Governor Jonathan Belcher's Proclamation
for Day of Prayer (1734)
[The following Proclamation for Day of
Prayer, by Governor Jonathan Belcher (dated February 25, 1734) further
illustrates Governor Belcher's view of church and state: Government should
promote Christianity! It's all right for public rulers to honor and acknowledge
God!]
By His EXCELLENCY
Jonathan Belcher, Esq;
Captain General and GOVERNOR in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province
of the Massachusetts Bay
in New England.
A Proclamation for a
public FAST.
UPON due consideration of the
sovereign and universal Providence of Almighty GOD, and that all the affairs and
interests of the people are under the influence of his gracious...[will] and
that it is their duty and privilege, by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving, to make known their requests to Him, who is GOD that heareth
prayer and to whom all flesh shall come;
I have thought fit, with the
advice of His Majesty's Council, to order and appoint Thursday the
Twenty-seventh Day of March next, to be observed as a Day of Fasting and Prayer
throughout this Province, hereby exhorting both ministers and people in their
public assemblies and private devotions religiously to solemnize the same by
humbling themselves under the mighty hand of GOD and the manifest tokens of His
displeasure against this people and by sincere and penitent confession of the
many and aggravated sins which have justly provoked Him, and by earnest and
humble supplications for removing His righteous judgments inflicted on us, and
preventing those that are impending over us, as also for bestowing on us all
necessary blessings, spiritual and temporal: And in particular, That it would
please GOD to bless our Sovereign Lord the KING, with his Royal Consort our most
gracious QUEEN, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the Duke, and the rest
of the royal offspring, and the other branches of the Royal Family; That He
would give success to His Majesty's councils for maintaining peace within the
kingdoms and dominions under his happy government, and restoring it to the
states and kingdoms in Europe now embroiled in war; That GOD would please to
direct and prosper the administration of the government within this Province,
and continue to us the enjoyment of our invaluable privileges, religious and
civil; That He would mercifully remember us in the occasions of the spring and
summer ensuing and command His blessing on our husbandry, merchandise and
fishery, and prosper the works of our hands; That He would maintain peace in our
borders and health in our habitations; And above all, That he would grant the
gracious influences of His Holy Spirit to all orders of men among us, that so we
may reform whatever is amiss, and find grace and favor in His sight, and be
prepared for a thankful reception of these and all other needful blessings, and
that the kingdom of our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST may come with great power
and glory: And all servile labor and recreations are prohibited on the said Day.
Given at the Council Chamber
in Boston, the Twenty-fifth Day of February 1734, And in the Eighth Year of the
Reign of our Sovereign Lord GEORGE the Second, by the Grace of GOD of Great
Britain, France and Ireland, KING, Defender of the Faith, and etc.
By His Excellency's Command, with
the Advice of the Council,
J. Willard, Secr.
J. BELCHER.
GOD save the KING.
BOSTON: Printed by John Draper, Printer to His
Excellency the GOVERNOR and COUNCIL. 1734.
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