Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
PERSONALITY OF DIR. DuCHE.
The Minister Who offered the First
Prayer before COnEress.

Prayer before Congress.
The Star recently printed in full what
was supposed to have been the first prayer
ever delivered before the Congress of the
United States. The minister on that occa
sion was Rev. Jacob Duche Of Phila-
delphisi, and the prayer was printed first
in an issue of Thatcher5 Military Journal,
bearing date of iii. The article came to
the attention of a weli-known resident
of st. Louis. who belongs to the family
of which DR.. Duche a member. and
who has sent to The Star some addi-
tional information about that interesting
incident.
Or Duche." the writer says. was the
eldest son of Anthony Duche. jr., Il mer-
chant of Philadelphia. His grandfath Their.
Protestant refugee from France. who came
over with William Penn the first time in
1852. His mother WAS the granddaughter
Of the very first family of Philadelphia
the Swedish general commanding Fort
Christing, on the Delaware, the owner of
all thelaDd where Philadelphia now stands,
and the original old Swede from whom the
church of the Gloria Del gets its name.
THE tombstores of Anthony Duche and
katherine Swan Duche his wife, and Dr.
Duche's parents. are on the east wall of the
Church of the Gloria Del in Philadelphia.
Jacob Duche was the fist American-born
rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia. He
became assistant pastor in 1853 and rector
In 11I4. He was also rector of st. Peters
Church. When the first American Con-
gress met In Carpenters Hail, September
., lII4. they closed without having accom-
plished anything; ard, with anxiety and
fear, Thomas Gushing Of Massachusetts
proposed that the next days proceedings
should he opened with prayer. Jay of New
1 ork and Rutledge Of South Carolina op-
posed 1t, because they were so divided in
religious sentiment that they could not Join
In the same kind of worship. Samuel Ad-
ans Immediately rose and said: L am 10
h6op
or piety and virtue who is at the same time
friend to his country. 1 am a stranger
In Philadelphia, but 1 have heard that Mr..
Duche, an Episcopalian clergyman of this
city, deserves that character l move that
he may be requested to read prayers to
Congress tomorrow morning. The mo-
ton carrying. President Peyton Randolph
waited upon DR.. Duche and received the
assurance that, if health permitted. he
would gladly accede to the wishes of Con-
gress. The next morning, attended by his
clerk. he entered the halls. read prayers in
the established form and the psaIfer for
that day. the Both Psalm, and. unexnect-
edly to every one broke forth into extern
poraneouS prayer with, an old letter re-
coros' such ardor, such fervor, such pa
thos. and in language SO elegant and
sublime praying for America. for Com
gress, for the province of Massachusetts
Bay, and especially for the town of Boston
that even the staid old Quakers of Phila-
delphia were moved to tears" for on their
way that morning they had heard of The
cannonading Of Boston; Washington. PET.
flick Henry, Lee Rutledge and Jaw kneIt
while beside them stood the Puritans of
New England, and the Quakers of Penn
SylVania sat, with covered heads, facing
the crisis of the American nation.
we nave no record of this prayer excent
from old letters; no notes were taken. the
printed prayer said to be the first PRAYER,
was never delivered In Carpenters Hall
but before succeeding Congress after an
army was in the field Dr. Duche was a
warm personal friend of Washington. His
elegant mansion on the corner of I'd and
Pine streets was built for him by his
1ather, copied after a wing of Lambeth
palace. His wife was q daughter of Fran
els Hopkinson. His friendship for Wash
ington and his brothers high position in
the continental army made him so secure
IN ms reputation for loyalty that when the
British had possession of Philadelphia. the
colonial treasury empty, the army naked
and hungry, he wrote General Washington
advising him to give up the unequal strug-
gle. At that time Washington was cross
Ing the Delaware at Trenton. The letter
became public and made Dr. Duche SO un-
popular that he fed to England, where ne
mad been educated. He was high church,
man. so he carried the records of Christ
Church to the archbishop of Canterbury
and deposited them where they remain TO
this day. Col. Hay may initiate Secretary
Bayard and return them to PHILADELPHIA
DIR. Duche was given an honorable position
In a boys school in England. He remained
there till 1893 and returned to this country
died just a hundred years ago and is buried
in st. Peters churchyard. He was q mys-
tic in belief. handsome, eloquent and popu-
lar, honest In his opinions, and does not de-
serve the brand of traitor, for he believed
that what he advised was for the country's
good ="