The Irish standard., 1918-03-09
WAsHINGToN's STRONG
RELIGIOUS TREND.
Diary Excerpts and Notes Stri%ingIy
Reveal Strength Of His
Faith In God.

Relied Upon Fasting, Humiliation and
Prayer as Means for Obtaining Di-
vine Grace-His Appreciation Of the
Loyal Work Of the Friendly Sons of
St. Patrick.
General Washington, like Lincoln,
had firm faith in God and in many of
his public expressions and letters he
showed his great friendliness for Cath
olics, many of whom were so close
to him in the days of the Revolution.
The thoughts that govern the. life of
an individual are apt to be very accur-
ately portrayed in his diary-should
he have one. Washington has diary
as recorded by his adopted son, Farke
Custis. Some extracts serve to show
how he felt on the things that pertain
to religion. A few are quoted.
Fasting.
"June 1st, 1774, Wednesday-Went
to Church and tasted all day.
Following the Example of Christ.
Humility and pacific temper of mind,
were the characteristics of
the Divine Author of our blessed reli-
gion; without an humble
imitation of whose example in these
things we can never hope to be a
happy nation.
Observance Of Religious Duties.
"The Continental Congress having
ordered Friday, the 18th instant (May,
1776), to be observed as day of fast
ing, humiliation> and prayer, humbly
to supplicate the mercy of the AL
mighty God, that it would please Him
to pardon our manifold sins and trans
gressions, and to prosper the arms of
the United Colonies and finally estab-
lish the peace and freedom of America
upon solid and lasting foundation;
the General commands all officers and
soldiers to pay strict obedience to the
orders of the Continental Congress,
that, by their unfeigned and pious OBJ
servance of their religious duties, they
may incline the Lord and Giver of
victory to prosper our arms"
christianizing the Indians.
'It will be desirable thing for the
protection of the Union to cooperate
as far as circumstances may conven-
iently admit, with the disipterested ef-
forts of your Society (the Catholic
Church) to civilize and Christianize
the savages of the wilderness. Geo.
Washington to Archbishop Carroll.
Washington and the Irish.
The pioneer society of Irishmen in
America, the Friendly Sons of st. Pat
rick, established in 1771 in Philadel-
phia, had subscribed $560,00O payable
in gold and silver to the cause of the
in 1871 they elected Washington an
honorary member; and conferred on
him the insignia of the Society, whose
membership otherwise was limited to
men of Irish birth or parentage. Here
follows Washington's reply to their ac
ton:
81 accept with singular pleasure, the
ensign of so worthy fraternity as
that of the Sons of st. Patrick in this
city-a society distinguished for the
firm adherence of it's members to the
glorious cause to which we are EN-
barked"
A Famous Dinner.
IN January l. 1882 he attended
their annual dinner in Philadelphia
accompanied by twenty-one distin
guished officers. In the party were
General Won Stueben, General Hand
General Knox, Count Dillon and Gen
eral Luzerne and General Muhlenburg
cIeveland's Reference.
More than century after, on Sep
tember II, 1887, Grover Cleveland
President of the United States, said
81 am sure there is no corporation
no association, which has in its char
ter or in its history or traditions
more valuable certificate of patriotic
worth than you have found In the
words of Washington when he declar
ed, as he did in 1882, that your So
ciety was noted for the firm adher
ence of its members to the noble cause
in which we are engaged These ar
priceless words, say, long live tn
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick"
It is not surprising in view OF tn
foregoing that Catholics and part1cu
larly men of the race and faith of ST
pafrick are foremost in hOnOring tn