Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Morris Silverman, Emanuel Synagogue, Hartford, Connecticut
Date of Prayer: 19 February 1959
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 19 February 1959
Sponsor: n/a
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Father of all men and all nations,
we thank Thee that through the goodly heritage of freedom we enjoy, our lives are fallen in pleasant places. |
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We pray that we may ever uphold
the principle enunciated by George Washington, the Father of our Country: “Happily this Government can give to bigotry no sanction and to persecution no assistance.”[1] From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790. May we ever hold with him that, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion, and morality are indispensable supports.”[2] From George Washington’s “Farewell Address” (1796) |
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Open our eyes to understand
that the greatness of our country lies not only in our material achievements, economic prosperity, industrial expansion, and raising the standards of living, but also in the spiritual advance we make in the justice, harmony, and good will that prevail among us and in the equality of opportunity, offered alike to all our inhabitants, to live in dignity and freedom as becometh children created in Thine image. |
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Give us courage equal to our responsibilities,
and wisdom equal to our strength. |
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Grant that our strength be revealed
not only in guided missiles, but in guided leaders, men and women with big hearts and strong minds and broad vision, leaders who will be guided by truth, righteousness, and justice tempered with mercy, to labor for the well-being of all our people. |
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Bless the President of these United States,
the Vice President, the Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and all who exercise just and rightful authority, that they may safeguard the ideals and free institutions which are our country’s glory. |
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O send Thy healing
to John Foster Dulles,[3] John Foster Dulles (1888-1959). From his article on Wikipedia, “Dulles developed colon cancer, for which he was first operated on in November 1956 when it had caused a bowel perforation. He experienced abdominal pain at the end of 1958 and was hospitalized with a diagnosis of diverticulitis. In January 1959, Dulles returned to work, but with more pain and declining health underwent abdominal surgery in February at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when the cancer’s recurrence became evident. After recuperating in Florida, Dulles returned to Washington for work and radiation therapy. With further declining health and evidence of bone metastasis, he resigned from office on April 15, 1959. Dulles died at Walter Reed on May 24, 1959, at the age of 71.” our Secretary of State, that he may continue to serve our country. |
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In these critical and trying days of world tension,
guide with Thy spirit our leaders and the leaders of all nations, that they may remove the fears, misunderstandings and suspicions, the envy, bigotry, and greed which culminate in strife, violence, and war. |
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May this land, under Thy providence,
be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all men everywhere in understanding and friendship, in freedom and world peace. |
This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the first session of the 86th US Congress in the Senate. The source images of the prayer were copied by Howard Mortman and shared via his @CongressRabbi Twitter account. All credit to Howard Mortman for his research in digging up this prayer. Unfortunately, neither the source images nor his tweets provide an exact citation reference to the volume, issue, and page number of the Congressional Record in which the prayer was published. If you know, leave a comment, or contact us.
Source(s)
Prayer of the Guest Chaplain (Morris Silverman, 19 February 1959)
Notes
| 1 | From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790. |
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| 2 | From George Washington’s “Farewell Address” (1796) |
| 3 | John Foster Dulles (1888-1959). From his article on Wikipedia, “Dulles developed colon cancer, for which he was first operated on in November 1956 when it had caused a bowel perforation. He experienced abdominal pain at the end of 1958 and was hospitalized with a diagnosis of diverticulitis. In January 1959, Dulles returned to work, but with more pain and declining health underwent abdominal surgery in February at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when the cancer’s recurrence became evident. After recuperating in Florida, Dulles returned to Washington for work and radiation therapy. With further declining health and evidence of bone metastasis, he resigned from office on April 15, 1959. Dulles died at Walter Reed on May 24, 1959, at the age of 71.” |
