Show I 1 liA Washington Daybook 1 By RODNEY N BUTCHER DUTCHER R W WASHINGTON Jan 13 These 13 These being being beng be- be ing ng critical times with many issues or of if vital importance pending it perhaps per per- haps laps is permissible to call attention to o the fact that each daily session of ot the house and of the senate begins with a prayer for divine aid Each body has a chaplain who usually offers otters the prayer himself but ut sometimes delegates it to another Washington pastor or a visitor The senate chaplain is the Rev Re Dr Ze ZeBarney ZeBarney ZeBarney Barney T. T Phillips an Episcopalian and the house chaplain is the Rev Dr James Shera Montgomery Montgomer a Methodist Each has one unusual name lame as have other prominent Washington Wash- Wash ington ministers ministers including including the Rev J. J R. R and the Rev E. E Hez Her Swem To anyone who doubts the efficacy of ot pray prayer r when applied to congress It may be suggested that the fault lies Iles elsewhere than with the prayers themselves The party floor Ioor leaders hear near them daily dally because they must be DC on hand but often oHen the congregations congregations congregations consist of ot no more than half halfa a dozen senators a score of representatives representatives representatives the page boys clerks and such persons as may be In the gal gal- lery 0 0 The prayers are conservative well composed and seldom more than a hundred words long They are designed designed designed de de- de- de signed to call the attention of the Almighty Almighty Almighty Al Al- mighty to congress to beseech Him to fill the hearts and minds of the members with righteousness writ and Various various various va va- rious virtues Sometimes they ask blessing for the American people Rarely do they more than remotely suggest that congress turn its course ill in m any direction except as for Christian Christian Chris Chris- tian precept Both chaplains have splendid vocabularies and one hears such words as endue from rom Dr Montgomery Montgomery Mont Mont- gomery and from Dr Phil Phil- lips p I Chaplains are unaffected by such I political changes as the recent DemoI Democratic Demo Demo- I cratic cratie capture of or the house Dr Montgomery Montgomery Mont Mont- gomery now 67 has been house chaplain chap chap- lain since 1921 and Dr Ph Phillips 56 was elected by the senate in 1924 Both have large downtown pastorates pastora s sas as as chaplains customarily do Dr Montgomery perhaps the most lyric begins prayers with such invocations invocations in invocations in- in vocations as Infinite God soul God soul of our soul sout Recently he touched lightly on the Issue of or unemployment with witha a plea for rugged justice granting to all men the right to work and win a fair air share of or the good things of or life and just before debate on the federal farm amendment asked among other things that congress congress con con- gress might have business sagacity 0 e 0 Dr Phillips also sometimes mentions mentions men men- ions the depression by implication asking help in furthering the coming coming corning com corn ing of peace and prosperity among nations of the world and praying for fora fora fora a sure and steadfast purpose which will vill dissipate all clouds of gloom and fear and arid point the way once more to our eternal destiny But perhaps the most forceful forceful- and usually the longest prayers longest prayers are arc offered for congress by the guest chaplains Thus Father Frederick J. J Bergs of Milwaukee recently prayed that members be given to un the magnitude of the power and authority entrusted to them though Thy delegation from the peo pee pie And he urged Let not rancor rancor ran ran- cor or party spirit bedim or sway their judgment Have mercy on Thy people also 0 O Lord and if Jf it pleases Thee take away from us the visitation which Thou has permitted to come over them and the nations of ot the world The Rev Frederick Brown Harris Hams Washington Methodist pastor referred referred re re- feelingly to storm and tu tumult tumult tu tu- and the maddening maze o of these times and even asked eyes that are clear enough and hearts big I enough for those social reconstructions Hons that will yet turn I human life into a glad gracious triumphant fraternity all around this worn and I weary world The opening prayers have been a al custom since the days of the continental conti I congress Benjamin Franklin Frank Frank- lin was one of ot those who strongly urged them |