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[[stamp]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamp]]

HEADQUARTERS. DEPARTMENT OF ALABAMA. 
Mobile. Ala. Sept. 20th, 1865

GENERAL ORDERS }
No. 38.}

The Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States has established a form of prayer to be used for "the President of the United States and all in Civil Authority." During the continuance of the late wicked and groundless rebellion the prayer was changed to one for the President of the Confederate States, and so altered, was used in the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Alabama.

Since the "lapse" of the Confederate Government, and the restoration of the authority of the United States over the late rebellious states, the prayer for the President has been altogether omitted in the Episcopal Churches of Alabama. 

This omission was recommended by the Right Rev. Richard Wilmer, Bishop of Alabama in a letter to the Clergy and Laity, dated June 20th, 1865. The only reason given by Bishop Wilmer for the omission of a prayer, which, to use his own language, "was established by the highest ecclesiastical authorities and has for many years constituted a part of the liturgy of the Church" is stated by him in the following words:

"Now the Church in this country has established a form of prayer for the President and all in Civil Authority, the language of that prayer was selected with careful reference to the subject of the prayer — all in Civil Authority — and she desires for that authority, prosperity and long continuance. No one can reasonably be expected to desire a long continuance of military rule. Therefore the prayer is altogether inappropriate and inapplicable to the present condition of things when no civil authority exists in the exercise of its functions. Hence, as I transmitted in the circular "we may yield a true allegiance to and sincerely pray for grace, wisdom, and understanding in behalf of a government intended on force while at the same time we could not in good conscience ask for its continuance, prosperity, etc."

It will be observed from this extract, — 1st; — that the Bishop, because he cannot pray for the continuance of "military rule" therefore declines