The General is sorry to be informed–, that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice heretofore little known in an American army, is growing into a fashion;– he hopes the officers will, by example as well as influence, endeavor to check it, and that both they and the men will reflect that we can have little hope of the blessing of Heaven on our arms, if we insult it by impiety and folly; added to this, it is a vice so mean and low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and despises it.
Extract from the Orderly Book of the army under command of George Washington, dated at Head Quarters, in the city of New York (3 August 1770).
* * *
The Laudes Divinæ in reparation for blasphemy and profane speech.
| BENEDICTUS Deus. | BLESSED be God. |
| Benedictum Nomen Sanctum eius. | Blessed be His Holy Name. |
| Benedictus Iesus Christus, verus Deus et verus homo. | Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man. |
| Benedictum Nomen Iesu. | Blessed be the name of Jesus. |
| Benedictum Cor eius sacratissimum. | Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. |
| Benedictus Sanguis eius pretiosissimus. | Blessed be His Most Precious Blood. |
| Benedictus Iesus in sanctissimo altaris Sacramento. | Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. |
| Benedictus Sanctus Spiritus, Paraclitus. | Blessed be the Holy Spirit the Paraclete. |
| Benedicta excelsa Mater Dei, Maria sanctissima. | Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary Most Holy. |
| Benedicta sancta eius et immaculata Conceptio. | Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception. |
| Benedicta eius gloriosa Assumptio. | Blessed be her glorious Assumption. |
| Benedictum nomen Mariae, Virginis et Matris. | Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. |
| Benedictus sanctus Ioseph, eius castissimus Sponsus. | Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. |
| Benedictus Deus in Angelis suis, et in Sanctis suis. | Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. |
| Amen. | Amen. |