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Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Julius Mark on 16 January 1931

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Julius Mark, Vine Street Temple, Nashville, Tennessee
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 16 January 1931


Contribute a translationSource (English)
Humbly, reverently, fervently do we approach Thee,
O Father of us all,
to invoke Thy blessing upon the Members of this House,
chosen by millions of their fellow citizens
to guide and guard this great Republic.
Cognizant of their heavy responsibilities
and recognizing their human limitations,
they turn their hearts to Thee for inspiration
and their minds for wisdom.
In the spirit of the glorious traditions of our blessed country,
may they, true to their ideals,
dauntless in their battle against injustice and wrong,
ever be guided by this twofold motive—
the welfare of the people of the United States
and amity and good will toward all the nations on earth.
Earnestly we ask Thy blessing upon him
who by virtue of his exalted office
is the symbol of American ideals,
the President of the United States.
Bless Thou his counselors and advisers;
bless all who have won the confidence of their fellow citizens
and been intrusted with the sacred obligations of public office.
May they deal honorably,
legislate wisely,
and labor unselfishly,
so that justice may never be withheld or delayed,
truth may ever be our goal,
and love unite the hearts of all Americans
into a glorious bond of brotherhood.
For to-day, as ever,
“righteousness exalteth a nation” (Proverbs 14:34)
Bless Thou our country, O God,
that it may ever be a land in which a free people
is worthy of a free government, a government which,
in the words of the immortal Father of our Country,[1] George Washington (1732-1799), first Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army (1775-1783) and the first president of the United States (1789-1797). 
“gives to bigotry no sanction
and to persecution no assistance,”[2] From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790. 
a government loyally supported by a law-abiding citizenry.
Guided by leaders with strength of character,
breadth of vision, unbounded love,
and unimpeachable integrity,
may our Republic go from strength to strength,
a blessing to ourselves,
a shining example of liberty and democracy
to all the world.
Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the first session of the 72nd US House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 74 part 3 (16 January 1931), page 2370.

Source(s)

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain – Julius Mark (House of Representatives, 16 January 1931), p. 2370

 

Notes

Notes
1George Washington (1732-1799), first Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army (1775-1783) and the first president of the United States (1789-1797).
2From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790.

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