Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-01-14

H
The fact that Cen Grant passed Sabbath at
West Point and did not attend church, though the
Post Chaplain offciated near him, has been COM
mented on by the press generally. It Is q singular
fact that as far as it is known no President Of the
United States since the days Of Washington, has
been communicant In church. John Adams
was the representative of the liberal community
If bis day, Jefferson was styled free thinker.
An attempt was made when Jefferson was young
man to make the Episcopal church the established
religion Of Virginia. John Leland, travelling
Baptist minister, preached sermon in the pre-
sence Of Jefferson on what he called the "incestul
GUS connection Of the church and state" This
sermon converted Jefferson to that doctrine. His
persistent opposition to state religion caused him
to be stigmatized as an iufdel Mrs. Madison was
Ia communicant Of the Episcopal church. Her
husband was not. Monroe was member Of an
Episcopal parish, but not q communicant John
Quincy Adams, though a member of q Unitarian
parish ID Massachusetts, held pew in the Second
Presbyterian church in Washington, Of which be
was trustee, and there be worshipped until his
death. In violent snow storm I SaN him wading
to church, one Sunday, with the snow up to his
loins, and be was one Of the seven persons who
composed the congregation that morning. he
never commuued in the church. Gen. jackson
was regular attendant On Sunday mornings He
worshipped in the Second Presbyterian church un-
til his quarrel with the pastor abont Mrs Eaton.
He then left for the At Street church, and took
his cabinet with him. He always came early and
entered his pew, which was on the right hand side
of the church as he entered Earnest and devout
attention he gave to the sermon. It was his Gus
tom, at the close Of the sermon to rise in bis pew
and make very courteous bow to. the minister,
and then walk ont, the audience waiting in their
pews till he had reached the vestibule
Van Burens home church at Kinderhook was
Reformed Dutch. At Washington, when he went
to church, he attended St. Johns Episcopal, in the
morning. Mrs. Polk was deyout and earnest
Christian woman, belonging to the Episcopal
church. Mr.. Polk accompanied his family every
Sunday morning to the Four-and-a-half street
church. Mrs. Polk usually attended the Second
Presbyterian church in the afternoon, where she
held pew. The President seldom acc 'r1nied
her at the second service General Taylor was
not a professor of religion. When he attended
church he sat in the Presidents pew in St Johns.
President Pierce was member of the Congrega-
tional society in Concord, N. e., but not Of the
church.. He was very regular in his attendance at
the Presbyterian Church in Washington, on the
morning of each Sabbath. Buchanan attended
the small Presbyterian church on street near the
White House. This was bis religious home dur
ing his long senatorial career. BE was not mem
Der of the church. He came usually on foot and
unattended. His pew was on the side about two
thirds of the way from the door. He usually
walked up the aisle with cat like step, went to
the extreme end of the pew, curled himself up in
the corner, and seldom moved till the service
closed. He rarely spoke to any one, and fastened
home from the church to the White House. Mrs.
Lincoln was communicant at the New York ave-
nue. Presbyterian church Mr.. Lincoln was not.
But he was regular attendant at worship. john
son seems to have no religious home, but rather
inclined to the Lutherans General Grant is not
professor of religion. He is trustee Of the Ma
tional Methodist church at Washington and is q
frequent attendant on the preaching ofthat church.