Smyrna times., 1869-01-20
Religious Associations of the Presi-
dents.

--@~ - ~~~~
dents.
1t is somewhat singular fact that, as far as
it is known, no President of the United States
since the days of Washington has been a COM
I.unicant in church. John Adams was the
representative of the liberal community of his
day. Jefferson was styled free thinker. An
attempt was made when Jefferson was young
man to make the Episcopal Church the estab
lished religion of Virginia. John Leland, a
travelling Baptist minister, preached sermon
in the presence Of Jefferson, on what he called
the "incestuOus connection OF Church and
State" This sermon converted Jefferson to
that doctrine. His persistent opposition to
State religion caused him to be stigmatiSed as
an infdel. Mrs. Madison was a communicate
at the Episcopal Church Her husband was
not Monroe was member of an Episcopal
parish, but not cOmmunicant. John Quincy
Adams, though member of Unitarian parish
in Massachusetts, held a pew in the Second
Presbyterian Church in Washington, of which
he was trustee, and there he wOrshipped un-
| til his death. In violent snow storm L saw
him wading to church, one Sunday, with the
snow up to his lOins and he was one of the
seven persons who composed the congregation
that morning. He never communed in the
church. General Jackson was a regular attend
ant on Sunday mornings. He worshlpped
in the Second Presbyterian Church until his
quarrel with the pastor about Mrs. Eaton.
He then left for the FOur-and a-half-st. Church,
and took his Cabinet with him. He always
came early and entered his pew, which was on
the right side of the church as he entered.
Earnest and devout attention he gave to the
sermon. 1t was his custom, at the close of the
sermon, to rise in the pew, make very cOur-
teOus bow to the minister, and then walk out,
the audience waiting in their pews until he had
reached the vestibule.
Van Buren's home church, at Kinderhook,
was Reformed Dutch. At Washington, when
he went to church he attended ST. Johns Epis-
copal in the morning. Mrs. Polk was devOut
and earnest Christian woman, belonging to the
Presbyterian Church. Mr.. Polk accompanied
his family every Sunday morning to the -Four
and "a halt street Church. Mrs. Polk usual!
; the afternoon, where she held pew. Tn
President seldom accompanied her at the sec
, ond service General Taylor was not prOfes
! sor of religion. When he attended church h
sat in the President pew at st. Johns. Presi
dent Pierce was a member of Congregations
Society in Concord, N. H., but not of tn
church. He wasvery regular in his attendanc
= = at the Presbyterian Church in Washington Oh
{ the morning of each Sabbath. Buchanan al
! ! tended the small Presbyterian Church on 1
!. street, near the White House. This was hi
= . religious home during his long Senatorial life
He was not member of the church: He cam
! ! to worship usually ON foot and unattended
!. :. His pew was on the side, about two-thirds {
lS the way from the door. He usually walk
i i ed up the aisle with cat like step, went to th
Ii extreme end of the pew, curled himself up
the corner, and seldom moved till the serviC
g gg closed. He rarely spoke to any one, and has
- ened from the church to the White HOUSE
:, Mrs. Lincoln was a communicate at the Ne
u York Avenue Presbyterian Church. MI
= Lincoln was not; but he was a regular atten
y = ant at worship. johnson seems to have no re
~ ligious home, but rather inclined to the Lutl
10 70 erans. General Grant is not professor of r
o. o. ligion. He is trustee of the National Meth
as dist Church at Washington, and is a frequeI
- attendant on the preaching of that church.
VI Cor Boston Journal,