There is a snow scene portrait of Geo. Washington kneeling in prayer
supposedly at Valley Forge. I have read several times that this is not
a historical event. Washington was a non-beliver to the extent that he
made provisions on his death bed that forbade him having a religious
burial.
1) I would like to be able to prove that the portait is historically
inaccurate.
2) I would like to be able to prove that Washington left instructions
that he not be given a religous burial.
3) I would like to be able to prove that Washington was not a
Christian nor a theist, but probably an Atheaist, agnostic, or Deist.

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Request for Question Clarification by easterangel-ga on 15 Feb 2003 00:56 PST

Hi. In this article, numbers 1 and 3 were thoruoughly discussed and
seems to be in agreement with your opinion although the article itself
is highly opinionated. There is no refrence however to question number
2.

1. "The Valley Forge prayer is a myth of even a weaker type than the
Presbyterian communion story. The "Prayer for the United States" is a
demonstrated fabrication. These fictions would not be necessary were
there true evidence that Washington was religious. During the
Revolution, forged letters were published in London attacking his
personal moral character. It has been said that letters written by
Washington were in existence that cast reflections upon him, but no
one has ever been able to produce them. Between the fictions,
forgeries and falsehoods told to make Washington either a plaster
saint or a rake, it is difficult to say which would have disgusted him
the more."

3. "The Rev. Dr. Abercrombie said, "Washington was a Deist." The Rev.
Dr. Wilson said, "I think any one who will candidly do as I have done,
will come to the conclusion that he was a Deist and nothing more."
Gouverneur Morris said he no more believed in the system of
Christianity than Morris did himself. His intimate friend, Bishop
White, who perhaps was the best qualified to judge, denies that
Washington ever took communion to his knowledge, though he attended
Dr. White's church more often than any other while he was President.
He also admits that he never heard Washington utter a word which would
indicate him to have been a believer; and what is more, he says he
never saw him on his knees during prayer, an attitude all
Episcopalians assume when performing that function of religion. The
positive evidence, I admit, is meagre, but combined with the facts and
circumstances to which I have called the reader's attention, it is
strong. That he was an evangelical Christian has never been proved and
is improbable. That he was a Deist is not inconsistent with any known
fact."

http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/steiner0.htm

If you find this article suitable to your needs, I will post it as an
answer and collect the fee. Just let me know. :)

Hi rabo -

The University of Virginia has a nice website devoted to the papers
and other historical documents of George Washington:
http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/

- YOu might find that stuff interesting

librariankt

With respect to Washington's funeral and death bed instructions,
Lear's account is the only authority, and he makes it clear that
Washington expressed two wishes: that he be given a decent burial, and
that interment be delayed for three days (presumably to insure that he
was not buried alive).

Tobias Lear's Account of Washington's Last Illness and Death
http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/exhibits/mourning/lear.html

"I am just going. Have me decently buried; and do not let my body be
put into the Vault in less than three days after I am dead."

Washington's funeral service at the grave was delivered by a
clergyman, Rev. Davis, who also preceded the coffin to the gravesite
in the procession.

The Freemasons of the Alexandria Lodge performed their ceremonies
after the service.

Washington, therefore, did not forbid a Christian service, but he left
it to his friend Col. Lear to make the arrangements he thought proper.

Both Lear and Martha Washington expressed the belief and hope that
they would meet Washington again in the afterlife. Presumably,
whatever Washington himself believed, they regarded him as
conventionally Christian.

hlabadie-ga

I also read Lear's account of his deathbed, as well as some of the
other documents on the Virginia site - and concur that your premise #2
(about not having a Christian funeral) is, if not demonstrably false,
at least in serious doubt.
- librariankt