"When the Congress met, Mr. Cushing made a motion that it should be opened with prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay", of New York, and Mr. Rutledge, of South Carolina, because we were so divided in religious sentiments--some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, 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 virtue who was at the same time a friend to his country. He was a stranger in Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr. Duché (Dushay they pronounce it) deserved that character, and therefore he moved that Mr. Duché, an Episcopal clergyman, might be desired to read prayers before the Congress to-morrow morning.' The motion was seconded, and passed in the affirmative. Mr. Randolph, our president, waited on Mr. Duché, and received for answer that, if his health would permit, he certainly would. Accordingly, next morning, he appeared with his clerk, and in pontificals, and read several prayers in the Established form, and then read the Psalter for the seventh day of September, a part of which was the 35th 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. Duché, 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 ardor, such correctness, such pathos, and in language so elegant and sublime, for Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay, especially the town of Boston. It had an excellent effect upon every body here. I must beg you to read that Psalm. If there is any faith in the Sortes Virgillianae, or Sortes Homericæ, or especially the Sortes Biblieæ, it would be thought providential." Bishop White, who was present, says that Washington was the only member who knelt on that occasion. * See Watson's Annals, vol. i., 422. his wife on the 8th of September, concerning that first prayer in Congress. [[[Sessions with closed Doors.--Sympathy with Massachusetts.--Declaration of Rights.--"American Association."--Mr. Duché.]]] {268}were there. In this service their creeds were forgotten, and the hearts of all united in the prayer which flowed from the pastor's lips; a prayer which came from a then patriot's heart, though timidity afterward lost him the esteem of his friends and countrymen. *