Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-07
OUR PRESIDENTS.
Something Concerning Their oreeas,


can't, too, Beside his well-llnown habits
of worship 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 accus-
toned to occupy it, the fact is we'll at
tested, 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 op-
portunity. Many instances have been
given TO the public, and it 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 men, both in
his public and private life, as q man, a
gentleman and Christian.
It is to be regretted that so many Of
our Presidents have failed to follow in
all respects that example, but some Of
them were not wanting in respect to re-
igion. John Adams and his son John
Quincy were Unitarians, as was also
Willard Fillmore. The two latter were
regular attendants on the Unitarian
Church in Washington. My impression
is that the two former, and possibly Mr..
Fillmore, were commandments, but Of
this I am not sure. Of the religious
sentiments of Thomas Jefferson the
world has thought itself well assured,
but they have been made the subject Of
controversy. The general opinion is
that he was sympathizer with the views
of Paine, and repudiated Christianity.
The religious sentiments of Presidents
Madison and Monroe are also developed
in some uncertainty, and their most ar
dent admirers have not claimed that
they were members or communicates in
any Christian church. Passing John
Quincy Adams, already mentioned, we
come to President jackson. The world
knows what he was in religion, as well
as what he was in politics, for few more
positive characters have ever appeared
in our history. He was out and out
Presbyterian of the stanchest sort, and
in his later days q communicate; al
though it is believed that he did not
join the church until after he had retired
from public life. Martin Van Buren,
was inclined, I think, to the Dutch Re
formed Church, with which he wor-
SHIPPED when at home in Undertook,
but, SO far as I am aware, was not a
commitment.
President Harrison, who succeeded
Mr.. Van Buren,, and died after being q
month in Office, was communicate In
the Episcopal Church for a considera-
BILE period before he became President.
He was member of Christ Church in
Cincinnati, and for 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 veneration among all classes of
people.
President Harrison is the only one in
the long list of Presidents OF the United
States who, on entering upon the duties
of that office, ever announced ga con-
fession of faith for himself. Hi. in
augural address, his only official paper,
is probably well remembered 10y the
older citizens of the country. He said
he deemed the occasion, on taking the
oath of Office, fitting one for the an
nouncenent of his "belief in the divine
origin and obligations of the Christian
religion" It was grand thing for o
President of the United States, when
standing up before the American peo-
ple to take the oath of office as their
Chief Magistrate, to mako such an ex-
plicit declaration. It was lesson for
young men and politicians. Perhaps all
our Presidents have been believers in
God Gas their state papers show, but
no one has given more explicit testi-
mony for Christianity than this.
It is probably true that net one OF
those who occupied the Presidential
chair between Gen. Harrison and Gen.
Garfield was a communicate. Yetnear-
~ all Of them, ten in number-includ-
ing those who entered the Office from the
Vice Presidency-were church-goers,
and their denominational preferences
have been indicated. Tyler was an
Episcopakan, Polk, Buchanan and Lin
coin were Presbyterians, Pierce was
Congregationaiist, Taylor probably had
no special preference, Fillmore was a
Unitarian, Johnson was claimed by both
Presbyterians and Methodists, Grant
and Hayes were Methodists, and Presi-
dent Garfield belonged to q sect which
has variety of names, as Campbellites,
Disciples, Christians.