On paper, William of Orange (1650-1702) and Mary Stuart were the odd couple. He was twenty-six; she was barely fifteen. William was five inches shorter with a crooked nose and a hunchback, described by one eyewitness as “the plainest man in England.” Mary was elegant, one of the most eligible young women in Europe. He felt ill-at-ease in crowds; she was animated and personable in social settings. He was a Dutch prince; she came from British royalty. Shortly after they met, William asked Mary’s uncle, Charles I, and her father, James II, for her hand in marriage. Charles was all about it since he wanted a Protestant to contend for the English throne, while James II favored a Catholic suitor. Charles forced the issue, and James acquiesced. How odd that no one bothered to consult the bride. When Mary learned who she would marry, she wept for a day and a half. She cried on her wedding day as William sulked. But then something unexpected happened. They fell in love. Mary got over her initial aversion to her husband and became devoted to him. Mary’s father, James II, became King of England, but there was considerable religious intrigue and bungled political maneuvering. Seven of James’ high-ranking officials pledged their allegiance to William if he agreed to invade England. William obliged and took control of England with relative ease. He and Mary became the first and only joint monarchs in England. You might know them by the college they chartered in Virginia in 1693—the College of William and Mary. When Mary died of smallpox at thirty-two, William III was devastated and never remarried. There was a considerable amount of pushing and shoving among Protestant and Catholic constituents in this period of English royal history. Hardly what Jesus had in mind when he commissioned his church. This much I can say for certain about William’s spirituality. He wrote a book of prayers that he used in daily devotions, which convey considerable depth and spiritual insight. Here is the last portion of the prayer that opens his prayer book:
William of Orange
Grant me such a sense of my sins, and of the sufficiency of my beloved Savior for them, as may affect my heart with a deep sorrow for my sins, and an eternal hatred and displeasure against them, and may effectively engage me to love and live to Him who died for me, Jesus Christ my blessed Savior and Redeemer. Amen.
William of Orange, A Form of Prayer Used by the Late Majesty King James III when he received the Holy Sacrament and on Other Occasions.
Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.