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“In times of impending calamity and distress” Congress proclaims a day of prayer and fasting, as war with Britain looms, and calls for divine aid to establish “the Rights of America on the most honourable and permanent basis.” It is very rare; only one other copy of this broadside is known to survive^[1].

[JOHN HANCOCK, CONTINENTAL CONGRESS]. Broadside. In Congress, Saturday, March, 16, 1776. In times of impending calamity and distress; when the liberties of America are imminently endangered . . . the Congress . . . do earnestly recommend, that Friday, the seventeenth day of May next, be observed by the said colonies as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer. Signed in type by John Hancock as President of Congress and Charles Thomson as Secretary. Philadelphia, Pa., March 16, 1776. Printed by John Dunlap. 1 p., 16 ½ x 21 in.

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Aimed at “Christians of all denominations,” this powerful and eloquent resolution dramatically acknowledged that despite every diplomatic effort, the rift between the King and the colonies had become irreconcilable. Its strong language echoes the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, issued in July 1775. Its litany of Crown injustices presages Jefferson’s famous indictment of George III in the Declaration of Independence, endorsed only four months later and printed from the same Caslon types as this rare broadside.

“In times of impending calamity and distress, when the Liberties of America are imminently endangered by the secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and vindictive Administration,” it becomes “the indispensable duty of these hitherto free and happy Colonies ... publicly to acknowledge the over-ruling providence of God; to confess and deplore our offences against him; and to supplicate his interposition for averting the threatened danger....”

A powerful indictment follows: Congress notes “the warlike preparations of the British Ministry to subvert our invaluable rights and privilege, and to reduce us by fire and sword, by the savages of the wilderness and ut own domestics, to the most abject and ignominious bondage” and proclaims a day of “Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer” for May 17,  hoping for peace “through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, [to] obtain His pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies.”

But, should peaceful measures fail, the resolution continues, “then may it please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our Officers and Soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the Continental arms by sea and land with victory and success.” Congress then asked blessings for “our civil Rulers,” for the delegates, “Representatives of the People,” in “Assemblies and Conventions,” to “preserve and strengthen their Union, to inspire them with an ardent, disinterested love of their Country” and to assist them in “establishing the Rights of America on the most honourable and permanent basis,” so that those blessings may be passed on “inviolate to the latest Posterity.”

This resolution reflected the increasingly bellicose tenor of the Congress, and was composed by William Livingston (1723-1790), a New Jersey delegate. Seeing the increasingly futile efforts to avert open hostility between the British crown and the American colonies, Livingston called for the resolution on March 14; he was enjoined to compose and submit a resolution to that effect. In his diary, delegate Richard Smith recorded under 16 March: “Wm Livingston brought in the Draught of an order for a general Fast which was agreed to and ordered to be printed” (Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, ed. Burnett, 1:395).

Sources

Evans 15132; Hildeburn 3386.

Complete Text

In CONGRESS, 
SATURDAY, March 16, 1776.

IN times of impending calamity and distress; when the Liberties of America are imminently endangered by the secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and vindictive Administration, it becomes the indispensible duty of these hitherto free and happy Colonies, with true penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publickly to acknowledge the over-ruling providence of God; to confess and deplore our offences against him; and to supplicate his interposition for averting the threatened danger, and prospering our strenuous efforts in the cause of FREEDOM, VIRTUE AND POSTERITY.

THE CONGRESS therefore, considering the warlike preparations of the British Ministry to subvert our invaluable rights and privileges, and to reduce us by fire and sword, by the savages of the wilderness and our own domestics, to the most abject and ignominious bandage: Desirous, at the same time, to have people of all ranks and degrees, duly impressed with a solemn sense of God’s superintending providence, and of their duty devoutly to rely in all their lawful enterprizes on his aid and direction—do earnestly recommend, that FRIDAY, the seventeenth day of May next, be observed by the said Colonies as a day of HUMILIATION, FASTING, and PRAYER; that we may with united hearts confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere, repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood. But if continuing deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly bent on desolation and war, they constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our Officers and Soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the Continental arms by sea and land with victory and success: Earnestly beseeching him to bless our civil Rulers and the Representatives of the People in their several Assemblies and Conventions; to preserve and strengthen their Union, to inspire them with an ardent disinterested love of their Country; to give wisdom and stability to their Councils; and direct them to the most efficacious measures for establishing the Rights of America on the most honorable and permanent basis—that he would be graciously pleased to bless all his People in these Colonies with Health and Plenty, and grant that a spirit of incorruptible Patriotism and of pure undefiled Religion may universally prevail; and this Continent be speedily restored to the blessings of Peace and Liberty, and enabled to transmit them inviolate to the latest Posterity. And it is recommended to Christians of all denominations to assemble for Public Worship, and abstain from servile Labour on the said Day.               By Order of Congress, 
                        JOHN HANCOCK, PRESIDENT

Attest.  CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.

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PHILADELPHIA: Printed by JOHN DUNLAP