“STATESMAN”
PS 33:12
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
Introduction: Though the worst of the fighting ended at Yorktown (10-19-1781), the Peace treaty itself was not signed for another year (11-30-1782). And after that, another year expired before the last British troops vacated American soil (at New York, November 1783). The war had ended, but not the people’s love and admiration for Washington. He continued to be America’s hero.
I. A CROWN REFUSED
By 1782 civil affairs bordered on anarchy. Congress was powerless. The army was justly dissatisfied with the way it had been treated. The soldiers threatened rebellion. They wanted to make Washington a king. They had fought for freedom from one King George, but now wanted to serve another King George.
Washington could have undoubtedly become an American monarch. He had the support of the populace as well as of the military. Washington, however, quickly squelched any suggestions of his becoming royalty. he said, “Such ideas . . . I must view with abhorrence and reprehend with severity.”
Washington singlehandedly soothed the discontented army and disbanded it. After the last British troop left New York, Washington immediately headed south to Annapolis, temporary headquarters of the government. On December 23, 1783, he resigned his commission to Congress, after 8½ years of command. The closing words of his speech were to commend his new country “to the protection of Almighty God.” On Christmas Eve he arrived at Mt. Vernon.
The Virginian was already well on the way to national canonization. He occupied a position unequalled by anyone in subsequent American history. As problems continued to mount in America, he became a political element in his own right. There were state governments, governors, a federal government, Congress, Hamiltonians, Jeffersonians. . . . and then there was Washington.
He literally exerted more influence than any other political group. Men often wanted to know only one thing about any given issue: Does Washington favor it? The people trusted his judgment. His influence was instrumental in convincing Americans to convene a Constitutional Convention in 1787.
II. PRESIDENT
In May 1787 Washington was elected a delegate from Virginia to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He was unanimously elected presiding officer at once. He did not participate in the debates except once. The suggestion he made was immediately agreed to. The men eyed Washington and molded the Presidency to fit him. The Constitution itself finally was ratified because it was assumed Washington would be the nation’s first President.
A. THE ELECTION
On February 4, 1789, the duly authorized electors selected Washington as President. No one else was even considered. The election was unanimous, as was his re-election four years later. He could have served a third term, but declined.
On April 14, 1789, Washington heard of his election. He soon left Mt. Vernon for New York, which was serving as temporary headquarters of the new Federal government.
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
(a quote from George Washington)
B. THE INAUGURATION
On April 30, 1789, Washington was sworn in as President of the United States. This first inauguration took place on Wall Street in New York. A statue of Washington marks the site now.
Crowds cheered as the 57-year-old Virginian stepped onto the outdoor balcony of Federal Hall. Washington asked that a Bible be brought to him. He placed his right hand on the open Bible and took the oath of office. After taking the oath, he added the words, “So help me God!” and kissed the Bible.
The people were enamored with Washington, their hero. However, their new President pointed them to Someone else. In his inaugural address, he said,
It would be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being, who rules over the Universe, who presides in the councils of nations and whose providential aids can supply every human defect.
We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself ordained.
No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.
In the afternoon after the inauguration, Washington and other government officials walked to St. Paul’s Church for special services.
Washington admitted that “propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.”
C. THE RESPONSIBILITY
When Washington was President, America’s population was only about 4 million, most of whom were farmers. Few children went to school, and most adults could neither read nor write.
Washington went about his duties without making much of a fuss. he tended to keep a low profile, and tried to lead a normal lifestyle. All social functions hosted by the Washingtons ended at 9 P.M., because the President always retired at that time in the evening. He concluded each day with a short time of Bible reading and prayer. His secretary, Robert Lewis, wrote that it was the President’s custom to go to his library at 4 A.M. for daily devotions.
One of Washington’s first official acts was to declare a national day of thanksgiving for 1789 with the following proclamation:
I do recommend and assign Thursday, the twenty-sixth day of November next to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of the glorious Being, who is the Beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then 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. 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.
The new government succeeded for many reasons, but the most important factor was that George Washington served as its Chief Executive. He seemed to be a man who could listen to all sorts of suggestions, but in the end speak with unfailing wisdom.
Washington made no big mistakes. He bought the young government time. he wisely kept us out of European wars (we had an army of 840 men and no navy). As President he said he had made his decisions based on “what my conscience informed me was right, as it respected my God, my country, and myself.” Significantly, he put God first.
III. RETIREMENT
In 1797 Washington retired to Mt. Vernon. In 1798 President Adams called upon Washington to help raise an army in anticipation of war with France. Washington went to Philadelphia for a few weeks in November to help draw up plans for the new army, which was fortunately never needed. While in Philadelphia, he had dinner one night in Debtors Prison with financier Robert Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence who had been sent to prison because he could not pay his debts.
On December 14, 1799, Washington died at home in peace. Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee summed up the way Americans felt and still feel about George Washington: “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” God blessed America through George Washington.
Conclusion: It would be appropriate to finish these messages on Washington by quoting from a letter her wrote while President:
There was never 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 the agency or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God, who is alone able to protect them.”
God help us never to forget! God Blessed America.
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
(a quote from George Washington)
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”