Author Paul Johnson, in his book on George Washington, says that Washington sanctioned the first amendment because he opposed the government setting up a national church like the Church of England.
However, he would have been horrified to know that the first amendment was used to eliminate religion, and especially Christianity, from public life. He saw the Christian religion as underpinning civilized society.
Johnson pointedly observes:
An America without religion as the strongest voluntary source of
morality was to him an impossibility.
It is significant that the day after the House of Representatives passed the
First Amendment, on September 25, 1789, it also passed, by a two-to-one
majority, a resolution calling for a day of national prayer and
thanksgiving, and asked Washington to appoint the day. The Resolution
reads: ‘We acknowledge with grateful hearts the many signal favours of
Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peacefully to
establish a constitutional government for their safety and happiness.’
Appointing the national holiday of Thanksgiving, Washington replied, in
words equally significant: ‘It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the
providence of Almighty God, to obey His Will, to be grateful for His mercy,
to implore His protection and favour... That great and glorious Being who is
the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that ever will
be, that we may then unite in rendering unto Him an sincere and humble
thanks for His kind care and protection of the people.’ (pp. 102-104)
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