The Providence of Almighty God by David Barton

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor. Now, therefore, I do recommend that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue.

During his Presidency, Washington remained just as outspoken about the importance of religion to government as he had been while he was Commander- in-Chief. For example, in October 1789, he declared: While just government protects all in their religious rights, true religion affords to government its surest support. And on March 11, 1792, he explained: I am sure there never was a people who had more reason to acknowledge a Divine interposition in their affairs than those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe that they have forgotten that Agency which was so often manifested during our revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God who is alone able to protect them.

Washington, in addition to helping America traverse many stressful situations, had personally observed many others throughout the world. For example, the French Revolution, with its proponents of amorality and atheism, had produced a bloodbath and display of horrors in France during his Presidency. In the midst of this embarrassing French spectacle, his “Farewell Address” on September 17, 1796, delivered an articulate warning which summarized what had made the American experiment so successful: