A Morning Prayer of George Washington
From The Kingdom Digest, February, 1997

     The little book is a priceless piece of George Washington that gives us a little known side of the man's character, and perhaps the greatest clue to his great strength as a leader.
     The book contained handwritten prayers.
     Mr. Henkels writes: "This gem is all in the handwriting of George Washington, when about twenty years old, and is, without exception, the most hallowed of all his writings.  It is neatly written on twenty-four pages of a little book about the size of the ordinary pocket memorandum."
     The first page has the title "The Daily Sacrifice".   The prayers were for Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Monday morning, Monday evening, Tuesday morning, Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning, Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.  The manuscript ended not long after the prayers for Thursday morning had begun.  Whether there had been more, or whether it just ended there, has never been determined, to my knowledge.  But what is there is priceless!
     I have quoted the prayer for Sunday morning, as it appears, in it's entirety, below . . .

     "Almighty God, and most merciful Father, who didst command the children of Israel to offer a daily sacrifice to thee, that thereby they might glorify and praise thee for thy protection both night and day; receive O Lord, my morning sacrifice which I now offer up to thee; I yield thee humble and hearty thanks that thou hast preserv'd me from the dangers of the night past, and brought me to the light of this day, and the comforts thereof, a day which is consecrated to thine own service, and for thine own honor. Let my heart therefore Gracious God be so affected with the glory and majesty of it, that I may not do mine own works, but wait on thee, and discharge those weighty duties thou requirest of me; and since thou art a God of pure eyes, and wilt be sanctified in all who draw near unto thee, who dost not regard the sacrifice of fools, nor hear sinners who tread in thy courts, pardon I beseech, my sins, remove them from thy presence, as far as the east is from the west, and accept of me for the merits of thy son Jesus Christ, that when I come into thy temple, and compass thine altar, my prayers may come before thee as incense. And as I desire thou wouldst hear me calling upon thee in my prayers, so give me grace to hear thee calling on me in thy Word, that it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation and peace to the saving of my soul in the day of the Lord Jesus. Grant that I may hear it with reverence, receive it with meekness, mingle it with faith, and that it may accomplish in me, Gracious God, the good work for which thou hast sent it. Bless my family, kindred, friends, and country; be our God and guide this day and forever, for his sake, who lay down in the Grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Mr. W. E. Benjamin of New York purchased the manuscript for $1250.