The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-10-25

REV. DrsRsL. stantoatn Evangelist.

REV. DrzReL. stantont In Evangelist.I
General Washington was a member Of the
Episcopal church long before he became
president. He nwas ii comm u nicant too.
Besides his we'll known habits of worship IN
the Episcopal church In Alexandra, Va,
where his pew Is still preserved IN much the
same %antiquated style tfiat IL hsd been when
he was accustomed tos6ecupry Il, The fact Is
we'll attestsesd, and Has oiten been published,
that during the revolutionary war lie Was ac-
customed to join in observing the LORDS sup
per whenever his engagements With the army
permitted al opportunity Many instances
have been given to the public and It is par
ticularly gratifying to know that he who was
"frst in war; first in peace and fir in the
hearts Of his countrymeh," set such an ex-
simple To our public men, Both in his public
and his private life, as a man, a gentleman
and a Christian. N|'+1 '+.L" $'."''S
1t is to be regretted that so many of our
presidents lave failed to follow in all respects
that example, but some Of them were not
wanting in respect to religion. John Adams
and his son John Qaincy were Unitarians, as
was also Willard Fillmore. The two latter
were regular attendants upon the Unitarian
church in Washington. My impression is
that the two former, and possibly Mr.. Fill
more, were commandments, but Of this | am
not sure. or 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
opinionis that he was a sympat,izer with the
views of Paiue, and repuliated Christianity.
The religious sentiments Of Presidents Mad
ison and Monroe are also enveloped in some
uncertainty, and their most ardent admirers
have not claimed that they were members Or
communicates of any Christian church.
Passing John Quincy Adams, already men
toned, we come to- President jackson. The
world knows what he was IN religion, as well
as what he was in politics, for few more pos!
tive characters have ever appeared in ouI
history. He was cut and out a Presbyterian
of the %staunchest sort, and in his latter days
a commitment !; although i it is believed that
he did not join the church until he had re-.
tired from public life. Martin Van Buren@
was inclined, 1 think, to tho Dutch Reformed
church, with which he worshipped When at
home in Undertook, but 80 far as I am
aware, he was not a communicant. " ~
President Harrison, who succeeded Mr..
office, was a COMMUNICATE in the Episcopal
church for a considerable period before he
became president. He was a member Of
Christ church, Cincinnati, and for a long
time after his death, mis- name (engraved on a
silver plats) remained ON his pew door, and
may remain there still. His decided chris
tisn sentiments and character are Well
known, and in Cincinnati. near which he
lived, his memory is held in higl. veneration
by all classes of people.
President Harrison is the only one in the
long list OF presidents OF tile United States.
who, on entering upon the duties Of his Of
Ace, ever announced a confession of faith for
himself. His inaugural address, his only
official paper, is probably remembered by the
older citizens Of the country. He said he
deemed the occasion, on taking the oath of
ONCE, q fitting one for the announcement Of
his "belief in the divine origin and obliga-
tons of the christian religion 1t was a
grand thing for a president of the United
States, when sanding up before the Ameri-
can people to take the oath Of office as their
chief magistrate, to make such au explicit
declaration. 1t was a lesson for young men
men and for politicians. Perhaps all our
presidents have been believers in God Gas
their State papers show but no one has
given a more explicit testimony for christian
ity than this. '*
1t is probably true that not 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-lO in IL ber--iAcluding those who
entered the office from the vice-presidency
were church-goers, and their denominations
preferences have cen indicated. Tyler was an
Episc' palian, Polk and Buchanan and Lin
coin were Presbyterians, Pierce was a Con-
gregAtionalis., Taylor probably had no spe-
cial preference, Fillmore was a Unitarian,
johnson was claimed by both Presbyterian
and Methodists, Grant and Haye were Meth
dists, aud Garfield bolo. ged to the sect which
has a variety Of names, as Campbeilites, Dis
ciples, Christians.
r} Garf1eld's Arizona interests. Y