5/06/14 17:52 PM (Anno Domini 1752 being the year when these GW prayers were penned.)
The post below this line was done almost 4 years ago, and sadly, that update is still not complete. However, the past month I have been assisting editing another American Christian History book about the words and deeds of President Thomas Jefferson, a devout reader of the words of Jesus. One aspect of that editing job will be part of the soon to be undertaken revision of Prayer Warrior Washington, maybe even 9 years after the original was complete, on Jamestowne Day, Anno Domini 2014…
Below originally posted 5/11/10 11:15 AM, Pacific Daylight Time.
The first edition of Prayer Warrior Washington was created on CD on Jamestowne Day (May 13th) in the Year of Our Lord Jesus 2005, and the first printed version was produced about a year later for $17.52 because the prayers of Washington were penned in a.d. 1752.
It is still available at LuLu.com in digital download format for $17.52 at http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/prayer-warrior-washington-prayer-book---work-book---picture-book/2119714?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1
...however, Amazon.com contacted Lulu and Lulu contacted me requesting to raise the price so Amazon.com could make what it considered a fair mark-up, though as I recall, my "cut" was less.
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/prayer-warrior-washington-prayer-book---work-book---picture-book/2119712?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/2
I agreed, because my objective was not the treasure to be gained, rather it was the "trust" to put the penmanship of prayers of young George Washington in to the hands, hearts and minds of Americans.
Anyway (a song I love for its lyrics and score), I pray soon to create a new version that I can reduce the cost of printing so the paper version is back down to its original price of $17.52.
I also plan to update the CD version that was a "Super-Set" of the printed version, because it has Dramatic Readings of the GW Prayers, and even Videos of the GW Prayers.
Please pray for my work to be completed in this updated endeavor, and for the monetary resources to provide for printing at a quantity that achieves better cost efficiencies, to be wise when we are "about Our Father's business".
In GW - God's Will and His Son's service,
James Renwick Manship, Sr.
Aide to GW
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Thursday, February 22, 2007
PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer Book, Audio, Video, eBook available online - NOW!
Happy to report to y'all that after the first printing sold out, finally the PRAYER WARRIOR Washington book and ebook is available again since it was first published in the Year of Our Lord Jesus 2005, a decade after finding the prayers in a book in the Princeton Theological Library.
When I read these powerful, passionate prayers I said in my prayers my mission would be to let all of America come to know these prayers!
GW books, ebooks, essays, CDs, and DVDs... REVOLUTIONARY!
(some items "revolve" in your computer, others... in your mind!)
By the way, click this to watch on SCFilms.com a video depicting a
GW Prayer Warrior All Across America...
REVIEW the PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer Book
- Work Book - Picture Book
Thank you so much, and I pray that these items may bless you.
Originally I read about these prayers in two books, one "America: God Shed His Grace On Thee" by Moody Press in Chicago, and the other in "The Light and the Glory" by Peter Marshall Ministries up in Massachusetts. Yet I could not find the a.d. 1919 book "George Washington The Christian" by William J. Johnson in the local Martha Washington Library in Mount Vernon district, the regional library in Mount Vernon - Sherwood Hall, in the entire Fairfax County Library System - the largest in Virginia, or in the City of Alexandria Library a block from where George Washington used to attend Christ Church to pray, and NOT EVEN in Washington at the Library of Congress!!
(After attending the symposium at the June opening of the wonderful exhibit "Religion and the Founding of the American Republic" assembled by Dr. James Hutson in a.d. 1998, where I gave Dr. Hutson a copy of "George Washington The Christian" which he said he had never seen before; in August while researching a song called "George Washington The Christian", I discovered the Library of Congress did in fact possess two editions of the book, but they had been misfiled with the music. They are now in the book collections, though we are still debating the proper spelling of the author's name in the Library of Congress catalog system, where there seems to remain an error.)
In a.d. 1995, after finding the book at Princeton (where Washington was miraculously spared harm as he rode between the lines before the victory at Princeton) an Inter-Library Loan search revealed only 158 copies in all the participating libraries all across America. I searched and found old copies but the publisher was out of business, or no longer printing the book. Then I found Christian Liberty Press of Arlington Heights, Illinois that had reprinted the book for their home school curriculum. Over the next year or so, I obtained near two thousand copies of that book, and 250 copies of the penmanship version from Bible Scholar Rusty Maisel of Texas who shortly thereafter went to the Holy Land to further his Bible Studies. I gave one copy of each, the William Johnson book "George Washington the Christian" and the facsimile booklet of George Washington's "Daily Sacrifice" compiled by Rusty Maisel, to Dr. D. James Kennedy, pastor of Coral Ridge Ministries and the Center for Christian Statesmanship, who shortly thereafter gave a fine sermon based on the "Son-day" evening prayer of George Washington.
I gave over 250 to men who attended the massive Promise Keepers Rally on the Washington Mall in a.d. 1997.
At wholesale, I sold copies at a GW Quarter markup over my purchase cost, so sold at a loss when delivery expenses were factored in, to Immanuel Bible Church bookstore, Christ Church bookstore, and eventually even Mount Vernon bookstore, though that was a challenge.
Eventually, even though the book would sell out just about as soon as it was placed on the shelves for sale, the book store manager stopped buying the book. As a volunteer for Mount Vernon, I had met the Executive Director, James Rees, so I prepared a spreadsheet to show how that one little inexpensive book being purchased irregularly in small quantities had earned for Mount Vernon near $1000. Two days later, I received an order for 200, five times larger than any prior order!
(Recently released is a fine new book titled "Washington's God" by American Enterprise Institute scholar and theologian Michael Novak with his daughter Jana Novak, that was written at the request of James Rees. Well done Jim, and the Novaks! In that book the Novaks say many academics miss the mark on understanding Washington because they start from a false premise, that Washington was a Deist, or at best a marginal rather than a devout Christian
in his unshakeable confidence, or faith, in Divine Providence, that is to say,
or as I say, GW - God's Will.)
I also gave one to Dr. Peter Henriques, History teacher at George Mason University at the first annual George Washington Book Festival in February a.d. 1999.
Later that year, at a Teachers Conference at Mount Vernon, Henriques mocked Dr. Kennedy's sermon, and described me as a "evangelical Christian..." which I take as a compliment, yet in the context of the comment his intention to favor me could be questioned.
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/henriques/hist615/gwandreligion.htm
Henriques writes:
Recently, at the end of a conference where I was presenter, an evangelical Christian approached me and gave me a book entitled, George Washington: Christian by William Johnson. The young man saw Washington as a fellow believer and wanted to enlist his testimony to spread the Gospel. This is not at all unusual.
Henriques did not get the title quite right, and did not seem to know that at the time I gave him the "George Washington The Christian" book, I had been appointed by Governor Gilmore the previous year to the Mount Vernon Board of Visitors.
And then Henriques continues a few paragraphs below:
The Reverend Dr. James Kennedy, the famous television evangelist, devoted a sermon to the Faith of George Washington, which you were given to read for the institute. Kennedy declares, "George Washington came to a living faith in the Divine Savior. He came to trust in the shed blood of Christ, the perfect life of Jesus Christ, in which he was robed and in which he stood before God…. He prayed that the blood of Christ would cleanse him from all of his sins; that he might be accepted because of the merits, the perfect character of Jesus Christ, and not himself."
Good that the sermons were provided, but what was the context of the related commentary?
Might that be shown by the mocking point to the teachers in his audience at Mount Vernon?:
To Grizzard's credit, in a rare instance of academic honesty among his historian colleagues, his book also includes an a.d. 1907 essay by Rev. Herbert Burk, the man who founded the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge, that also supports the authenticity of the GW Prayers. When on Labor Day a.d. 2006 outside the Chapel of Washington and Lee University, I asked him "Why?", he said Rev. Burk's essay makes HIS point because the essay is so extreme. Extremely correct? Grizzard's answer baffles me.
So...you read, you review, you pray, you decide.
Then YOU WRITE? Please Click on the "Comments" word link below and write your views on the question. Thanks, and I pray you and your family will be blessed by these GW Prayers.
REVIEW the PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer Book
- Work Book - Picture Book
The compiler of this book of Washington's Prayers is not a penmanship expert. So not knowing the authenticity of these prayers in the penmanship of George Washington, this author took them back in a.d. 1997 when I first discovered them to an antique documents dealer in Old Town Alexandria who serves Mount Vernon as an evaluator of Washington writings that come available, and after losing a previous letter, went back to him in July a.d. 2005, whereupon he wrote for me a brief note on his letterhead saying,
"This letter is to attest to the fact the handwriting shown in copy in the prayers of George Washington, is written in the hand of George Washington c. 1752. and is typical of his script. Gary Eyler July 5th, 2005."
Printed below is OLD COLONY SHOP 16th - 19th Century / Paintings - Prints - Maps - Documents / Recognized Authorities on Art, etc.
When I read these powerful, passionate prayers I said in my prayers my mission would be to let all of America come to know these prayers!
(some items "revolve" in your computer, others... in your mind!)
By the way, click this to watch on SCFilms.com a video depicting a
GW Prayer Warrior All Across America...
- Work Book - Picture Book
Thank you so much, and I pray that these items may bless you.Originally I read about these prayers in two books, one "America: God Shed His Grace On Thee" by Moody Press in Chicago, and the other in "The Light and the Glory" by Peter Marshall Ministries up in Massachusetts. Yet I could not find the a.d. 1919 book "George Washington The Christian" by William J. Johnson in the local Martha Washington Library in Mount Vernon district, the regional library in Mount Vernon - Sherwood Hall, in the entire Fairfax County Library System - the largest in Virginia, or in the City of Alexandria Library a block from where George Washington used to attend Christ Church to pray, and NOT EVEN in Washington at the Library of Congress!!
(After attending the symposium at the June opening of the wonderful exhibit "Religion and the Founding of the American Republic" assembled by Dr. James Hutson in a.d. 1998, where I gave Dr. Hutson a copy of "George Washington The Christian" which he said he had never seen before; in August while researching a song called "George Washington The Christian", I discovered the Library of Congress did in fact possess two editions of the book, but they had been misfiled with the music. They are now in the book collections, though we are still debating the proper spelling of the author's name in the Library of Congress catalog system, where there seems to remain an error.)
In a.d. 1995, after finding the book at Princeton (where Washington was miraculously spared harm as he rode between the lines before the victory at Princeton) an Inter-Library Loan search revealed only 158 copies in all the participating libraries all across America. I searched and found old copies but the publisher was out of business, or no longer printing the book. Then I found Christian Liberty Press of Arlington Heights, Illinois that had reprinted the book for their home school curriculum. Over the next year or so, I obtained near two thousand copies of that book, and 250 copies of the penmanship version from Bible Scholar Rusty Maisel of Texas who shortly thereafter went to the Holy Land to further his Bible Studies. I gave one copy of each, the William Johnson book "George Washington the Christian" and the facsimile booklet of George Washington's "Daily Sacrifice" compiled by Rusty Maisel, to Dr. D. James Kennedy, pastor of Coral Ridge Ministries and the Center for Christian Statesmanship, who shortly thereafter gave a fine sermon based on the "Son-day" evening prayer of George Washington.
I gave over 250 to men who attended the massive Promise Keepers Rally on the Washington Mall in a.d. 1997.
At wholesale, I sold copies at a GW Quarter markup over my purchase cost, so sold at a loss when delivery expenses were factored in, to Immanuel Bible Church bookstore, Christ Church bookstore, and eventually even Mount Vernon bookstore, though that was a challenge.
Eventually, even though the book would sell out just about as soon as it was placed on the shelves for sale, the book store manager stopped buying the book. As a volunteer for Mount Vernon, I had met the Executive Director, James Rees, so I prepared a spreadsheet to show how that one little inexpensive book being purchased irregularly in small quantities had earned for Mount Vernon near $1000. Two days later, I received an order for 200, five times larger than any prior order!
(Recently released is a fine new book titled "Washington's God" by American Enterprise Institute scholar and theologian Michael Novak with his daughter Jana Novak, that was written at the request of James Rees. Well done Jim, and the Novaks! In that book the Novaks say many academics miss the mark on understanding Washington because they start from a false premise, that Washington was a Deist, or at best a marginal rather than a devout Christian
in his unshakeable confidence, or faith, in Divine Providence, that is to say,
or as I say, GW - God's Will.)
I also gave one to Dr. Peter Henriques, History teacher at George Mason University at the first annual George Washington Book Festival in February a.d. 1999.
Later that year, at a Teachers Conference at Mount Vernon, Henriques mocked Dr. Kennedy's sermon, and described me as a "evangelical Christian..." which I take as a compliment, yet in the context of the comment his intention to favor me could be questioned.
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/henriques/hist615/gwandreligion.htm
Henriques writes:
Recently, at the end of a conference where I was presenter, an evangelical Christian approached me and gave me a book entitled, George Washington: Christian by William Johnson. The young man saw Washington as a fellow believer and wanted to enlist his testimony to spread the Gospel. This is not at all unusual.
Henriques did not get the title quite right, and did not seem to know that at the time I gave him the "George Washington The Christian" book, I had been appointed by Governor Gilmore the previous year to the Mount Vernon Board of Visitors.
And then Henriques continues a few paragraphs below:
The Reverend Dr. James Kennedy, the famous television evangelist, devoted a sermon to the Faith of George Washington, which you were given to read for the institute. Kennedy declares, "George Washington came to a living faith in the Divine Savior. He came to trust in the shed blood of Christ, the perfect life of Jesus Christ, in which he was robed and in which he stood before God…. He prayed that the blood of Christ would cleanse him from all of his sins; that he might be accepted because of the merits, the perfect character of Jesus Christ, and not himself."
Good that the sermons were provided, but what was the context of the related commentary?
Might that be shown by the mocking point to the teachers in his audience at Mount Vernon?:
Such examples could be multiplied many times over [the number of books and articles on GW as a Christian is large indeed], but I think it well to remember "repetition may create certainty in the minds of the hearers and readers, but it does not create truth." [Hughes]
Yet in the a.d. 1999 book "He Died as He Lived" by Peter Henriques, he fails to tell the reader or tell The Washington Post editors who reprinted the image, that the image on his front cover is a woodcut from an illustration with the title "George Washington The Christian". All too convenient anti-faith perspective academic oversight. (see below the a.d. 1907 essay quote by the founder of Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, Rev. Herbert Burk that debunks much of what passes as modern scholarship.)
Last year, I heard that Dr. Henriques was coming out with another book with a chapter on the Faith of George Washington, and so I sent him an email offering to be a "peer review reader". He declined my offer. When I then revealed to him what he did not previously know, that I was Mount Vernon Board of Visitors member and the "evangelical Christian" who gave him the book George Washington The Christian, I asked him if he had read it (in the six years since I gave it to him), his reply was, "I have it on my shelf." which is a Clinton-esque answer.
To Grizzard's credit, in a rare instance of academic honesty among his historian colleagues, his book also includes an a.d. 1907 essay by Rev. Herbert Burk, the man who founded the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge, that also supports the authenticity of the GW Prayers. When on Labor Day a.d. 2006 outside the Chapel of Washington and Lee University, I asked him "Why?", he said Rev. Burk's essay makes HIS point because the essay is so extreme. Extremely correct? Grizzard's answer baffles me.
So...you read, you review, you pray, you decide.
Then YOU WRITE? Please Click on the "Comments" word link below and write your views on the question. Thanks, and I pray you and your family will be blessed by these GW Prayers.
- Work Book - Picture Book
The compiler of this book of Washington's Prayers is not a penmanship expert. So not knowing the authenticity of these prayers in the penmanship of George Washington, this author took them back in a.d. 1997 when I first discovered them to an antique documents dealer in Old Town Alexandria who serves Mount Vernon as an evaluator of Washington writings that come available, and after losing a previous letter, went back to him in July a.d. 2005, whereupon he wrote for me a brief note on his letterhead saying,
"This letter is to attest to the fact the handwriting shown in copy in the prayers of George Washington, is written in the hand of George Washington c. 1752. and is typical of his script. Gary Eyler July 5th, 2005."
Printed below is OLD COLONY SHOP 16th - 19th Century / Paintings - Prints - Maps - Documents / Recognized Authorities on Art, etc.
PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer Book - sample page, see them ALL!
Below is the last page, Thursday morning, of those pages of powerful Prayers in the penmanship of Prayer Warrior Washington...
[CLICK on each Image to Enlarge so to enhance your ability to read the penned prayers, or the transcribed words, and study the images, CLICK again to further magnify.]
PRAYER WARRIOR Washington
CD Label
...a Prayer Book,
...a Work Book, and
...a Picture Book.
An audio book, a video book and an eBook.
Also available online in paper...
...buy by the page, or buy by the book...
...buy by the day in audio and video,
or buy all in the multi-media eBook...
...by George, buy George!
A Prayer Warrior as The Prayer Warrior General George Washington teaching a Boy Soldier to be a Prayer Warrior...
{This Prayer Warrior Washington Prayer Book - Work Book - Picture Book was first completed eleven months before on Jamestowne Day, 13 May anno domini 2005.}
The "ABC's of the American Flag" was described further as part of the Pledge of Allegiance at the 400th Anniversary of the "Birth Certificate" of English American Civilization, The Virginia Company Charter of 10 April a.d. 1606, (see http://FirstCollege.blogspot.com ) where the purpose of the Virginia Company of "Grand Founders of America" is defined as:
"...for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring the Infidels and Savages, living in those parts, to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet Government: DO, by these our Letters Patents, graciously accept of, and agree to, their humble and well-intended Desires..."
For more on the Virginia Company charter and the settlement of the Citie of Henricus, settled after Jamestown but years before Plymouth then in Virginia, in present day Massachusetts, go to www.FirstColledge.US, to learn from the excellent early American history scholar, Chancellor of Henricus Colledge 1619 Steven Smith (no known relation to Captain John Smith of Jamestowne fame).}
Job One is Job, too. (Postlogue on this Job job of JOY.) This Postlogue tells a bit of the history of the trials and tribulations of bringing this PRAYER WARRIOR Washington book into being.
a work and vision to make prayer be seen as a daily duty...
...and J O Y ~ to Jesus for Others by You !
The Image Collage of Images for the CD Cover...
of the GW Prayers c. a.d. 1752 for $17.52
for a CD of GW Prayers (and more).
REVIEW the PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer Book
- Work Book - Picture Book
[CLICK on each Image to Enlarge so to enhance your ability to read the penned prayers, or the transcribed words, and study the images, CLICK again to further magnify.]
PRAYER WARRIOR Washington
CD Label
...a Prayer Book,
...a Work Book, and
...a Picture Book.
An audio book, a video book and an eBook.
...buy by the page, or buy by the book...
or buy all in the multi-media eBook...
...by George, buy George!
A Prayer Warrior as The Prayer Warrior General George Washington teaching a Boy Soldier to be a Prayer Warrior...
{This Prayer Warrior Washington Prayer Book - Work Book - Picture Book was first completed eleven months before on Jamestowne Day, 13 May anno domini 2005.}
The "ABC's of the American Flag" was described further as part of the Pledge of Allegiance at the 400th Anniversary of the "Birth Certificate" of English American Civilization, The Virginia Company Charter of 10 April a.d. 1606, (see http://FirstCollege.blogspot.com ) where the purpose of the Virginia Company of "Grand Founders of America" is defined as:
"...for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring the Infidels and Savages, living in those parts, to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet Government: DO, by these our Letters Patents, graciously accept of, and agree to, their humble and well-intended Desires..."
For more on the Virginia Company charter and the settlement of the Citie of Henricus, settled after Jamestown but years before Plymouth then in Virginia, in present day Massachusetts, go to www.FirstColledge.US, to learn from the excellent early American history scholar, Chancellor of Henricus Colledge 1619 Steven Smith (no known relation to Captain John Smith of Jamestowne fame).}
Job One is Job, too. (Postlogue on this Job job of JOY.) This Postlogue tells a bit of the history of the trials and tribulations of bringing this PRAYER WARRIOR Washington book into being.
a work and vision to make prayer be seen as a daily duty...
...and J O Y ~ to Jesus for Others by You !
The Image Collage of Images for the CD Cover...
of the GW Prayers c. a.d. 1752 for $17.52
for a CD of GW Prayers (and more).
- Work Book - Picture Book
Friday, December 22, 2006
Fwd: Christmas in Iraq, Christmas Story of Jesus Birth, Christmas Stories of GW
Begin forwarded message:
James Renwick Manship George@WashingtonLIVES.us
By the way though, while some assign a Pagan meaning to the Christmas Tree, it is an evergreen tree, and in Hosea 14:8-9, Ephraim says of the Lord God: "...I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. 9: Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them..." KJV (of course!)
James Renwick Manship George@WashingtonLIVES.us
Date: December 22, 2006 6:55:12 PM EST
To: prayerwarrior.us
Subject: Christmas in Iraq, Christmas Story of Jesus Birth, Christmas Stories of GW
Friday, 22 December anno domini 2006
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Earlier today I received a "flash" email of a Santa, a Christmas tree, and gifts.
Its saving grace is the music which is "O Little Town of Bethlehem" which if there were words, ends with with the words "Our Lord Immanuel".
While very clever, it is missing the core message of the Christmas Holy Day, and the "reason for the Season", is not gifts under the Christmas tree, but the priceless Gift of God, the birth of the Holy Child Jesus.
By the way though, while some assign a Pagan meaning to the Christmas Tree, it is an evergreen tree, and in Hosea 14:8-9, Ephraim says of the Lord God: "...I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. 9: Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them..." KJV (of course!)
I prayed about this loss of the true message of Christmas and lo and behold, God answered my prayers with two other emails.
One a Baptist, the other a Presbyterian, but like flowers that look and smell different, God created us all and loves those who love His Son.
The Baptist one is a web video from an Army Chaplain about Christ in Christmas in Iraq, you will find a link to it at the bottom of this page.
And now a Presbyterian "flash" email about the Gift of Jesus Christ. After the animated part of the flash email is completed, wait to scroll down to read the fuller message of the meaning of Christmas.
And now a Presbyterian "flash" email about the Gift of Jesus Christ. After the animated part of the flash email is completed, wait to scroll down to read the fuller message of the meaning of Christmas.
Also on Monday this week I was able to share the Christmas stories of the father of His country, George Washington to a fine group of students as part of a Young Audiences of Virginia presentation.
Then having already given the gift of Life by giving a pint of blood, as I encourage each of you who receive this to do likewise by giving blood, I went downtown to encourage and commend the citizens who joined in the Christmas time blood drive of the Colonial Division of the American Red Cross.
If you wish you can see the two items above at:
I pray these links above and the message and video link below will add to the blessings of your celebration of the birth of the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.
In GW - God's Will and His Son's service,
James
James 1:2
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Even in Iraq, or especially in Iraq, let us always first put Christ in Christmas.
"Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war, with the Cross of Jesus, going on before."
And G. Washington said, "The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man will endeavour so to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier...".
We can be justly pleased that our soldiers in Iraq are following in GW's leading as Christian soldiers.
Remember too, that President Reagan said "The most sublime picture in American history is of George Washington on his knees..." in prayer in the snow at Valley Forge on Christmas night in the Year of Our Lord Jesus 1777.
Remember too, that President Reagan said "The most sublime picture in American history is of George Washington on his knees..." in prayer in the snow at Valley Forge on Christmas night in the Year of Our Lord Jesus 1777.
Let us remember as Prayer Warriors to repeat that sublime scene by our own kneeling in prayer for our Country and our Countrymen defending our Liberty, and pray to keep Christ in Christmas in the Culture War we wage on the domestic fronts, and on the fronts of our court buildings and civic spaces.
Jesus is the reason for the season, and for every season of the year and of life, for all time B.C. and A.D. is measured from His birth that we are about to celebrate.
His infinite love can cool any conflict, if His love reaches the heart, whether the heart of our kin, kindred, countrymen or men of a foreign country and culture.
Let us praise God the Father for His Love in giving us His Son. Let us pray to God the Father that others around the world and around our town accept His Son.
His Son is THE GIFT of Christmas.
In GW - God's Will and His Son's service,
James
Aide to GW
P.S. Please feel free to forward this on to others. Merry Christmas to you and your families!
P.P.S. Remember to Pray for our Christian Soldiers fighting for Liberty, knowing that in the end, the only true Liberty is Christian Liberty.
Begin forwarded message:
From:
Date: December 22, 2006 2:04:25 PM EST
Subject: Fwd: FW: Christmas in Iraq
Dear James,
This contains a video message from Iraq----pretty impressive! Martha
From:
Date: December 21, 2006 9:20:59 AM EST
To:
Subject: FW: Christmas in Iraq
From:
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 3:23 PM
To:
Subject: Fw: Christmas in Iraq
-----
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 10:37 AM
Subject: Fw: Christmas in Iraq
Click on the Video image below:
WARNING: To reduce the size of the email from over 3 mb to under 40 kb so to minimize problems with different folk's email systems, I have a link to Google Video rather than imbedding the Video on my web page. Please be advised that once on Google Video, I have no control of the videos that are sequenced next to this video.
SO, PARENTS, watch this with your children so to assure that they are not lured off to other less desirable Videos on Google. And have a most blessed Christmas with your family.
Click on the Video image below:
WARNING: To reduce the size of the email from over 3 mb to under 40 kb so to minimize problems with different folk's email systems, I have a link to Google Video rather than imbedding the Video on my web page. Please be advised that once on Google Video, I have no control of the videos that are sequenced next to this video.
SO, PARENTS, watch this with your children so to assure that they are not lured off to other less desirable Videos on Google. And have a most blessed Christmas with your family.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
GovJeffersonGWsermon.mov
| General Washington as "Preacher Washington" gives sermon to colonial church in Charlottesville on all being "Prayer Warriors". | |
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6916132988220921729
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Jamestowne Prayer Service, Jefferson Connection, and Tour ...
Join in a Tour of Jamestowne Island, Join the Prayer Service led by a wonderful Docent of Bruton Parish, and then a Tour of Bruton Parish Church.
For twenty years a Noon-day Prayer Service has been held in the Historic Church on Jamestowne Island, often by Officiant Mrs. Anne Conkling, Head Docent of Bruton Parish of Williamsburg.
The Jefferson Connection to Christian America
Unique to notice this day is that in the first representative assembly in America held in Jamestowne in anno domini 1611, in this church, included Mr. John Jefferson of Flowerdew Hundred and Mr. Dowse of the Citie of Henricus where both were members.
Almost 200 years later, in April of a.d. 1803, Mr. Edward Dowse, sent a copy of a sermon by the Rev. William Bennet entitled "The Excellence of Christian Morality", which spoke about the extension of civilization to the Indians, and asked Mr. Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States of America, to prepare a "Gospel Tract" from the "Great White Chief" to help evangelize the Indians to Christianity.
President Jefferson, who had personally contributed to the Christian work of missionaries for some years, was only to pleased to assist this worthy work in this way, so did a "Bible Study" in the White House -- so much for "separation of church and state" -- and created what has been misrepresented as the "Jefferson Bible".
The title page in President Jefferson's handwriting gives its name and meaning:
(Click on the line above to go to learn more information about Jefferson's faith...)
"The Philosophy
of Jesus of Nazareth
extracted from the account of
his life and doctrines as given by
Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
being an abridgement of
the New Testament
for the use of the Indians
unembarrased with matters of fact
or faith beyond the level of their
comprehensions."
Thomas Jefferson had said "if the Gospel had been taught as pure as it came from His lips (meaning the lips of Jesus) the whole civilized world would now be Christians."
Consistent with that insightful observation, Jefferson created what could be described as a "Red Letter New Testament" which has been falsely described as "The Jefferson Bible".
Even poorly informed "Christian Scholars" vilify Thomas Jefferson for "cutting up the Bible, cutting out the Virgin Birth, and cutting out the Miracles."
Many Americans have labored for years under the bondage of this false teaching, both in the churches and the state schools.
Yet, Thomas Jefferson chose for the motto of his beloved University of Virginia, the words:
For twenty years a Noon-day Prayer Service has been held in the Historic Church on Jamestowne Island, often by Officiant Mrs. Anne Conkling, Head Docent of Bruton Parish of Williamsburg.
The Jefferson Connection to Christian America
Unique to notice this day is that in the first representative assembly in America held in Jamestowne in anno domini 1611, in this church, included Mr. John Jefferson of Flowerdew Hundred and Mr. Dowse of the Citie of Henricus where both were members.
Almost 200 years later, in April of a.d. 1803, Mr. Edward Dowse, sent a copy of a sermon by the Rev. William Bennet entitled "The Excellence of Christian Morality", which spoke about the extension of civilization to the Indians, and asked Mr. Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States of America, to prepare a "Gospel Tract" from the "Great White Chief" to help evangelize the Indians to Christianity.
President Jefferson, who had personally contributed to the Christian work of missionaries for some years, was only to pleased to assist this worthy work in this way, so did a "Bible Study" in the White House -- so much for "separation of church and state" -- and created what has been misrepresented as the "Jefferson Bible".
The title page in President Jefferson's handwriting gives its name and meaning:
(Click on the line above to go to learn more information about Jefferson's faith...)
"The Philosophy
of Jesus of Nazareth
extracted from the account of
his life and doctrines as given by
Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
being an abridgement of
the New Testament
for the use of the Indians
unembarrased with matters of fact
or faith beyond the level of their
comprehensions."
Consistent with that insightful observation, Jefferson created what could be described as a "Red Letter New Testament" which has been falsely described as "The Jefferson Bible".
Even poorly informed "Christian Scholars" vilify Thomas Jefferson for "cutting up the Bible, cutting out the Virgin Birth, and cutting out the Miracles."
Many Americans have labored for years under the bondage of this false teaching, both in the churches and the state schools.
Yet, Thomas Jefferson chose for the motto of his beloved University of Virginia, the words:
"And you shall know the truth,
and the truth shall set you free."
and the truth shall set you free."
The truth is that the reason that the Virgin Birth and Miracles are "cut out" is that Jesus from His lips never described either the Virgin Birth or the Miracles.
In one verse in John, Jesus lists the Miracles, and Jefferson includes that verse, so the truth is that Jefferson by its inclusion does NOT deny the Miracles.
So now you know...
In one verse in John, Jesus lists the Miracles, and Jefferson includes that verse, so the truth is that Jefferson by its inclusion does NOT deny the Miracles.
So now you know...
"...the truth, and the truth shall set you free."
WashingtonPrayerWarrior-Yorktown.mov
The Spirit of George Washington the Christian LIVES! kneels and prays for the sleeping Barr boys who are Washington Family descendants after a Saturday night banquet. Hours later, 13 or so miles away, the Christian Prayer Service of the American Army re-enactors met at Redoubt 9 where another Christian gentleman portraying George Washington read the prayer for Sunday morning of 20 year old George Washington.
Click on the title to see the video on Google Video free hosting service.
Click on the title to see the video on Google Video free hosting service.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Yorktown Victory in Jesus - 225th Anniversary - 19 October
This GW (God's Will or George Washington) "Seed of Truth" flyer contains quotations of General George Washington that gives some hint at the fervant faith in Jesus Christ that powered the actions of "the father of His country".[Click on the image to enlarge, click again to magnify for ease in reading.]
Please send an email by clicking the envelope icon below, or click and send this webpage to your friends.
The Yorktown Victory was achieved by the early band of American Christian Soldiers fashioned by GW and General Washington.
Acts 17:6 says the "early Christians turned the world upside down...", and it is reported that the British Army played the tune "The World Turned Upside Down."
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Son-day Prayers penned by GW
PRAYER WARRIOR
Washington Prayer Book -
Work Book - Picture Book
Washington Prayer Book -
Work Book - Picture Book
"Son-day" Morning Page 1
"...humble and hearty thanks that thou has preserv'd me from the dangers of the night past, and brought me to the light of this day, and the comforts thereof, a day which is consecrated to thine own service and for thine own honour."
These tattered prayer book pages of a facsimile of Washington's Prayers traveled all across America, four times from Sea to Shining Sea, and while kneeling, were prayed at each of the Continental state capitols morning and evening for the people of that state and their elected servants.
On the left is the penmanship of George Washington at age 20, on the right is a transcript by Bible scholar, Rusty Maisel.
In the center, is for you to copy GW's prayers in your own penmanship, and in that way, the penned prayers become your own. Then make a copy, cut out the center box, and you have a set of 3 x 5 cards of GW Prayers for your pocket, or for the ladies, your pocketbook. Then you can make them part of your daily devotions.
"Son-day" Morning Page 2
"...pardon I beseech thee, my sins, remove them from thy presence as far as the east is from the west, and accept of me for the merits of thy son Jesus Christ...
"Son-day" Morning Page 3
"...it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation & peace to the saving of my soul in the day of The Lord Jesus..."
The phrase that Pastor Dr. D. James Kennedy focused on in one of his sermons on Washington's Prayers:
"...but so coldly & carelessly that my prayers are become my sin and stand in need of pardon."
"Make me to know what is acceptable in thy sight, and therein to delight. open the eyes of my understanding..."
"...and direct em to the true object Jesus Christ the way, the truth, and the life."
"Help O Lord all the people of this land, from the highest to the lowest, particularly those whom thou has appointed to rule over us in church & state..."
- Work Book - Picture Book
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer Book - Cover Page
This is the cover page for the eBook - Audio Book - Video Book is a Prayer Book, Work Book and Picture Book. It is shown here as a photo collage rich in images and imaginings. But more rich are the images of the penmanship of prayers of Washington.
The prayer for this prayer book is that you will be blessed by reading the power and passion of these prayers, and with your own penmanship you copy in the space provided so that the prayers become your own.
Then you are encouraged to do a photocopy of these prayers in your penmanship that you penned in the 3 x 5 card size block provided, cut out the 3x5 blocks from each of the many pages that you choose, gather them in a cover of your own choosing such as a design in the upper left and lower right corner of this cover page (as it appeared 30,033 miles later after the CROSSings: All Across America Journey with Jesus, by George! Prayer Pilgrimage Four Times from Sea to Shining Sea), and then carry the prayers that are now your own "in your own hand" in your own coat pocket, next to your heart.
At those times in life where lines or pauses causes us to wait for the next event to begin, or end, then this booklet of penned prayers can be called out from the place beside your heart, and contemplated, or prayed with or upon, to give you peace, and thereby, wisdom, the Wisdom of Washington, based on the one true wisdom, the Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
On a "Southern Tour" in the State of Georgia, George Washington LIVES!, rode his carriage up into the mountains for an "American Vision"...
On a "Southern Tour" in the State of Georgia, George Washington LIVES!, rode his carriage up into the mountains to join a gathering of Patriots and Prayer Warriors in a holy place called Toccoa...In the bottom right, as in the Right, and the Bottom Line, is seen George Washington who had placed his "Trinity" Hat (that less well informed folks call a Tri-Cornered Hat, or even a Tri-Corn Hat) up on and upon the head of a new Prayer Warrior.
The future of America rests with the Vision of Americans such as these, and Visionary Americans such as Ronald Wilson Reagan who said in anno domini 1984 in his State of the Union Address:
"I see America
in the Crimson Light
of a Rising Sun
Fresh from the Burning, Creative
Hand of God.
I see Great Days Ahead,
for Men and Women,
Of Will And Vision..."
in the Crimson Light
of a Rising Sun
Fresh from the Burning, Creative
Hand of God.
I see Great Days Ahead,
for Men and Women,
Of Will And Vision..."
Thursday, May 04, 2006
General Washington, Prayer Warrior, At Capitol in Washington, Prays for America...
On the National Day of Prayer in the Year of Our Lord the 2006th, and of the Independence of the United States the 230th, the Spirit of George Washington the Christian LIVES! ... and PRAYS for our nation.General Washington was America's principal Prayer Warrior, and yet General Washington travels far and wide across this God - blessed land, kneeling and praying while enlisting children of God, boys and girls, young and old, to be powerful Prayer Warriors for our Nation.
In that invitation to be a Prayer Warrior, General Washington prays, "God bless (Jamey), God bless your papa, your mama, your brothers and sisters, all your kinfolk, friends, and neighbors. And God Bless America. Amen? (then the child and General Washington join in an "Amen" together.)
Then the General says, "And you as a Prayer Warrior are every bit as powerful as an
y General or any Pastor, our Father in Heaven listens to your prayers every bit as much as mine. So you remember to say your prayers for your family and the soldiers defending our country. Will you do that for me? Thank you."Photographs by Steve Rusnak,
photographer for YOUR
House of Representatives.
Thank you, Steve...
And thank You God for giving us our Land of Liberty!
photographer for YOUR
House of Representatives.
Thank you, Steve...
And thank You God for giving us our Land of Liberty!
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Grizzard book on the Prayers of George Washington... Read on to see Letter from Penmanship expert...
Years ago, just before Thanksgiving anno domini 2001, GW traveled to Charlottesville for the wonderful annual Governor Jefferson Thanksgiving Festival where folks from past and present gather to celebrate the Governor's Proclamation of Thanksgiving to God. Also the fine folks there re-enacted the raid of the British, and the Virginia "Paul Revere" ride of Captain Jack Jouett that allowed the Legislature and the Governor to escape capture during the year a.d. 1781 before the British were able to be trapped and defeated in Yorktown.On that trip, "GW" visited the University of Virginia Library (see picture below) where many of GW's old letters and papers are being stored and catalogued for safekeeping and publishing.
That George Washington Papers Project at Mr. Jefferson's university, the University of Virginia, is liberally endowed by the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington. For the most part fitting, though liberally or liberal has a connotation that while it fits well with current spending patterns of Washington, does not fit well with George Washington.
During that visit to the Alderman Library at the University in a.d. 2001, shown by the photo, I met Mr. Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. who was a most personable and well informed academic working at the GW Papers Project; I removed from my coat pocket close to my heart the prayers of George Washington, that he titled "Daily Sacrifice", and if you read the first of those twice daily prayers you will learn the historical relevance of the title that the young George Washington chose.
I remember how I selected one of "my" letters (seen holding it in the photo) and read it with the passion GW's elegant phrases deserved. The two staff members thought I was reciting words of Washington from memory.
When I showed them the words on the paper before me, they were a bit surprised, being there in Charlottesville, home of Thomas Jefferson, there is a natural bias to think of eloquence in writing as being a near monopoly of their local favorite son. Now they became more aware that there are golden nuggets in the tremendous mass of the wise words of Washington.
I then remember how they showed me the three index books for the writings of Washington, Jefferson and Madison. The index book for Washington was about 1 and 1/4 inch thick, whereas the one for Jefferson was about 1/2 inch thick and the one for Madison about 3/8 of an inch thick.
Using what my Advanced Public Speaker Institute friend and mentor Tom Antion calls "the thud factor", Washington as a writer carries more "weight" that either Jefferson or Madison.
And if you don't take my friend Tom's word for it (Tom Antion, not Tom Jefferson), listen to Noah, America's Educator, Noah Webster, who wrote in a.d. 1828,
"Literary power and statesmanship were combined in George Washington, the greatest political leader of his time and also the greatest intellectual and moral force of the Revolutionary period."
"...Few people realize that he was also the most voluminous writer of his period, and his principals of government have had more influence on the development of the American commonwealth than those of any other man."
Thud factor indeed!
And from Washington's Farewell Address, a document once studied in Civics classes in America's schools for his wisdom and prophetic vision for America's future, which was issued on the ninth anniversary of the signing of this Constitution, the 17th of September in the Year of Our Lord 1796, and printed two days later on the 19th, Washington wrote:
"Of all the disposition and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports."
Washington's Farewell Address goes on with many more wise words, and this www.WashingtonLIVES.us site will post the entire document in an Archives entry for September a.d. 1796, for our reader's convenience, or post a link.
Once back in a.d. 1998 or so, I discovered on the George Washington Papers Project web site an analysis of the books in the library of General Washington, also a Planter, Surveyor, and Vestryman, numbering about 1000 volumes, that 40 books were on military matters, and an equal number on faith matters, with fewer numbers in other areas of his work. The conclusion could be derived that "Churchman Washington" was equal to "General Washington". In recent visits to the GW Papers website, I have not been able to find that same gold nugget of information.
As is said on the National Archives building in Washington, "The Past is Prologue."
The prologue above sets the stage for the present entry about the new book (a.d. 2005) by Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. with the imprint Mariner Publisher, Buena Vista and Charlottesville, Virginia.
The book title is "THE WAYS OF PROVIDENCE: Religion & George Washington".
The dedication page is charming, dedicated to his children and citing the Bible from Joel 1:3:
"Tell your children of it,
and let your children tell their children,
and their children another generation."
and let your children tell their children,
and their children another generation."
There is a great deal of "intellectual honesty" in this small volume, for Grizzard includes an address titled "WASHINGTON'S PRAYERS" from the Reverend W. Herbert Burk, who founded the magnificent Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, that anticipates the ever typical reaction of skepticism and even cynicism of "the academy" to matters of faith.
When discussing the veracity of Washington's Prayers, Rev. Burk writes and Mr. Grizzard repeats on page 68 of his volume: "Dr. Lyman Abbott and Prof. Upham attributed them to Washington. In writing to the New York publishers, Dr. Abbott said:
"An age whose virtues are philanthropic, whose defect is lack of spiritual perception, and whose characteristic vice is irreverance, can hardly fail to receive benefit from the publication of the prayers of one honored by men of all faiths, and even of none, as is George Washington."
Yet back on page 51, sadly Mr. Grizzard seems to succumb to the desire for acceptance by the intellectual elite of "the academy" -- "whose defect is lack of spiritual perception".
Grizzard writes: "The catalogue of the sale was prepared by Philadelphia auctioneer Stan V. Henkels, who asserted that the manuscript was not only in Washington's own handwriting, written when the future Father of His Country was about twenty years of age, but that Washington even composed the prayers himself. Both claims are patently false."
A few lines below, Grizzard writes: "...others continue to challenge its authenticity. Tens of thousands of genuine Washington manuscripts have survived to the present, including many from the youthful Washington, and even a cursory comparison of the prayer book with a genuine Washington manuscript reveals that they are not the same handwriting. (See illustrations.)"
From Noah Webster's a.d.1828 Dictionary we learn the precise meaning of the word "Cursory" includes superficial and careless.
CURSORY, a. [L. See Course.]
1. Running; hasty; slight; superficial; careless; not with close attention; as a cursory reading; a cursory view.
Thank you Lord, or thank you Mr. Grizzard, for choosing such an accurate word - "cursory".
Granted a "cursory" comparison reveals differences, but also reveals similarities.
Mr. Grizzard is not likely a penmanship expert as were several experts that Mr. Henkels referred the Washington manuscript for examination before the auction in a.d. 1891.
Neither is this author a penmanship expert. So not knowing the authenticity of these prayers in the penmanship of George Washington, this author took them back in a.d. 1997 when I first discovered them to an antique documents dealer in Old Town Alexandria who serves Mount Vernon as an evaluator of Washington writings that come available, and after losing a previous letter, went back to him in July a.d. 2005, whereupon he wrote for me a brief note on his letterhead saying,
"This letter is to attest to the fact the handwriting shown in copy in the prayers of George Washington, is written in the hand of George Washington c. 1752. and is typical of his script. Gary Eyler July 5th, 2005."
Printed below is OLD COLONY SHOP 16th - 19th Century / Paintings - Prints - Maps - Documents / Recognized Authorities on Art, etc.
Again to Grizzard's credit, on page 67, he includes the part of Rev. Burks quite insightful and thorough essay on the issue:
"It is a well-known fact that Washington between the years of 1755 and 1763 changed his hand from the angular to the round formation."
If such be the case in an eight year period as a young adult of 23 to 31 years of age, certainly it is fair to allow that the younger George Washington's handwriting would likely vary when he was age 20 to 22, or thereabouts.
With a period of time since reading the book so to allow time for consideration to constrain my concerns with it upon initial reading, I now am quite happy to recommend Mr. Grizzard's book as a very valuable addition to the literature about the faith of George Washington.
My recommendation is not so much for Mr. Grizzard's analysis in his writings, which I find faulty, but for the wonderful service he has rendered by reprinting the prayers in the penmanship of George Washington, and the fine essay by Rev. Herbert Burk that anticipated nearly a century before this book was published many of the arguments the author makes, and persuasively refutes Grizzard's arguments.
In addition, the old saying "You can't tell a book by its cover." does not apply to this cover which has a striking image of a sculpture titled "General Washington Praying at Valley Forge" by Donald DeLue, the same sculptor who created the magnificent 9 foot bronze statue at Freedom's Foundation at Valley Forge. If this book gets shelf space enough for the cover to be seen, it will be a good seller, because as President Reagan said in a.d. 1982,
"The most sublime picture in American History is of
George Washington on his knees..."
George Washington on his knees..."
So why do I find faulty the analysis of one who is so highly regarded as a Washington expert if the reader is to read the back cover with scholar's comments from his previous book "George! A Guide to All Things Washington" from which this smaller volume is reportedly derived?
I could be laborious and detail several points, but I will limit myself to only two.
On page 52, Grizzard writes:
"...prayers continue to be disseminated under Washington's name, thanks to their publication in the early twentieth century by William Herbert Burk (1867 -1933) as Washington's Prayers (Norristown, Pennsylvania, 1907) and later republication by William Jackson Johnstone (1867-1933) in George Washington The Christian (New York and Cincinnati, 1919)."
Here Mr. Grizzard reveals that he has fallen into the trap of far too many historians who repeat what prior historians have written. Grizzard writes "William Jackson Johnstone". I discovered when in May a.d. 2000, when I was traveling the country as "GW Lives!" and sought to learn more about the author of "George Washington the Christian", I learned at the Minnesota State Library that this just so happens to be wrong.
Johnstone was a professor in the Saint Paul, Minnesota area. But Johnstone was not Johnson, the author. Two amazingly similarly names of men both involved in Christian ministry and as professors in the Saint Paul area, but two different men.
William Jackson Johnson was also a professor in the Saint Paul area who taught at Macalester College, and whose home where the book was likely written I went to see and photograph. By the way, Johnson was born in Davies County, Indiana where the county seat is Washington, Indiana.
(Sadly in the storms of life and Hurricane Isabel that flooded my former home in Mount Vernon, my video of that Johnson home and my visit to the parks and schools of Washington, Indiana in the Millennium Year of a.d. 2000 has been lost.)
Unless the historian Grizzard did like I did and went to Saint Paul and pored through the newspapers to learn about the difference between Johnstone and Johnson, it is a likely error, easily to be made.
However, Grizzard writes to finish his paragraph of page 52: "It is hoped that this republication of Burk's work with the facsimiles will help to dispel the notion that the manuscript of the prayers are in Washington's own handwriting."
That is half of what he writes on the previous page, where he also disputes "...that Washington even composed the prayers himself."
And I do not know if Washington did or did not pen these prayers. I know that penmanship experts over 100 years ago and a year ago both evaluate them as penned by Washington.
And neither does Mr. Grizzard, or the gaggle of other academics "whose defect is lack of spiritual perception, and whose characteristic vice is irreverance," as Burk wrote so prophetically near a century ago.
Too often "historians" are more properly labeled "hysteria-ns" who run like a pack of hyenas barking and baying at the Moon God rather than obeying the call of the God of Light, Jesus.
Also I do know that I grew up in the same denomination as did George Washington, the Church of England, or in America after the Revolution, the Protestant Episcopal Church. I served as an altar boy and near learned the Book of Common Prayer by heart, and I see many phrases in Washington's prayers that are the same as prayers in the Book of Common Prayer. As an adult I have on my knees prayed the Washignton Prayers in the box pews where Washington prayed in Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; Christ Church, Old Town, Alexandria; and Pohick Church, Mount Vernon area of Alexandria, Virginia.
When I first discovered these Prayers of Washington in the Princeton Theological School library in a.d. 1995, I did so after being unable to find them in the Library of Congress.
(Years later, I did find the Washington Prayers in the Library of Congress in a.d. 1998, when I discovered Johnson's first and second printings of George Washington The Christian that had been misfiled in the music section of the library's holdings with a song by the same name.)
I obtained several copies and gave the Washington Prayers to two bishops of the Diocese of Virginia Episcopal Church, and a bishop of the break away Anglican Catholic Church, asking each man to review them and tell me from where the prayers derived.
None of the three bishops cared enough about American Christian History to respond to my request, which suggests to me they too are infected with the mindset of the modern seminary, which mirrors the gaggle of other academics "whose defect is lack of spiritual perception, and whose characteristic vice is irreverance," as Rev. Burk wrote so prophetically near a century ago.
So as an aide to understanding, I am preparing separately an "annotated" edition of the Prayers of George Washington citing the King James Version of the Holy Bible chapter and verse, and the Book of Common Prayer of the time of the youthful George Washington.
And as an adult, I have come to read the Holy Bible much more than as a child, and so see many passages in Washington's prayers that are taken either directly from scripture, or with minor alteration.
Now with that aside, I consider the worst issue is where Mr. Grizzard abuses the soft spoken words of a lady, the "step-grand-daughter" Eleanor "Nelly" Parke Custis Lewis, grand daughter of Martha Washington. Martha, of course, was the wife of George Washington. On page 47 in italics, Mr. Grizzard writes
"Note that Nelly says she never witnessed Washington's private devotions."
Thank God, Mr. Grizzard has the intellectual honesty to have included in this same book's covers a refutation of his own commentary. Refer to page 61, where the essay by Rev. Burk addresses the same point, where he continues her quotation,
"I never witnessed his private devotions. I never inquired about them. I should have thought it the greatest heresy to doubt his firm belief in Christianity.
His life, his writings, prove he was a Christian..."
His life, his writings, prove he was a Christian..."
The next paragraph says, "What Eleanor Parke Custis did not see, Robert Lewis, Washington's nephew and private secretary, did see. In 1827 he told Mr. Sparks that "he had accidentally witnessed his private devotions in his library both morning and evening; that on these occasions he had seen him in a kneeling posture with a Bible open before him, and that he believed such to have been his daily practice..." In an earlier paragraph, General Porterfield is quoting the same observation of George Washington, who found him "...on his knees at his morning devotions."
And if none of these witnesses are seen by the skeptics of Washington's Christian faith to be trustworthy as a persons with close second hand experience, that such powerful proofs are not good enough their unrealistic burden of proof, consider on the previous page 60, where is written, "Now we know the meaning of the entry in his diary in 1774: 'Williamsburg, June 1st. Went to Church and fasted all day.' Now we know what to think of his Church attendance."
And we know the depth of the devotions of Washington. How many of us today go to church and fast all day?
So, in summary, while the attitude of the author seems to reveal the all too prevalent skepticism of the scholar of the modern academy, too often "over educated" so to be unable to discern the Truth, even in light of ample evidence to convict, or reveal Washington's Christian convictions, before a jury of his peers; this book does a great service by printing these powerful passionate prayers from the penmanship of George Washington, and by printing the insightful essay of Rev. Herbert Burk of near a century ago.
Somehow it is appropriate, or as Washington would say "Divine Providence" that this book of his powerful passionate prayers in his own penmanship be published in Charlottesville by a man who worked as a scholar at the George Washington Papers Project at the University of Virginia.
Why? Because three years before he died in anno domini 1826, Thomas Jefferson, who is widely considered by academics to be an atheist, agnostic, deist, or at best a Unitarian whose faith in Jesus is marginal at best, chose a motto for his beloved university. (Send an email to received a link to the articles by this author refuting those all too common claims.)
The motto is "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."
Those are the words of the Lord of the lives of both Washington and Jefferson, the words of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Gospel of Saint John, Chapter 8, verse 32.
And so it is with this book "The Ways of Providence: Religion & George Washington", the words of Washington, and many good people related or closely connected with Washington, "provide" the ways and the words for the reader to discern the Religion of George Washington.
It is not easy to discern the truth in anyone's spirtual life, whether Washington, or Jefferson, or Carter, or Reagan, or "George W." (Bush), but if you work to find the truth that is Mr. Grizzard provides in the covers of this book, from the essay by Rev. Burk, and the penmanship prayers of George Washington, it will set you free to understand the "Man for the Millenniums" George Washington, and the quiet powerful motive force in his life, his faith in Jesus Christ.
As General Washington wrote to his army after the trials and tribulations of Valley Forge in May a.d. 1778, "In addition to the distinguished character of a Patriot, it should be our highest glory to laud the more distinguished character of a Christian."
OK, OK, with the above hatchet job review (as in the hatchet and the cherry tree story of the boy George Washington?), in the Spirit of the very young George Washington, I am not likely to get an Honorary Doctorate of Laws or History from the University of Virginia which has fallen away from the reverence of Jesus who spoke its motto, but one of the Laws of God is "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." and with my box 75 at Mount Vernon, I could not tell a lie or let a lie be told about my neighbor George Washington, whose example of Christian faith and devotion all Americans should follow.
Amen?
Amen, and Amen.
P.S. And oh by the way, you might like to buy my compilation of the same George Washington Prayers in my PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer Book - Work Book - Picture Book, that is an audio book, video book and PDF eBook that can be seen on screen, or heard on your CD player, or printed out so to copy Washington's prayers in your own penmanship so to establish a similar mind-body connection.
My multi-media, audio, video, "flash paper", ebook sells for $17.52 the same as the year anno domini 1752 that Washington wrote the prayers. Mr. Grizzard's book sells at Mount Vernon Book Shop for $11.95, and at my suggestion may soon sell at the Bookstore in the Chapel of Washington and Lee University.
My version has lots of interesting color photographs, plus the essential images of the facsimilies of the penmanship of prayers by George Washington, and the encouragement for you to copy the GW prayers in your own penmanship so to make them your own, and begin the "Daily Sacrifice" of prayer and prayer journaling.
Buy one, or both, today.
- Work Book - Picture Book
The PRAYER WARRIOR Washington Prayer book is available in several formats from the POD (Print on Demand) Publisher LuLu.com
that I define as "Liberty - Union - Life - Unshackled". Click button below to Demand your Print On Demand copy of PRAYER WARRIOR.
While I do not agree with the review below, or the author's assessment of the penmanship of prayers by George Washington, nonetheless, I respect your discernment, and encourage you to read the book below of Mr. Frank Grizzard, Jr., for his reprinting of the a.d. 1907 essay by Rev. Herbert Burk, the visionary who founded the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge, is a great service to America, and in my opinion, refutes Grizzard's analysis in the first pages of the volume. Yet, I pray for YOU to read and make your own judgment, then WRITE to me below. Thanks. (And too, thanks to Frank, Rev. Burk, GW, and God!)
{Click on the image to link to the Mariner Media website, where you may order
"The Ways of Providence: Religion and George Washington"
by Frank Grizzard, Jr.}
Finally, on Labor Day anno domini 2006, The Spirit of George Washington the Christian LIVES! returned in lively form for the annual Buena Vista Labor Day Parade as seen in this online photo in The Washington Post taken by a Roanoke Times photographer Josh Meltzer via AP.
Later in the day, "George Washington the Christian" was outside the Lee Chapel on the beautiful campus of Washington and Lee University where Mr. Grizzard saw his image from afar and kindly journeyed over to converse. Sadly, the video footage of the meeting succumbed to technical failures so that Divine Providence meeting about Washington's Prayers was not recorded for Posterity.
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