Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Gustav Hausmann, Temple Emanuel, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 28 February 1899
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 28 February 1899
| Contribute a translation | Source (English) |
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[….][1] The prayer as recorded in the Washington Post lacks the traditional invocation at the opening of the prayer, and was likely omitted by an editor.
We humbly and meekly pray to Thee, to bless these Representatives in this present crisis of the government’s history[2] Likely a reference to the Battle of Manila (Filipino: Labanan sa Maynila; Spanish: Batalla de Manila), the first and largest battle of the Philippine–American War, fought on February 4–5, 1899, between 19,000 American soldiers and 15,000 Filipino armed militiamen. with Thy divine wisdom to legislate for the welfare of the country. |
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Even as we have seen Thy guiding hand
in the first epoch in the history of our government, when the Father of the Republic,[3] President George Washington (1732-1799) in his wisdom, gave liberty to his countrymen,[4] A reference to Washington’s leadership at the origin of the Republic, but certainly Rabbi Hausmann was likely also thinking of Washington’s letter to the Jews of Newport, 1890. and again, in the second epoch, when the immortal martyred President[5] President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) gave liberty to all who were born under the protection of the flag, so to-day we see Thy guiding hand in the third epoch in our history, when our government gave liberty even to those who were beyond our boundary lines. |
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Bless, O God,
the Speaker of the House. Especially we prayerfully beseech Thee to bless the President of the United States with Thy divine wisdom while he guides the ship of State in these stormy days of our history. |
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We pray all this
because we love our country, because we love liberty, because we love humanity. Amen! |
This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the third month of the first session of the 56th US Congress in “A Rabbi at the House: Prayer Delivered by Rev. Dr. Hausmann of Grand Rapids, Mich.” in The Washington Post 1 March 1899, p. 9. We are grateful to the Office of the House Historian for their assistance in locating this prayer.
Source(s)
A Rabbi at the House: Rev. Dr. Hausmann of Grand Rapids, Mich. (Washington Post, 1 March 1899), p. 9
Notes
| 1 | The prayer as recorded in the Washington Post lacks the traditional invocation at the opening of the prayer, and was likely omitted by an editor. |
|---|---|
| 2 | Likely a reference to the Battle of Manila (Filipino: Labanan sa Maynila; Spanish: Batalla de Manila), the first and largest battle of the Philippine–American War, fought on February 4–5, 1899, between 19,000 American soldiers and 15,000 Filipino armed militiamen. |
| 3 | President George Washington (1732-1799) |
| 4 | A reference to Washington’s leadership at the origin of the Republic, but certainly Rabbi Hausmann was likely also thinking of Washington’s letter to the Jews of Newport, 1890. |
| 5 | President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) |
