Jacob Duche

The first prayer of the Continental Congress was offered in 1774. The English Parliament had just passed the Intolerable Acts to punish Boston for its anti-British sentiment. The American colonies responded by convening the first Continental Congress to challenge the punitive laws. Delegates from the 13 colonies minus Georgia gathered in Philadelphia. The mood was tense and somber. At the first meeting, it was moved and seconded to open the next day’s session in prayer. There was considerable debate about the motion, given the diversity of religious sentiments represented by the delegates. Samuel Adams rose to defend the motion, asserting he was willing to be led in prayer by anyone of “piety and virtue.” His motion passed to invite Rev. Jacob Duche from nearby Christ Church, to convene the next day’s proceedings with prayer. Jacob Duche read Psalm 35 the following morning and broke into extemporaneous prayer. John Adams later wrote to his wife, “Rev. Duche followed the Psalm with ten minutes of spontaneous prayer, which filled the bosom of every man present. I must confess I have never heard a better prayer.” Adams concluded his letter to Abigail, “I never saw a greater effect upon an audience…I must beg you to read that Psalm.” One delegate said he was worth riding a hundred miles to hear Duche pray.  Adams noted in his letter that some delegates, including George Washington knelt for the ten-minute prayer. While the entire prayer is worth reviewing, the last portion is particularly fitting to pray for our nation’s leaders on this Memorial Day: