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Prayer of Mary, Queen of Scots

Keep us, Oh God, from pettiness; let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.
Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off self-seeking.
May we put away all pretense and meet each other, face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgement and always generous.
Let us take time for all things; make us to grow calm, serene, gentle.
Teach us to put in action our better impulses - straight forward and unafraid.
Grant that we may realize it is the little things of life that create difficulties; that in the big things of life we are as one.

Oh, Lord, let us not forget to be kind.

Amen.

[The following mail was exchanged between a reader and The Capital Scot on March 7, 2002 about the article Queen Mary's Prayer found at http://thecapitalscot.com/pastfeatures/qmprayer.html. If any reader can shed light on this mystery, please .]

Q. I found the prayer for Mary Queen of Scots on your web site but I'm confused as I found it on this other web site and it is attributed to Mary Stewart, Colorado 1904: Food for Thought - Mary Stewart, Can you shed any light on this?

A. That's fascinating! I posted the prayer attributable to Mary Queen of Scots based on a source I received as a child. The date of the source is later than the 1904 date on the page you referred to. I shall think about how to make this information available in an interesting way on The Capital Scot. I had not been aware of the author, Mary Stewart, who is represented on the page you cite. Do you have knowledge of her background? Is it possible the prayer was misattributed to her?

[The following mail was received from a reader of The Capital Scot on February 15, 2005 about the article Queen Mary's Prayer]

I just went back and look again at the two sites with this prayer...the one I have is different from these two. ... It goes like this.

Keep us, O God from pettiness;
Let us be large in thought, in word, and in deed.
Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off self-seeking.
May we put away all pretense and meet each other, face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgement, always generous.
Let us take time for all things;
Make us to grow calm, serene, gentle.
Teach us to put in action our better impulses-straight-forward, unafraid.
Grant that we may realize it is the little things of life that create difficulties;
that in the big things of life we are as one.

Oh, Lord, let us not forget to be kind.

Amen.

[The following mail was received from a reader of The Capital Scot on July 16, 2005 about the article Queen Mary's Prayer]

I was researching this poem for my women's club.  First, I came upon your web site via Google, and this question made me more curious.  My version contained 'And may we strive to touch and know the great human heart common to us all' which yours any many others did not.  So, I decided to look further.  I came across a web site that I think answers your question and mine as well.  See: The Women's Institutes of Nova Scotia where it is titled Mary Stewart Collect and is attributed to Mary Stewart who was born in 1876 in Ohio, but spent her childhood in Georgetown, Colorado, high up in the Rockies. As the principal of a highschool at Longmont, Colorado, she was described as a little bundle of energy, dignity and personal charm. It was while she was principal that this collect was written and has been used by the Women's Institutes and other organizations around the world as their club creed. ... Mary Stewart died at the age of 67, on April 1, 1943, in Ohio..  

The Women's Institutes of Nova Scotia version is rendered below.

Keep us O Lord from pettiness, let us be large in thought, in word and deed,
Let us be done with fault finding and leave off self seeking.
May we put away all pretense and meet each other face to face, without self pity and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgement and always generous.
Teach us to put into action our better impulses, straight forward and unafraid.
Let us take time for all things; make us grow calm, serene, gentle.
Grant that we may realize that it is the little things that create differences; that in the big things of life we are one.
And may we strive to touch and know the great human heart common to us all, and O Lord God,
Let us not forget to be kind.

[The following mail was received from a reader, a nurse, of The Capital Scot on September 6, 2007 about the article Queen Mary's Prayer]

I don't know if you have found the answer to the question regarding the Mary Stewart Prayer yet, but perhaps I can clear up the mystery.  The Mary Stewart Prayer in reference is actually a prayer written by Mary Stewart who is one of the 12 founders of Chi Eta Phi, a Black Nursing Sorority founded in 1904.  Chi Eta Phi was founded because Black nurses were excluded from membership in other nursing organizations.  Mary Stewart wrote the prayer and it was adopted as the official prayer of the organization in 1904.  It was not written by Mary, Queen of Scots.  You may find additional information by googling and accessing Chi Eta Phi via the web.

The Capital Scot looked up the Chi Eta Phi Founders on the Web and did not find Mary Stewart among the twelve founders depicted.  The reader's message is interesting.  The Capital Scot tried unsuccessfully by e-mail to contact the head of the Chi Eta Phi National Board of Directors regarding who Mary Stewart might have been.

[The following mail was received from a reader, a nurse, of The Capital Scot on November 27, 2007 about the article Queen Mary's Prayer]

I am a member of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. and I would like to clarify a previous statement made.  Mary Stewart was NOT a founder or a member of Chi Eta Phi.  The sorority adopted the Mary Stewart Prayer as a prayer to be recited by its members.  This reminds members of Chi Eta Phi of the type of characteristics for which we all should strive.  Chi Eta Phi is an organization of professional registered nurses and nursing students, founded in 1932 by 12 African-American nurses.

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