The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-30
The Creeds Of the Presidents.

1 O6O6ISI w ASHlukSUu Uno meQ
Der OF the Episcopal church long be-
fore he became president. He was q
communicant, too. Besides his we'll
known habits of worship in Che Epis-
copal church in Alexandria, Virginia,
where his pew is still preserved in
much the same Anticipated style that
il had been. when be MAS accustomed
10 occupy il, the fact is we'll attested,
and has often been published, that
during the revolutionary war he was
accustomed to join in observing the
Lords supper whenever his engage
ments with the army permitted an
opportunity. Many instances have
been given to the public, and il is
particularly gratifying to know that
he who was First in war, first in
peace and first in the hearts of his
countrymen," set such an example
to our public naen, both in his public
and his private life, az man,
gentleman and q Christian.
It is to be regretted thstso many OF
our presidents have failed to follow in
all respects that example, but some
of them u ere nos wanting in respect
to religion. John Adams and his son
John Quincy were Unitarians, as vas
also Willard Fillmore. The two lat.
ter were regular attendants upon the
Unitarian church in Washington.
My impression is that the two former,
possibly Mr.. Fillmore. were commu-
nicants, but of this I am not sure.
Of the religious sentiments of Thomas
Jefferson the world has thought itself
we'll assured. but they have been
made the subject of controversy.
The general opinion is that he was a
sympathiser with the views of Paine,
and repudiated Christianity. The re.
ligious sentiments OF President Madi-
SOD and Monroe are also enveloped in
some uncertainty, and their most az
dent admirers have not claimed that
they were members or commandments
of any Christian church. Passing
John Quincy Adams, already men
toned, we come to President Jack.
son. The world knows what he was
in religion, as we'll as what he was in
politics, for few more positive charac-
ters have ever appeared in our his
tory. he was out and out Presby-
terrain of the staunchest sort, and IL
his latter days a communicate;
although it is believed that he did not
join the church until he had retired
to private life. Martin Van Buren,
was inclined. I think, to the Dutch
Reformed church, with which he
Worshiped when at home in Kinder
hook, but so far as l am aware,
he vas not commandment.
President Harrison, who succeeded
Mr.. Van Buren,, and died after being
8 month in Office, was eommuni-
cant in the Episcopal church for a
considerable period before be became
president. He was a member of
Christ Church, Cincinnati. and for a
long time after his death, his name
(engraved on silver plate) remained
on his pew door, and may remain
there still. His decided Christian
sentiments and character are well
known, and in Cincinnati, near
which he lived, his memory is held
in high generation by all classes o!
people.
President Harrison is only one in
the long list Of presidents Of the
United States, who on entering upon
the duties of his Office, ever an.
nounced confession Of faith tor him
self. His inaugural address, his only
offcia papers, probably remembered
by the older citizens of the country.
He said he deemed the occasion, on
taking the oath of Office fitting one
for the announcement of his "belief
in the divine origin and obligations
OF the Christian religion" Il VS. "a
grand thing for president of the
United States, when standing up be.
fore the American people to take the
oath of Office as their chief magis-
trate, to make such an explicit
declaration. It was a lesson for young
men and politicians Perhaps all our
presidents have been believers In God
las their state papers show but no
one has given a more explicit testi-
money for Christianity than this.
L: Is probably true thst not one of
those who have occupied the presi-
dental chair between General Harri- |
SOD and General Garfield was a COM
municsnt, yet nearly all of them
10 in Misunderstanding those who
entered the Office from the vice-presi-
dency were church-goers, and their
denominational preferences have
been indicated. Tyler was an Epis-
cepalian, Polk and Buchanan and
Lincoln were Presbyterian, Pierce
VISA a Congregstionalist, Taylor
probably had no special preference,
Fillmore was q Unitarian, Johnson
MAS claimed by both Presbyterians
and Methodists, Grant and Hayes we're
Meihodists, and Garfield belonged to
the sect which has 9 variety of
names. as Csmpbellites, Disciples,
Christians.-Rsg. Dr.. r. L. Stanton
tn Evangelist.