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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Anglican Priest Calling George Washington a Christian

One of George Washington's best friends was the Reverend Jonathan Boucher. He was an Anglican Priest who supported his home country and left for England before the Revolution. Here are his letters to GW. He believed Washington was a Christian, writing after the Revolution:
To resemble Cincinnatus is but small praise: be it yours, Sir, to enjoy the calm repose and holy serenity of a Christian hero; and may " the Lord bless your latter end more than the beginning.""
Boucher tutored GW's stepson and may not have been an evangelical, but believed the essentials nonetheless.

Entertaining all due respect for my ordination vows, I am firm in my resolution, whilst I pray at all, to conform to the unmutilated Liturgy of my Church; and, reverencing the injunctions of an Apostle. I will continue to pray for the King, and all who are in authority under him; and I will do so, not only because I am so commanded, but that, as the Apostle adds, 'we may continue to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.' Inclination as well as duty confirms me in this purpose. As long as T live, therefore—yes, whilst I have my being, will I, with Zadok the Priest, with Nathan the Prophet, proclaim—' God save the King.'"
 GW's close friendship with Boucher is common knowledge among historians, but it isn't a stretch to say GW was friendly with High Church Anglicans. It was GW who asked Boucher to tutor his stepson. This is more evidence of GW's admiration of the Anglican form of Worship and James Madison's opinion that he was orthodox.

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