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(Standard Features Syndicate)
On March 4th, 1797, President
John Adams (1735-1826) delivered
his inaugural address in the City
of Philadelphia, and in concluding,
stated: “And may that Being who
is supreme over all, the Patron of
Order, the Fountain of Justice,
Hebraic Influences
on
President
Adams
by ERWIN FETTERS
STANDARD FEATURES SYNDICATE
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and the Protector in all ages of
the world of virtuous liberty, con
tinue His blessing upon this na
tion and this Government and
give it all possible success and
duration consistent with the ends
of His providence.”
On May 24th, 1797, during a
period of stress and strain with
the Government of France, upon
whom war was to be declared,
with the appointment by President
Adams of General George Wash
ington as Commander-in-Chief of
the Army, Adams in his answer
to the Senate, in which the trouble
with France and the negotiations
towards an adjustment with the
French Republic were the main
topic, said: “In a humble reliance
on Divine Providence, we may
rest assured that while we reiter
ate with sincerity our endeavors
to accommodate all our differences
with France, the independence of
our country cannot be diminished,
its dignity degraded or its glory
tarnished by any nation or com
bination of nations, whether
friends or enemies.”
A Proclamation issued on March
23rd, 1798, by President Adams,
begins as follows:
“As the safety and prosperity of
nations ultimately and essentially
depend on the protection and the
blessing of Almighty God, and the
national acknowledgment of this
truth is not only an indispensible
duty which the people owe to Him,
but a duty whose natural influence
is favorable to the promotion of
that morality and piety, without
which social happiness- can not
exist nor the blessings of a free
government be enjoyed; and as
this duty, at all times incumbent,
is so especially in seasons of diffi
culty and danger, when existing
or threatening calamities, the jus',
judgments of God against preval
ent iniquity, are a loud call to re
pentance and reformation: and as
the United States of America arc
at present placed in a hazardous
and afflictive situation by an un
friendly disposition, conduct and
demands of a foreign power,
evinced by repeated refusals to
receive our messengers of recon
ciliation and peace, by depreda
tions on our commerce, and the
infliction of injuries on very many
of our fellow-citizens while en
gaged in their lawful business on
the seas — under these consider
ations it has appeared to me that
the duty of imploring the mercy
and benediction of Heaven on our
country demands at this time a
special attention from its inhab
itants.”
“I have therefore thought fit to
recommend and I do hereby rec
ommend, that Wednesday, the 9th
day of May, be observed through
out the United States as a day of
solemn humiliation, fasting and
prayer; that the citizens of these
States abstaining on that day from
their customary worldly occupa
tions, offer their devout addresses
to the Father of Mercies agreeably
to those forms or methods and be
coming; acknowledge before God
the manifold sins and transgres
sions with which we are justly
chargeable as individuals and as a
nation, beseeching Him * * * *.
And he ends his Proclamation
with a solemn prayer to God
Almighty:
“And finally, I recommend that
on the said day the duties of
humiliation and prayer be accom
panied by fervent thanksgiving to
the Bestower of Every Good Gift,
not only for His having hitherto
protected and preserved the peo
ple of these United States in the
independent enjoyment of their
religious and civil freedom, but
also for having prospered them
in a wonderful progress of popu
lation, and for conferring on them
many and great favors conducive
to the happiness and prosperity of
a nation.”
In another Proclamation setting
aside Thursday, April 25th, 1799,
as a day of solemn humiliation,
fasting and prayer, he begins the
solemn admonition:
“As no truth is more clearly
taught in the Volume of Inspira
tion, nor any more fully demon
strated by the experience of all
ages that a deep sense and a due
acknowledgment of the governing
providence of a Supreme Being
and of the accountableness of men
to Him as the searcher of hearts
and righteous distributor of re
wards and punishments are con
ducive equally to the happiness
and rectitude of individuals and
to the wellbeing of communities
* * * * make their acknowledg
ments of dependence and obliga-
The Southern Israelite
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