American Heritage Library


West Point Cadets Prayer
by Clayton Wheat

O God, our Father, thou Searcher of men'shearts, help us to draw near to thee in sincerity and truth. May our religion be filledwith gladness and may our worship of thee benatural.

Strengthen and increase our admirationfor honest dealing and clean thinking, andsuffer not our hatred of hypocrisy and pre-tense ever to diminish.

Encourage us in our endeavor to live abovethe common level of life.

Make us to choose the harder right insteadof the easier wrong, and never to be contentwith a half truth when the whole can be won.

Endow us with courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scornsto compromise with vice and injustice andknows no fear when truth and right are injeopardy.

Guard us against flippancy and irreverencein the sacred things of life.

Grant us new ties of friendship and newopportunities of service.

Kindle our hearts in fellowship with thoseof a cheerful countenance, and soften ourhearts with sympathy for those who sorrowand suffer.

Help us to maintain the honor of the Corpsuntarnished and unsullied and to show forthin our lives the ideals of West Point in doingour duty to thee and to our Country.

All of-which we ask in the name of theGreat Friend and Master of men.

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