George Washington\'s Thanksgiving Proclamation, With MP3 Audio Reading

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation, With MP3 Audio Reading

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 19, 2007 ) Alexandria, VA -- The Institute For The Life Of George Washington has created and released a new web page containing George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation and an MP3 audio reading of it. Both items are now in the Public Domain, free for everyone to use without restriction. The web page is located at http://lifeofgeorgewashington.org/georgewashingtonsthanksgivingproclamation.html. With this Proclamation, our first President, George Washington, established Thanksgiving Day as a national day of thanks to "Almighty God" in 1798, following a request from Congress to do so. By these actions, President Washington and Congress set a clear precedent that public worship of God is both lawful and desirable throughout all of United States. The proclamation itself refers to God as "that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be," and as " the great Lord and Ruler of Nations." Thus there can be no doubt that our first President and Congress believed strongly in God and supported Public recognition and worship of him in the United States. Here is the text of this proclamation . . .[New York, 3 October 1789] By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation. 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--and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness." Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be--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 which we experienced in the tranquillity, 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 the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. 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 enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. Go: Washington Source: http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/thanksgiving/transcript.html. MP3 Audio Reading at http://lifeofgeorgewashington.org/georgewashingtonsthanksgivingproclamation.mp3. Blessings to you. May God help us all.

William McGinnis

bmcgin@patriot.net