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Lord,
thou hast created man in thine own image, and hast imprinted upon him the testimony of thy profound wisdom; thou hast been pleased to endow him with the consciousness of his individuality, and of his own value as a being created after thine image. |
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Thou knowest, O, God,
how apt man is to misapply his noble qualities and the cousciousness of his powers and energies; how apt man is to consider himself and his individual prosperity the end and aim of all his actions. |
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Grant, O, Lord,
that this be not the case in this legislative body, who are elected, not for themselves, but for the millions whom they represent, whose happiness and prosperity is entrusted to their wisdom, capacity and patriotism. |
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Let them bear in mind
that the prosperity of the individual depends upon the prosperity of the community, and that the noble virtue of patriotism consists in man’s sacrificing his own interests to those of his country. |
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Let them bear in mind,
that this Empire State is but a large and powerful portion of our common fatherland—the glorious United States— for which the noble fathers of this Republic heroically fought, bled and died upon the battle fields of human liberty— which to sustain, to protect, and ardently to love, is our common duty and inclination. |
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Let them also bear in mind,
that these glorious United States, our beloved country, is but a large and powerful section of the globe, inhabited by men, our brethren, the beloved sons of the same benign Father, all and each of whom have a rightful claim on our sympathy, our love, and compassion. |
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It pleased thee, Almighty God,
that this great country— consecrated to the cause of humanity— first raised the banner of liberty; and this glorious standard breathed its lofty spirit into the hearts of millions on this and the other side of the ocean, and millions rose and struggled for their liberty, against the oppressive power of tyranny and despotism; but, O, Lord, they have achieved very little; the despotic will of a few still governs the human race, and only our country is truly free and great. |
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Be it, therefore, thy will, O, God,
that our legislators, wherever assembled, maintain among us legal order, peace, harmony and union; that they exert their best energies, their ulmost power, to maintain, to elevate and to strengthen our beloved fatherland, in order that the brilliancy of these glittering stars open the eyes of the blindfolded masses in despotic countries; that the tyrants tremble at the imperative voice of this great country; that poor exiles find a safe and secured home; that the rights of man have one spot on this earth, where they are respected and find a powerful protection; that one hope be saved for the future of mankind; that justice and equity be not blotted out entirely from the face of the earth; that the enemies of humanity finally fall down terror stricken before the glorious star-spangled banner; that, at some future day, liberty, peace and justice, uniting mankind to one great brotherhood, to worship thee, to adore thee, to glorify thee, O, Father of mankind. Amen. |
This is one of three opening prayers offered by the guest chaplain, Rabbi Dr. Isaac Mayer Wise, before the Legislature of the State of New York, in the State Assembly (on Tuesday, the 13th of January or Thursday the 15th of January 1852), and in the State Senate (on Monday the 12th, Wednesday the 14th, or Friday the 16th). The prayer was published in The Asmonean (30 January 1852), in a letter dated 20 January from a correspondent identified only under the pseudonym “Bassist.” This prayer is one of two prayers offered in the letter. The body of the letter mentions three prayers, likely indicating that two of the three were given in both the Assembly and the Senate. It is unfortunate that we do not have the third prayer.
Source(s)
Letter from “Bassist,” 20 January 1852, in Correspondence (The Asmonean, 30 January 1852), p. 9
