President Arthur and Cleveland: 9 Proclamatons for National Day of Prayers

If you have been following this blog or some of the national news, you know that a judge recently declared that a national day of prayer is unconstitutional. Yet, does the judge believe she understands the Constitution better than the men who wrote it or the many other Presidents who followed the tradition? Here are nine examples from just two of our Presidents, President Chester Authur (1881-1885) and President Grover Cleveland (1885-1889):

1881 - Chester A. Arthur Proclamation on September 22, 1881. A day of “humiliation and mourning” to “render... tribute of sorrowful submission to the will of Almighty God” set apart on September 26, 1881.56 The death of James A. Garfield, former President of the United States, motivated the call to prayer.


1881 - Chester A. Arthur Proclamation on November 4, 1881. A day of “national thanksgiving and prayer” set apart on November 24, 1881.57 Reflecting on the closing year motivated the call to prayer.


1882 - Chester A. Arthur Proclamation on October 25, 1882. A day of “national thanksgiving and prayer” set apart on November 30, 1882.58 Reflecting on the closing year motivated the call to prayer.


1883 - Chester A. Arthur Proclamation on October 26, 1883. A day for expressing “devout gratitude to God that He hath dealt so bountifully with this nation and pray that His grace and favor abide with it forever” set apart on November 29, 1883.59 Reflecting on the closing year motivated the call to prayer.


1884 - Chester A. Arthur Proclamation on November 2, 1884. A day for expressing “reverent acknowledgment to the Giver of All Good for the countless blessings wherewith He hath visited this nation” set apart on November 27, 1884.60 Reflecting on the closing year motivated the call to prayer.


1885 - Grover Cleveland Proclamation on November 2, 1885. A day of “public thanksgiving and prayer” set apart on November 26, 1885.61


1886 - Grover Cleveland Proclamation on November 1, 1886. A day of “thanksgiving and prayer” set apart on November 25, 1886.62 Reflecting on the closing year motivated the call to prayer.


1887 - Grover Cleveland Proclamation on October 25, 1887. A day of “thanksgiving and prayer” set apart on November 24, 1887.63


1888 - Grover Cleveland Proclamation on November 1, 1888. A “day of thanksgiving and prayer” set apart on November 19, 1888.64