some
Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists, that we could not join in
the same act of worship. Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said, 'that he was
no bigot, and could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety, and who
was, at the same time, a friend of his country. He was a stranger in
Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr. Duche (Dushay they pronounced it)
deserved that character, and therefore he moved that Mr. Duche, an
Episcopal clergyman, might be desired to read prayers to the Congress
to-morrow morning.' The motion was seconded, and passed in the
affirmative.--Mr. Randolph, our President, waited on Mr. Duche, and
received for answer, that if his health would permit he certainly would.
Accordingly, next morning he appeared with his clerk, and, in his
pontificals, read several prayers in the established form, and then read
the collect for the seventh day of September, which was the thirty-fifth
psalm. You must remember, this was the next morning after we had heard
the rumor of the horrible cannonade of Boston. _It seemed as if Heaven
had ordained that psalm to be read on that morning_.

"'After this, Mr. Duche, unexpectedly to every body, struck out into an
extemporary prayer which filled the bosom of every man present. I must
confess I never heard a better prayer, or one so well pronounced.
Episcopalian as he is, Dr. Cooper himself never prayed with such fervor,
such correctness and pathos, and in language so elegant and sublime, for
America, for Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay, especially
the town of Boston. It has had an excellent effect upon every body here.
I must beg you to read that psalm. If there is any faith in the sortes
Virgilianae, or sortes Homericae, or especially the sortes Biblicae, it
would be thought providential.'

"The thirty-fifth psalm was indeed appropriate to the news received, and
the exigencies of the times. It commences:--

"'Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that fight against me.

'Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

'Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute
me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.'

"What a subject for contemplation does this picture present. The
forty-four members of the first Congress, in their Hall, all bent before
the mercy-seat, and asking Him that their enemies 'might be as chaff
before the wind.' WASHINGTON was kneeling there; and Henry and Randolph,
and Rutledge, and Lee, and Jay; and by