For many years I lived in Washington, DC. It was there that the woman who would become my wife and the mother of our son Jamie first introduced me to the world of art, classical music and theater. I met her at The National Presbyterian Church where I became an active member. It is also the church where we were married a week before Christmas in 1965. Eventually the Presbyterian Church as a teaching elder would ordain me, a minister. Washington DC is also home to another, more famous Presbyterian Church, The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. Some of my readers may be old enough to remember a movie about its most famous pastor Peter Marshall. The movie is “A Man Called Peter” based on the book written by his wife Catherine. Catherine Marshall also edited and caused to be published a book of his prayers, particularly those prayers he wrote and prayed as Chaplain of the Senate. I was reminded of Peter Marshall this morning when one of the morning inspirational quotes, which appeared in my email box, was one of by Peter Marshall.
“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”
I did not have the pleasure of knowing of Peter Marshall who died at the very young age of 49 in 1949. I did see the movie sometimes early in my adult life. It was released in 1955 when I was 15. I must have seen it some years later.
One of my favorite Peter Marshall prayers, which he prayed in his role as Chaplain of the Senate, was:
“America Confesses”
Our Father, bring to the remembrance of Thy people Thine ancient time-honored promise: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
We – this company of Thy people assembled – would begin now to meet the conditions that will enable Thee to fulfill Thy promise.
May all of America come to understand that right-living alone exalteth a nation, that only in Thy will can peace and joy be found. But, Lord, this land cannot be righteous unless her people are righteous, and we, here gathered, are part of America. We know that the world cannot be changed until the hearts of man are changed. Our hearts need to be changed.
We therefore confess to Thee that:
Wrong ideals and sinful living have cut us off from Thee.
We have been greedy.
We have sought to hide behind barricades of selfishness; shackles have imprisoned the great heart of America.
We have tried to isolate ourselves from the bleeding wounds of a blundering world.
In our self-sufficiency we have sought not Thy help.
We have held conferences and ignored Thee completely.
We have disguised selfishness as patriotism; our arrogance has masqueraded as pride.
We have fritted away time and opportunities while the world bled.
Our ambitions have blinded us to opportunities.
We have bickered in factory and business, and sought to solve our differences only through self-interest.
Lord God of Hosts, forgive us! O God, by Thy guidance and Thy power may our beloved land once again become God’s one country, a nation contrite in heart, confessing her sins; a nation keenly sensitive to all the unresolved injustice and wrong still in our midst.
Hear this our prayer and grant that we may confidently expect to see it answered in our time, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The minister and his wife who followed Peter Catherine Marshall at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church were George MacPherson Docherty and his wife Mary.
I met George and Mary sometime in the late sixties when I was active in the effort to halt the involvement of the United States military in Vietnam. It happened that New York Avenue was one of the churches which managed to hold on to some the more established and wealthy members of the community and to the variety of people who believed that it was the responsibility of the congregants to be actively involved in creating a world in which the love which Jesus lived and preached guided one’s actions. It was because of this commitment that New York Avenue church became an important gathering place for those of us who were lobbying members of congress or participating in the prayer vigil, which was being held in Lafayette Park. Lafayette Park is a park directly across the street from the White House and often the site of prayer vigils and other attempts to bring concerns to the President of the United States.
Often those participating in this silent, peaceful prayer vigil were arrested when they refused to disburse.
So it was that many of us would not only gather at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church but also at the manse or home of George and Mary. The manse became a place where one might find like-minded people sharing a meal or floor space where they put their sleeping bag for the night.
This is what I knew and remembered about George Docherty and his wife Mary. He is, however, best known for preaching a sermon calling for the addition of “under god” to the Pledge of Allegiance when President Dwight Eisenhower was in attendance for Lincoln Sunday, February 7, 1954. “As a result of the sermon, the next day President Eisenhower and his friends in Congress began to set the wheels in motion to amend the Pledge of Allegiance to include the phase.” No, that was not what drew me to Pastor Docherty. In fact, I was and am not particularly supportive of any tradition, which assumes that one needs to be religious to be a valued and honored citizen of The United States of America.
What impressed me about George and Mary was that in the tradition of Peter Marshall, they continued to lead New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in being a place where all were challenged to live out our faith – a place where we were challenged to go outside of our comfort zone. One of the images, which are etched in my mind, is that of Mary Docherty. I, along with a host of others, was in the office of George Docherty discussing our anti-war plans to lobby or join the prayer vigil. Mary Docherty, who perhaps was in her mid to late fifties dressed as befitted an old Scottish wife married to an esteemed minister in her practical shoes and plain dress which came well below her knees and, if I recall correctly, her pill box hat and carrying a large, practical purse came into the room. She excused herself to ask George, “And would you be going to join the prayer vigil today George.” He responded, “ Yes Mary, but a little later.” She then asked, “And would you have your bail money today.” (Of course she knew that they might again be arrested for refusing to disperse and leaving the park.) George replied, “Yes Mary I do.” Mary patted her purse and said, “George I have enough for the both of us.” She then bid us all farewell and was off to pray and probably be arrested.
Now, whether one supported or did not support the anti-war efforts and the warm welcome the same people would give returning veterans, the fact was that one was welcomed at New York Avenue with the same warm embrace. The core of the belief and the prayer was the same as that of Peter Marshall:
Lord God of Hosts, forgive us! O God, by Thy guidance and Thy power may our beloved land once again become God’s one country, a nation contrite in heart, confessing her sins; a nation keenly sensitive to all the unresolved injustice and wrong still in our midst.
Although many of us might disagree about the phase in this prayer “once again become God’s one country” the part that I heard that we needed to continue to look inward – to live out the belief that we are all equally sinful and equally needing acceptance of our own humanness.
It is folks like Mary and George who continue to support and guide me in my quest to discern a life, which is lived with more honesty and courage – a life of sharing one’s bail money. A life of he prayer, “When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.
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