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Electric January the 5th: Samuel Johnson’s Prayer
Media: Prayer (text)
Location/Length: Photo and text; 2 paragraphs
How I found it and Reason for Sharing: This prayer came into my possession and my life in 2016 when John and I were in London. It is from the Dr Johnson’s House Museum, Gough Square, which is a most divine little London spot. It is quite small, but it is perhaps my favourite of the London sights, along with Keats’ House in Hampstead.
My reason for sharing, besides it being a lovely prayer, is that it was handed out at the museum, free of charge. I did purchase quite a few items at their little shop, but this prayer has been most meaningful. A photograph of the prayer is below, but I have also typed out the prayer, in case the photograph is difficult to read. I have also linked to the Dr Johnson’s House Museum, below.
What I love: There are many reasons I love this, not least of which is that Samuel Johnson, the person, was just a riot. He lived, wrote, and drank tea like the robust and hearty man he was, and he made no secret of his faith, which, in the time, was not always the case for men of note such as himself. He also had ties to Derbyshire, the English county in which I currently reside and to which I have become quite attached, and the prayer is dated ‘Ashbourn Sept. 18, 1784.’ Not only is the place, Ashbourn, significant, as it is in the Derbyshire Dales, not 20 miles from us in Bakewell, but the date, Sept. 18, was my maternal grandmother’s birthday. A beautiful date, indeed.
Samuel Johnson’s Prayer
Ashbourn Sept. 18, 1784
Almighty God, merciful Father, who art the Giver of all good, enable me to return thee due thanks for the continuance of my life, and for the great mercies of the last year, for relief from the diseases that afflicted me, and all the comforts and alleviations by which they were mitigated; and, O my gracious God, make me truly thankful for the call by which thou hast awakened my conscience and summoned me to Repentance.
Let not thy call, O Lord, be forgotten, or thy summons neglected, but let the residue of my life, whatever it shall be, be passed in true contrition, and diligent obedience. Let me repent of the sins of my past years, and so keep thy law for the time to come that when it shall be thy good pleasure to call me to another state, I may find mercy in they sight. Let thy Holy Spirit support me in the hour of death, and, O Lord, grant me pardon in the day of Judgement, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Samuel Johnson was also an AVID tea-drinker–consuming up to 20 cups at a single sitting! Thus, a teacup link. Click photo for link to the Museum Website–consider supporting the cause!
Pretty teacup
Nigel Valentine 