Jacksonville, Fla., Celebrates First Protestant Prayer in US
Jacksonville, Fla., celebrated its Christian heritage on Tuesday—a heritage many in the U.S. have never heard about.
On May 1, 1562, Jean Ribault sailed into what is now called the St. John’s River in Jacksonville. He named it The River of May. He met with the indigenous, Mocama-speaking Timucua Indians on the North side of the river and claimed the land for France by placing a stone onto the ground in her honor.
What many don’t know is that Ribault was a French Huguenot. Jacksonville City Council woman Kimberly Daniels, who also pastors Spoken Word Ministries in Jacksonville, helped her city celebrate its spiritual heritage. She calls Florida the “First Coast” state.”
Daniels points to historical documents that prove that on June 30, 1564, the Huguenots declared a day of thanksgiving and offered the first Protestant prayer in America at Fort Caroline: “We sang a psalm of Thanksgiving unto...
It might be OK to call it the first Huguenot prayer in the New World, though if one would want to be certain than it should be called the first Huguenot prayer in Florida.
The truth is the truth no matter is spoken by a woman, albeit, probably a pentecostal one at that. So, no she shouldn't be a pastor nor probably even on a city council.
However, the first prayer by a Christian was probably one which was uttered by one, that was something went something like this, Christ! Help Me! when perhaps he was being killed by native American, native animal life, disease, etc. It was recorded. It wasn't fancy. No doubt it was recorded, but I have little doubt that it was sincere.
Dr. Alan Cairns | 7/6/2009
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So, no she shouldn't be a pastor nor probably even on a city council.
