First Prayer of the Continental Congress, 1774

The First Prayer In CongressDuring his address to the Candidates and crowd at the Word of Life Christian Fellowship Church, The Patriot Paster, Garrett Lear, read the first prayer that opened up the Continental Congress.  With his permission, that material is presented below:

 
The Congress opened in prayer led by the Reverend Jacob Duché, a local minister from nearby Episcopalian Christ Church. Many of the Founding Fathers worshipped there and seven signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried in Christ’s Church cemetery. Reverend Jacob Duché (1737-98) was born in Pennsylvania, a descendant of Huguenots who immigrated to America with William Penn
 
 
"The First Prayer in Congress" by T.H. Matteson 1848
The Congress opened in prayer led by the Reverend Jacob Duché, a local minister from nearby Episcopalian Christ Church. Many of the Founding Fathers worshipped there and seven signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried in Christ’s Church cemetery. Reverend Jacob Duché (1737-98) was born in Pennsylvania, a descendant of Huguenots who immigrated to America with William Penn
 
Reverend Jacob Duché
Rector of Christ Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania opened the second session at Carpenter’s Hall September 7, 1774, 9 o’clock a.m. [2]
 
It was not a perfunctory prayer, but one that was a time of profound prayer. Opening the session he read the 35th Psalm, and then broke into extemporaneous prayer.

O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle!

Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly;

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