, see the future hero bent
Him, whom the God of battles sent
To lead our armies i'll the field,
And be their captain and their shield;
In humble oriSOn, to ask
Supernai guidance in the task
OF thinking, speaking, Judging right,
So that their earnest counsels might
Asthere, from different States, they meet
The DelegateS-that anguish nuur,
In the unfelt but dawning power
OF the first Congress, which unfurled
Our nag of Union to the world
State Congresses had been previously
held, and even Congress had been
held in New York, representing seven
States, in the year 1865. But here, in
Philadelphia, there were twelve States
represented, which gave it a National
character. Georgia, alone, sent no
representative.
The prayer was DER, Oh! then they felt
How vast the cause with which they dealt:
And silent wait, by thought oppressed,
Each leaving utterance to the rest,
I'LL Patrick Henry rose and broke
The stiffness by those words which woke
All hearts, like one by Heaven inspired:
Words which each town and hamlet fired,
Throughout the land. with earnest zeal,
The yoke of tyranny to feel.
But better far than words of fire
Are holy deeds which they inspire;
Still better than the tone of flame
To do, to act III Heavens name.
And men there were who acted there.
OF purity and honor rare;
Unlike the modern statesman, sold
Outside our ConEress-door. for gold
Men, who for God and countrys sake,
The mighty burden undertake
OF meeting all, which they foresaw
Would be their lot, by British law
For treason, if they failed, to die,
And in dishonored graves to lie.''
Every subject, according to Adams,
was discussed with moderation, an
acuteness and minuteness equal to
those of Queen Elizabeth's Privy Coun-
Gil. They prepared and put forth, says
Irving, several state papers, marked by
such signal ability and wisdom, as to
draw from the Earl of Chatham these
words in the House of Lords: II must
declare and avow that in all my reading
and study of history (and it has been
my favorite study--I have read Thucyd-
ides, and have studied and admired
the master states of the worldly that for
solidity of reasoning, force of sagacity
and wisdom of conclusion, under such
a complication of circumstances, no ma
ton or body of men can stand in pref
erence to the General Congress in Phi
adelphia." ...
"And none of those who gathered there,
OF all these gifts had greater share
Than he who, as they first prepare
TO act had knelt in humble prayer"
Patrick Henry said afterward, of
Washington: IF you speak of solid
information and sound judgment, Col
onel Washington is nquestionably the
greatest man on that floor. Req.
Thomas Garter, d. D., IN The Methodist.