The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-10-04
The Creeds Of the Presidents.

AAtS
-
General Warrington was . member OF the
Episcopal church long before he became
President. He was q commitment, too. Be-
sides his well. known habits in the Episcopal
church in Alexandria, Va, where his pew Is
still preserved in much the same Anticipated
style that it had when he was accustomed to
occupy it, the fact is we'll attested and has Oh
ten been published, that during the Revolu-
tionary War be was accustomed to join IN 3D.
serving the Lords Supper whenever his en-
pasements with the army permitted an OPP
portunily. Many instances have been given
to the public and it is particularly crafty
ing to know that he who was ''frst in war,
first in peace and first in TIE hearts OF his
ccuntr, men, set such an example to our
public men, both in his public and bis prl'
vate life, as a man, a gentleman and a Chris
tian.
1t is to he regretted that so many OF our
Presidents have failed to follow in all re-
spect, that example, but some of them were
not wanting in respect to religion. John
Adams and his son John Quincy were unita-
riaus, as was also Willard Fillmore. The two
latter were regular attendants upon the Uni
tartan Church in Washington. My impress
sion is that the two former, and possibly Mr..
Fillmore. were communicates, but of this l
am not sure. OF the religious sentiments OF
Thomas jefferson, the world has thought IT.
self we'll assured, but they have been made
the subject of controversy. The general
opinion is that he was a sylnpathizer with the
views of Paine, aud repudisted Christianity.
TIE religious sentiments of Presidents Mad
ison and Monroe are also developed III some
uncertainty, and their most ardent admirers
have not claimed that they were members or
communicable OF any Christian church.
Passing John Quincy Adams, already men
toned, we come to President Jackson. Tue
world knows what he was in religion as we'll
as what he was in politics. for few more pos
Rive characters lave ever appeared in our
history. lie was out and out a Presbyterian
of the %stauncheSt sort, and IN his latter days a
communicate, although it is believed he did
not join the church until he had retired from
puDlIC llit. u MI DoiSh ~
Ithrnk, to the Dutch Reformed { hurch with
which he worshiped when at home at Kin
derhook, but so far as | am aware, was not a
commandment.
President Harrison, who succeeded Mr.
Van Buren,. and died after being a month in
Office, was a commitment Of the Episcopal
Church for a considerable period before he
became President. He was a member OF
Christ Church in Cincinnati, and tor a long
time after his death his name engraved on a
silver plate) remained on his pew door, and
NAV remain there still. His decided Christian
sentiments and char acter are we'll known, and
in Cincinnati, near which he lived, his men,
DRY is held in high yeneration among all
classes Of people.
Presiden, Harrison is the only one i'll the
long list of Presidents of the United States
who, on entering upon the duties of that Of
flee, ever announced "a confession Of faith"
for himself. His inaugural address, his only
official paper, is probably we'll remembered
by this older citizens of the country. He said
he deemed the occassi on, on taking the oath
of office, a fitting one for the Announcement mt
of his "belief in the divine origi' and Of the
obligations of the Christ an religion" 1t was
a grand thing for a President of the United
States, when standing up before the Ameri-
can people to AXE the oath of office as their
Chief Magistrate, to make such all explicit
declaration. 1t was a lesson tor young men
and for politicians. Perhaps all our Presi-
dents have all been believers in God as their
state papers show, but 10 one has given a
more explicit testimony for Christianity than
tnis.
1t is probably true tl'st no one of those
who have occupied the Presidential chair be-
tween General Harrison and General Gar
field was a COMMUNICATE. Yet, nearly all of
them, 10 in Misunderstanding those who
entered the Office from the Vice Presidency
were church goers, and their denominations
preferences have been indicated. TYLER was
an EpiscopaIian, Polk and Buchanan aud
Lincoln were PlesDyterians. Pierce was a
Congregationalist, Taylor probably had no
special preference, Fillmore was a Unitarian,
johnson was claimed by both PresbyLerians
and Methodists, and President Grafield be-
longs to the sect which had a variety of
LANES, as Complexities, Disciples, Christians.
--Reu. II. L.. Station in Evangelist.