George Washington More Evidence He was a TRUE CHRISTIANGeorge Washington Ministers FOR and AGAINST Him, WHY Epitaph of Washington's Tomb: "I am the Resurrection and the Life; sayeth the Lord. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." John 11. 25.26 (Amazingly, Washington chose this over any statement about him being President or Military General Commander and Chief. If Washington were not a Christian, can anyone think of a reason why he chose this to forever be the first thing a visitor to his grave will see?) 10 Ministers who testify for the Christian beliefs of Washington. ALL of them knew him personally and were eye-witnesses to his beliefs and deeds. [1] Rev. Lee Massey (Washington's early Pastor & family friend) [2] Rev. Parson Weems (Washington's later Pastor & family friend) [3] Rev. Nathaniel Randolph Snowden, friend of Isaac Potts; [4] Rev. Dr. Timothy Johnes, Presbyterian Minister of Morristown and Valley Forge, served George Washington Communion; [5] Rev. Samuel H. Cox also verifies Washington taking Communion and says that "to all Christians, and to all Americans, it cannot fail to be acceptable." [6] Rev. General Peter Muhlenberg, a Lutheran pastor who became a military officer serving personally under George Washington, witnessed George Washington praying in a stable. [7] The Rev. Mr M'Guire, 'The Religious Opinions and Character of Washington,' published in 1836, verified the Valley Forge Praying by several sources. [8] Rev Gano the Princeton Alumni Baptist Minister and Revolutionary Chaplain, who Baptized Washington during the war. He is the one Washington called upon to pray and officially end the Revolutionary War [10] Rev. Origen Bacherer, insisted that Washington was a communicant, It was early in the 1830's that the supposed piety of Washington was called into question and evidence of its being a fact demanded. This accounts for the letters we have quoted being written during that decade. 10 Ministers who testify for the cold Deist-Christian beliefs of Washington. Only two of them knew him personally, and one was a bitter enemy who rebuked him publicly from the pulpit (Abercrombie), thus their opinions were all second-third hand information and surmised. Washington was dead before most were even born. Not one was close enough to Washington to be a friend. [1] The Rev. Dr. Abercrombie, Washington's most bitter antagonist, wrote the letter I have quoted, in 1831; It is amazing how much weight is given to Abercrombie, was not even competent enough to be more than "the assistant rector at Christ Church in Philadelphia! [SOURCE: http://hubpages.com/hub/Washington-Deist] [2] The Rev. Bird Wilson, nearly 40 years after Washington was dead, preached his sermon on the religious beliefs of the founders of the republic in the same year; [3] Bishop White wrote his letter to Mercer, who was rebuffed by Washington by not joining his Church (nearly 40 years after Washington's death). [4] The Rev. B.C.C. Parker in 1932, and I his letter to Colonel Mercer in 1835 (Washington died 1799). [5] Rev. T.W.J. Wylie, 1862 (Washington died 1799) minister of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, [6] The Rev. Bishop White and the Rev. Drs. Abercromble and Wilson positively say that he was not religious. [7] The Rev. M.J. Savage says: "The pictures that represent him on his knees in the winter forest at Valley Forge are even silly caricatures." (Over 100 years after Washington died, and a painting has nothing to do with an event!) [8] Rev. Benjamin Chase, recorded what a female slave said of Washington not being very Christian, because he read prayers instead of just speaking from the heart (Almost every historia has said she was bitter about slavery and give her words no credence). [9] Rev. William Jackson, rector of Alexandria, Va., offered no evidence of communion or Church membership (nearly 40 years after Washington's death). [10] Rev. B.C.C. Parker, insists Washington didn't ever kneel in public. (This too was 34 years after Washington died! - SEE NEXT PARAGRAPH)
In Watson's 'Annals of Philadelphia,' p. 422, we read of the following incidents at a session of the first Continental Congress: "It was on this occasion that General Washington, then a member from Virginia, was observed to be the only member to kneel, when Bishop White first offered his prayer to the - throne of grace -- as if he were early impressed with a sense of his and their dependence on the God of battles." [SOURCE: Watson's 'Annals of Philadelphia,' p. 422, Congressional Record of the first Continental Congress] The first observation is that ALL of the Ministers testifying for Washington were "Eye-witnesses" and of the 10 speaking against his fervent Christianity, only two knew him and one was an admitted enemy who rebuked Washington in person, publicly, from the pulpit - an act so cowardly and so despicable as defy any common sense. Was Washington a deist?Yes, in the same way D.James Kennedy and every other person of Reformed Persuasion was deist. However, Washington certainly was no deist in the commonly understood sense of that word. If Washington was a deist, may every evangelical preacher today be a deist as well! When researching the question of George Washington’s Christian faith, the first issue that emerges is whether or not he was a Deist. What was a Deist? Noah Webster (who was an evangelical Christian believer) defined a Deist in his original 1828 American dictionary as “one who believes in the existence of a God, but denies revealed religion; one who professes no form of religion, but follows the light of nature and reason, as his only guides in doctrine and practice; a freethinker.” Deists emphatically rejected the divinity of Jesus Christ, the authority and inspiration of Holy Scripture, and the personal nature of God, among other things. They believed that God created the world but then ignored it, and was never involved in human affairs. In 1963 Paul Boller, Jr. published a major work entitled George Washington & Religion in which he accused our first President of being a Deist. But, does this fit what we can discover about George Washington? Hardly! George Washington was a low-Church Virginia Anglican, who subscribed in all points to orthodox Christian doctrines. His mother, Mary Ball Washington, was a devout Christian who taught her son by example and word the importance and efficacy of prayer. In the 1977 work, "The Light and the Glory", David Manuel and Peter Marshall quoted some prayers supposedly written by Washington in his own handwriting which were titled “Daily Sacrifice.” They had turned up in Philadelphia in 1891 among some items offered for auction by descendants of Washington. These prayers were couched in orthodox Christian language – for example, “Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb” – and were made up of whole sentences from the original Anglican prayer book. We had used these as proof of Washington’s Christianity, since Deists didn’t believe in the blood atonement of Christ. However, these prayers will not be in the new edition of The Light and the Glory, because Peter A. Lillback, in his recent magnificent study of Washington’s spirituality, entitled Sacred Fire, quotes historian Rupert Hughes’s point that the tone of these prayers is quite contrary to Washington’s writing style. There is not a misspelled word, not a touch of incorrect grammar, not a capitalized noun or other emphatic word except the titles of the deity.” (This is unlike Washington in every respect). Of greatest importance is the fact that the handwriting doesn’t match Washington’s. Rupert gives the details, saying “The impossibility of the work being in Washington’s hand should be apparent to the most casual comparison.” But the fact that George Washington didn’t write these prayers has no bearing on the question of whether he was a man of prayer. He was. Lillback has counted more that one hundred written prayers from his public and private letters! It is true that some of the public prayers were composed by aides, but Washington would never have signed them unless he agreed with their sentiments. Further, they express Christian beliefs. By the way, never once, in all of his voluminous writings, did George Washington ever use the words Deist or Deism. During the five years of the War for Independence the Continental Congress issued at least sixteen separate calls for days of prayer and humiliation or thanksgiving, depending on how the war was going. (There were more of the former than the latter!) And they were explicit in their Christian doctrine. The one dated November 27, 1779 includes “our gracious redeemer,” the “light of the gospel,” “the light of Christian knowledge,” and the “Holy Spirit.” None of these phrases would have been used by Deists, yet this language was employed by the supposedly Deist Founding Fathers of the Continental Congress! As a matter of fact, Deists never saw any value in prayer, since they believed that God was impersonal and uninvolved with His creation anyway. Washington happily signed these and passed them on to the army’s chaplains to be put into practice. When aide Alexander Hamilton drafted a letter for Washington’s signature to the Comte de Rochambeau on February 26, 1781, he wrote: “This repetition of advices justifies a confidence in their truth” to which the General added “which I pray God may be confirmed in its greatest extent.” ===WASHINGTON'S GRANDCHILDREN "Washington's grandchildren said as they grew in his family that Washington often spent an afternoon with Martha reading a sermon to her," Lillback continued. "I've read those sermons. They could be preached in a biblical pulpit today. They're filled with Christian truth." [SOURCE: Peter Lillback, http://godhappened.blogspot.com/2010/07/george-washington-true-christian.html ]. ===Baptism The Washington family Bible, preserved at Mount Vernon, has the following entered within its covers (all written in the same hand with the latest date being in 1797): George Washington, son to Augustine & Mary his Wife, was Born ye 11th Day of February 1731/2 about 10 in the morning, & was Baptis'd the 5th of April following Mr Beverley Whiting & Capt. Christopher Brookes Godfathers and Mrs. Mildred Gregory Godmother Daniel Gano (a nephew of Rev. John Gano) said that, when he was seven years old, he witnessed a Baptism of Gen George Washington. He, (Daniel Cano), later moved to Kentucky, and lived there to past ninety years of age, and often related the circumstances of this baptism to his neighbors and friends. September 1908, at dedication of organ First Baptist Church, Asbury Park, New Jersey, Pastor M. V. McDuffie, gave this instance: "During the Revolutionary War, George Washington approached John Gano, a Baptist minister and said : 'I have been investigating the Scriptures and I believe immersion to be the baptism taught by the Word of God, and I demand it, at your hands. I do not wish any parade or the army called out.' Chaplain Gano took George Washington into the Potomac river and immersed him in the presence of forty-two witnesses." http://www.cragun.com/brian/hearne/history/hh771m.html While there are historians who doubt the account, because there is no written record in Washington’s papers and the chief source was a boy of only 7, who still gives an extraordinarily detailed account for a 7 year old boy. Though, it is obvious that Washington did not want to make a public display of it, that would not prevent his mentioning it to someone or writing about it in his journal. Time magazine, September 5, 1932, on the bicentenary of the birthday of George Washington, carried an article giving the account of the General being baptized by immersion by Gano. Another account tells of Rev. John Gano having baptized General Washington in the field by immersion, as “Gen. Washington had become dissatisfied with the baptism which had been administered by his own church” (the established Church of England). The baptism of General Washington was performed in the presence of about forty people, according to the same account. “Very little was said about this, as the Rev. Mr. Gano transgressed the rule of his church by baptizing anyone who was outside the pale of his own denomination, but felt that he could not draw church lines too close to the Army, and so all were baptized by immersion who desired.” Rev. John Gano, Baptist preacher, is said to have cut the ice in the river, and baptized the commander-in-chief by immersion in the presence of 42 people, all sworn to secrecy. And this has been confirmed by a grandson of the Rev. Gano in an affidavit made at the age of 83 years. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,744297,00.html http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,744421-3,00.html http://logosresourcepages.org/IronPen/ironpen80.htm http://www.therestorationmovement.com/gano,john.htm http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=3952924 http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20061216-113344-1328r.htm Washington is not known to have ever professed himself a Baptist & when he did attend church services, mostly continued to go to Episcopal churches.[edit] Communicant? There is no record of his ever becoming a communicant in any Christian church and he would regularly leave services before communion—with the other non-communicants. When Rev. Dr. James Abercrombie, rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia mentioned in a weekly sermon that those in elevated stations set an unhappy example by leaving at communion, Washington ceased attending at all on communion Sundays. Long after Washington died, when asked about Washington's beliefs, Abercrombie replied: "Sir, Washington was a Deist!" Ministers at four of the churches Washington frequently attended have written that he never took communion. The rude Assistant Abercrombie's reproof was during GW's presidency in Philadelphia. Apparently there was at the time already some frowning about those who never communed. GW himself is reported to have said he had not considered the "With respect to the inquiry you make, I can only state the following facts: that as pastor of the Episcopal Church, observing that, on sacramental Sundays George Washington, immediately after the desk and pulpit services, went out with the greater part of the congregation -- always leaving Mrs. Washington with the other communicants -- she invariably being one -- I considered it my duty, in a sermon on public worship, to state the unhappy tendency of example, particularly of those in elevated stations, who uniformly-turned their backs on the Lord's Supper. I acknowledge the remark was intended for the President; and as such he received it. A few days after, in conversation, I believe, with a Senator of the United States, he told me he had dined the day before with the President, who, in the course of conversation at the table, said that, on the previous Sunday, he had received a very just rebuke from the pulpit for always leaving the church before the administration of the sacrament; that he honored the preacher for his integrity and candor; that he had never sufficiently considered the influence of his example, and that he would not again give cause for the repetition of the reproof; and that, as he had never been a communicant, were he to become one then, it would be imputed to an ostentatious display of religious zeal, arising altogether from his elevated station. Accordingly, he never afterwards came an the morning of sacrament Sunday, though at other times he was a constant attendant in the morning." === As reported by others Extract from a letter of the Rev. Dr. Berrian, of New York, to Mrs. Jane Washington, of Mount Vernon, in answer to some inquiries about General Washington during his residence in New York as President of the United States:-- "About a fortnight since I was administering the Communion to a sick daughter of Major Popham, and, after the service was over, happening to speak on this subject, I was greatly rejoiced to obtain the information which you so earnestly desired. "Major Popham served under General Washington during the Revolutionary War, and I believe he was brought as near to him as their difference of rank would admit, being himself a man of great respectability, and connected by marriage with the Morrises, one of the first families in the country. He has still an erect and military air, and a body but little broken at his advanced age. His memory does not seem to be impaired nor his mind to be enfeebled." To the above I can add my own testimony, having in different ways become acquainted with the character of Major Popham, and having visited him about the same time mentioned by Dr. Berrian. === Extract from Major Popham's Letter to Mrs. Jane Washington. New York, March 14, 1839. My dear Madam:--You will doubtless be not a little surprised at receiving a letter from an individual whose name may possibly never have reached you; but an accidental circumstance has given me the extreme pleasure of introducing myself to your notice. In a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Berrian a few days since, he informed me that he had lately paid a visit to Mount Vernon, and that Mrs. Washington had expressed a wish to have a doubt removed from her mind, which had long oppressed her, as to the certainty of the General's having attended the Communion while residing in the city of New York subsequent to the Revolution. As nearly all the remnants of those days are now sleeping with their fathers, it is not very probable that at this late day an individual can be found who could satisfy this pious wish of your virtuous heart, except the writer. It was my great good fortune to have attended St. Paul's Church in this city with the General during the whole period of his residence in New York as President of the United States. The pew of Chief-Justice Morris was situated next to that of the President, close to whom I constantly sat in Judge Morris's pew, and I am as confident as a memory now labouring under the pressure of fourscore years and seven can make me, that the President hadmore than once--I believe I may say often--attended at the sacramental table, at which I had the privilege and happiness to kneel with him. And I am aided in my associations by my elder daughter, who distinctly recollects her grandmamma--Mrs. Morris--often mention that fact with great pleasure. Indeed, I am further confirmed in my assurance by the perfect recollection of the President's uniform deportment during divine service in church. The steady seriousness of his manner, the solemn, audible, but subdued tone of voice in which he read and repeated the responses, the Christian humility which overspread and adorned the native dignity of the saviour of his country, at once exhibited him a pattern to all who had the honour of access to him. It was my good fortune, my dear madam, to have had frequent intercourse with him. It is my pride and boast to have seen him in various situations,--in the flush of victory, in the field and in the tent,--in the church and at the altar, always himself, ever the same. ==== Letter from General Lewis, of Augusta county, Virginia, to the Rev. Mr. Dana, of Alexandria. Lewistown, December 14, 1855. Reverend and Dear Sir:--When (some weeks ago) I had the pleasure of seeing you in Alexandria, and in our conversation the subject of the religious opinions and character of General Washington was spoken of, I repeated to you the substance of what I had heard from the late General Robert Porterfield, of Augusta, and which at your request I promised to reduce to writing at some leisure moment and send to you. I proceed now to redeem the promise. Some short time before the death of General Porterfield, I made him a visit and spent a night at his house. He related many interesting facts that had occurred within his own observation in the war of the Revolution, particularly in the Jersey campaign and the encampment of the army at Valley Forge. He said that his official duty (being brigade-inspector) frequently brought him in contact with General Washington. Upon one occasion, some emergency (which he mentioned) induced him to dispense with the usual formality, and he went directly to General Washington's apartment, where he found him on his knees, engaged in his morning's devotions. He said that he mentioned the circumstance to General Hamilton, who replied that such was his constant habit. I remarked that I had lately heard Mr. --- say, on the authority of Mr. ---, that General Washington was subject to violent fits of passion, and that he then swore terribly. General Porterfield said the charge was false; that he had known General Washington personally for many years, had frequently been in his presence under very exciting circumstances, and had never heard him swear an oath, or in any way to profane the name of God. "Tell Mr. --- from me," said he, "that he had much better be reading his Bible than repeating such slanders on the character of General Washington. General Washington," said he, "was a pious man, and a member of your Church, [the Episcopal.] I saw him myself on his knees receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in --- Church, in Philadelphia." He specified the time and place. My impression is that Christ Church was the place, and Bishop White, as he afterward was, the minister. This is, to the best of my recollection, an accurate statement of what I heard from General Porterfield on the subject. I am, sir, with great respect, very truly yours, S. H. Lewis Confirmation? Bishop James Madison—second cousin of President Madison, and perhaps the only Trinitarian cleric trusted by Jefferson—from their years together at William and Mary. But when Madison became first Episcopal bishop of Virginia in 1790 and Episcopalians could participate in the rite of confirmation for the first time, Monroe did not seek to be confirmed. Until confirmed, one was not supposed to take communion. However, communion was regularly offered & people took it anyway. Abercrombie's sermon (year?) indicates he expected GW to take communion Attendance/Membership in churches As a young man before the Revolution, when the Church of England was still the state religion in Virginia, he served as a vestryman (lay officer) for his local church. He sometimes accompanied his wife Martha Washington to Christian church services. ===WASHINGTON PRAYS One fairly reliable testimony to Washington’s prayer life comes from a letter from a General Lewis of Augusta County, Virginia, dated December 14, 1855, relating a conversation with former Continental Army General Robert Porterfield shortly before his death. In recounting some of his experiences during the New Jersey campaign and the army’s crucible of suffering at Valley Forge, he had said that his duties as a brigade-inspector brought him in frequent contact with General Washington. In an emergency he had once gone directly to Washington’s lodgings and found him on his knees in prayer. When he mentioned this to Alexander Hamilton, the General’s aide replied that “such was his constant habit.” Colonel B. Temple Witnesses Washington Praying In E.C. M’Guire’s early 1800’s biography of Washington, when some of his sources were still alive, he quotes the recollections of a Colonel B. Temple, an aide to Washington during the French and Indian War. Temple said that in the absence of a chaplain Washington would read the Scriptures to his troops and lead in prayer. He also said that “on sudden and unexpected visits into his (Washington’s) marquee, he has, more than once, found him on his knees at his devotions.” === To me, one of the strongest pieces of evidence of George Washington’s Christianity is his extensive knowledge of the Bible and his frequent use of Biblical phrases. Again, Deists had no use for the Bible – they rejected its authority. In a personal letter to the Marquis de Lafayette (whom Washington loved as a son) he makes seven separate references to Biblical passages. This was pure Washington – no aide wrote this. In another letter, this one to the Hebrew congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, he employs nine Biblical references. According to Lillback’s count, throughout Washington’s writings he uses over 200 different Biblical phrases of passages or allusions to Biblical passages. Some of them he quoted often, such as his favorite Bible verse, Micah 4:4: “But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” He referred to the Bible as only a Christian would – as the Word of God. In April 1789 he said: “The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institutions may be abused by human depravity…” (Note that Deists rejected the doctrine of human depravity!) In one of his most famous letters, his Circular to the States, written after the end of the War for Independence, he listed several developments that had blessed America, and then he wrote: “and above all, the pure and benign Light of Revelation, have had ameliorating influence on mankind and increased the blessings of society.” (Remember that Deists didn’t believe in revelation). Boller smugly writes that “there are astonishingly few references to the Bible in (Washington’s) letters and public statements.” But in an appendix Lillback lists about two hundred! As he points out, perhaps Boller expected Washington to write down the Biblical chapter and verse, or perhaps Boller simply didn’t know his Bible well enough to spot Biblical references when Washington used them. I suspect the latter. This kind of claim from Boller shows you what we have normally been up against in academic circles. When Washington took the oath of office as our first President, he revealed his reverence for the Bible by kissing it. And, he added a personal prayer to the oath at the end, “So help me God,” establishing a precedent which every subsequent President has, of course, followed. Tobias Lear, President Washington’s secretary notes: “While President, Washington followed an invariable routine on Sundays. The day was passed very quietly, no company being invited to the house. After breakfast, the President read aloud a chapter from the Bible, then the whole family attended church together.” In the afternoon Washington tended to his personal correspondence, “while Mrs. Washington frequently went to church again, often taking the children with her. In the evening, Lear read aloud to the family some sermon or extracts from a book of a religious nature and everyone went to bed at an early hour.” …The issue of Washington’s Christianity is pivotal in the current moral and spiritual civil war for our nation’s soul, for if these secularists can make a convincing case that the Founding Fathers were not Christians it would be a huge boost for their campaign to undermine the Biblical foundations of America. Let’s look at the secularists’ claim that the Father of our country never used the names “God” or “Jesus” – which to them is evidence of his supposed Deism. For example, in 1926 historian Rupert Hughes wrote that, “there is no direct allusion to Christ, and the word Christ has been found in none of Washington’s almost countless autographs.” This is sloppy history writing. Mr. Hughes didn’t do his homework! In 1779, some Delaware Indian chiefs came to General George Washington’s encampment, bringing three of their sons that they wanted the whites to educate. In his prepared speech the General said to them: “You do well to wish to learn our arts and our way of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ (emphasis mine). These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.” That’s putting it rather bluntly! No Deist would have been caught dead telling anyone that the most important thing they could learn was the religion of Jesus Christ. They simply didn’t believe it. Granted, Washington hardly ever used the name of Jesus, either in speech or in writing, and he only referred to God by name about one hundred times. But, does this make him a Deist? Hardly. What it makes him is a typical devout 18th Century Virginia Anglican. In Washington’s time Anglicans were very reticent about using the names of Jesus or God. As odd as it sounds to our modern ears, they were very concerned not to profane the sacred names by casual reference to them. Of course, because the Nicene Creed was regularly recited by Washington in the Anglican worship service on Sundays, he would have often professed the names of Jesus and God out loud. But that was sacred usage, with which he would have been totally comfortable. FOR EXAMPLE: Most modernists accuse the Anglican Minister "Parson Weems" of greatly embellishing Washington's religious nature, devotion and character. Yet in a book of over 500 Pages about Washington, Weems, and Ordained Minister trained in England, doesn't use the Name of Jesus or the Title Christ - NOT EVEN ONE TIME! Thus for Washington, as a military man devoting much of his life's thinking to "killing the enemy" to not use the Name of Jesus more often is not an indication of anything, except the custom of his day. === Martha Washington, who was a very strong Christian believer herself, almost always used indirect and honorific titles in place of the names of Jesus and God. Also, in Washington’s personal sermon collection, there is a July 4, 1793 anniversary message from a Presbyterian minister named Samuel Miller who refers to God as: > “the supreme Arbiter of nations,” > “the grand Source,” > “the Deity himself,” > “the Sovereign Dispenser of all blessings,” > “the Governor of the universe,” and so forth. Rev. Miller was certainly no Deist. So, this was common practice at the time, even for ministers of the Gospel. An interesting point is that the Deists were much more inclined to use the names of Jesus and God, precisely because of their lack of reverence. Thomas Paine, whom Lillback calls a “soft” Deist, used the name of God often, although he also used “Creator,” and “Almighty.” Profaning the holy names of Jesus and God, especially in cursing, was something that George Washington hated. In a General Order to his soldiers dated July 29, 1779, he deplored the fact that in spite of the “many and pointed orders (that) have been issued against that unmeaning and abominable custom of swearing…with much regret the General observes that it prevails, if possible, more than ever; his feelings are continually wounded by the oaths and imprecations of the soldiers whenever he is in hearing of them. The Name of that Being…is incessantly…profaned in a manner as wanton as it is shocking.” He goes on to say that he hopes that “for the sake of religion, decency and order” the officers will put a stop to it. Note that he is personally hurt by the swearing – obviously because of what the name of God means to him. And, in an order meant to stop the profane use of God’s name, he refers to God indirectly, not wanting to use the name himself. Other typical examples of Washington’s use of indirect titles for Jesus include “our gracious Redeemer” and the “Divine author of our blessed religion.” No Deist would ever use those titles! Among his many indirect titles for God (about 95 of them!) we find “the Lord, and giver of victory”; the “Giver of Life”; the “Judge of the hearts of men”; the “great Lord and Ruler of nations”; and his favorite – “Providence,” with a capital “P.” He used this one over 270 times! There are other minor, but nonetheless significant refutations of George Washington’s supposed Deism. For example, he was a faithful vestryman (lay leader) in the Truro Parish of northern Virginia in the years prior to the War for Independence. In the eleven years of his active service, he attended 23 of the 31 meetings. Of the eight [8] meetings he missed, > he was sick once, > at the House of Burgesses meetings twice, > out of the county three times for sure, > and possibly the other two as well. Washington took his vestry responsibilities very seriously. In order to be a vestryman, one had to affirm the creeds of the Anglican Church, and they were most definitely orthodox Christian! Also, at different times he was asked to be a godfather for a total of eight children, which also required one to publicly affirm the creeds of the Church in a service. Washington did this cheerfully. But when Thomas Jefferson was asked to do the same thing, he declined the honor, because he could not honestly affirm the doctrines of the Anglican Church! What about the secularists’ accusations that George Washington hardly ever attended church, and refused to take Holy Communion when he did? Do they have a case here? No. Not at all. Before the War for Independence, the Washington family attended church regularly. That doesn’t sound like much of a commitment to public worship for a Christian believer, but one has to take into account the fact that they had to travel about nine miles over wilderness roads to get to the Pohick Church – the nearest Anglican church to Mount Vernon. Not only was the church unheated, but because it was a rural parish, the minister himself would only show up about once a month, if there was one available. During the war, the General was insistent on his soldiers attending divine services. His first General Order, when he took command of the Continental Army, dated July 4, 1775 states: “The General most earnestly requires, and expects, a due observance of those articles of war, established for the Government of the army, which forbid profane cursing, swearing and drunkenness (the first of a number of orders he would issue concerning this); And in like manner requires and expects, of all Officers, and Soldiers, not engaged on actual duty, a punctual attendance on divine Service (emphasis mine), to implore the blessings of heaven upon the means used for our safety and defense”. When there was no church service in the camp, he was not always able to get to church himself, but apparently he made efforts to do so. Biographer E.C. M’Guire reported that “one of his secretaries, Judge Harrison, has often been heard to say, that ‘whenever the General could be spared from camp, on the Sabbath, he never failed riding out to some neighboring church, to join those who were publicly worshipping the Great Creator.’ ” Noted in last week’s commentary the evidence that George and Martha Washington often attended church together during his Presidency. Then they resumed, shifting their churchgoing to Christ Church, Alexandria, which by this time was having weekly services. Washington always observed the Sabbath – he never worked on Sunday, except for personal letter writing. He always gave his staff, his servants, and his soldiers the day off to attend church. He would not fox hunt on Sundays, though he sometimes traveled to fox hunts on Sundays. If the family didn’t go to church, Washington would lead in devotions and read aloud one of the sermons that he had collected. The testimony of Nelly Custis, the Washington’s adopted granddaughter, in regard to their church attendance is interesting. “He (Washington) attended the church at Alexandria when the weather and roads permitted a ride of ten miles. In New York and Philadelphia (when he was President) he never omitted attendance at church in the morning, unless detained by indisposition… No one in church attended to the service with more reverential respect. My grandmother, who was eminently pious, never deviated from her early habits. She always knelt. The General, as was then the custom, stood during the devotional parts of the service.” The accusations that George Washington never took Holy Communion have been common, and began to be leveled not many years after his death. It has become a significant part of the controversy over Washington’s religious belief and practice. In response, let me point out that the custom in colonial Virginia was to only offer the Sacrament at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide (Pentecost Sunday), so many Anglicans only received it once a year. In addition, as Bishop William Meade pointed out, “there was a mistaken notion, too prevalent both in England and America, that it was not so necessary in the professors of religion to communicate (receive Communion) at all times, but that in this respect persons might be regulated by their feelings… Into this error of opinion and practice General Washington may have fallen…” Support for this theory is afforded by Nelly Custis, who wrote of her childhood at Mount Vernon: “On Communion Sundays he (Washington) left the church with me, after the blessing, and returned home, and we sent the carriage back for my grandmother” (Martha Washington). Since at that time the Communion services were as long as the service they had just attended, it was not unusual for two-thirds of the congregation to leave before the Communion service began. Washington’s practice, though regrettable, was common for believers in his day. There are several testimonies of those who observed him take Holy Communion during the war. General S.H. Lewis of Augusta County, Virginia, in a letter dated December 14, 1855 quoted General Robert Porterfield as saying that “he had known General Washington personally for many years… I saw him myself on his knees receive the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.” There is also a story that Washington took Communion in the Presbyterian Church while the Continental Army was at Morristown, New Jersey for the winter of 1778-79. Dr. James Richards, who followed Rev. Timothy Johnes, the pastor when Washington was in Morristown, noted that “the report that Washington did actually receive the communion from the hands of Dr. Johnes was universally current during that period, and so far as I know, never contradicted. I have often heard it from the members of Dr. Johnes’ family, while they added that a note was addressed by Washington to their father, requesting the privilege…” Lastly, there is what I believe is a very credible story from the pen of the Rev. Alexander Hamilton, Mrs. Alexander Hamilton’s great-grandson. In 1854, the Hamilton family held a reunion in New York City. Mrs. Hamilton, a young woman of thirty-one, was Continental Army General Phillip Schuyler’s daughter. She took her great-grandson, who was only seven at the time, to see St. Paul’s Church, along with other family members. She told him that she had been present in the church on George Washington’s inauguration day in 1789, when he had received Holy Communion. She made it clear to him that she wanted him to know that she had personally witnessed Washington receiving the Sacrament, so he could tell others. Rev. Hamilton recollected that her words were: “If anyone ever tells you that George Washington was not a communicant of the Church, you say that your great-grandmother told you to say that she had knelt at this chancel rail at his side and received with him the Holy Communion.” There are more points that I could make on the issue of whether George Washington was a Christian, for if one is willing to do the research into his life the evidence is there to be discovered. However, the proof of Washington’s Christianity is not easily discovered, because he was an intensely private person. Historian Benson Lossing writes: “It was a peculiar trait of his character to avoid everything, either in speech or in writing, that had a personal relation to him.” Many years after Washington’s death, Bishop William White, who knew him personally, wrote: “I knew no man who so carefully guarded against the discoursing of himself, or of his acts, or of any thing that pertained to him.” He added: “His ordinary behavior, although exceptionally courteous, was not such as to encourage obtrusion on what he had on his mind.” But, suffice it to say in sum that there is plenty of conclusive proof that George Washington was a Biblically literate, Trinitarian and orthodox Anglican Christian believer. A man of prayer, and a firm believer in the providential sovereignty of God, he was unafraid to publicly and frequently acknowledge his gratitude for the “signal instances of providential Goodness which we have experienced.” May we follow his example!
  
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