worthiness

Founding-era definition · Webster's 1828 American Dictionary

WORTHINESS, noun 1. Desert; merit. The prayers which our Savior made, were for his own worthiness accepted. 2. Excellence; dignity; virtue. Who is sure he hath a soul, unless it see and judge and follow worthiness? 3. Worth; quality or state of deserving.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI

More founding-era words: liberty · virtue · republic · justice · providence · commerce · militia · arms · prudence · establishment · religion · usurpation · tyranny · citizen · unalienable · sovereign