The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-09
Christianity in Congress.

Tell upon the ocky places, where they had not
much earth. And others fell upon the
thorn and the thorns grew up, and choked
them; and others fell upon the good ground,
and yielded fruit-MATTHEw XIII: 9-12
A visitor looking down from the gal
leries of the house of representatives upon
the scenes enacted on the floor, during
some exciting debate, might be skeptical
as to the existence of any religious aspects
of congress- An Indian might, however,
perceive some resemblance to his war
dances, or Fiji Islander mistake them
for the orgies preliminary to eating up of
ones enemy. Still there is a religious
aspect to congress. Both houses are
opened with prayer by their respected
chaplains at least an outward respect is
shown to this service. These halls, which
resound with such clatter of tongues and
strife of words during the week, are
closed on the Sabbath, except at the end
of the yearly sessions, when, under pres
sure of business, the sanctity of the Sab
bath has been sometimes invaded. On
the Lords day you will find many of
the senators and representatives in the
churches of this city, though it must be
confessed that large part rarely enter
them. A congressman coming to this
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then for his official duties, then for the
private business of his constituents, then
for his social relations, lastly for his
sanctuary, they ego around.' Few are
pew-holders, though they "cast their mite
into the treasury" but it is not all they
have A curious feature of their church
life in Washington is the loose manner in
~ -.
held. The member who is Congrega-
tionalist at home, will attend while in
Washington the PRESBYTERIAN church, and
vice versa. You will iud southern Pres
byterians in the northern Presbyterian
churches, and Episcopalians, Methodists
and Baptists in each others churches.
As far as l know there is no special effort
made by the churches to gain the attend
ance of members of congress. If they en-
ter their doors, they are treated with
courtesy, but the churches have learned
that as class they are very little aid Pc
cuniarily or spiritually. That which
maintains the worship and work of the
churches in this city is the persons in the
departments and permanent residents,
who have grown to be large and in.
creasingly able element. On the side of
the members it should, however, be said,
that their stay here is 30 transient, being
from four to six months in the year, and
their tenure of office 80 precarious, that
they cannot be expected to feel much in
terest in particular churches. Many of
them also claim, that owing to their large
outlay in sustaining churches at home,
they cannot afford much help here, and
when this last reason is mentioned to per-
sons whom one chances to meet in this
city, from the homes of the congressman,
they generally smile. Queer, isn't it
There are, however, men, and we may
say many, who have been active Christian
workers in the churches, few in the
Sunday.schools, and many in the tenn
perance cause On Saturday night you
will find in The Evening Star long list
of Sabbath-school anniversaries and tenn
perance meetings on the Sabbath, in
which the chief speakers are senators and
representatives. If church is to be
dedicated and platform meeting to be
subsequently held, members of congress
identified with the particular denomina-
ton are relied on for remarks, and often
Tor contributions. During some of the
darkest hours of the late war few of the
members OF congress gathered weekly
and united in prayer for the preservation
OF the Union. 1t Is not uncommon now
during the winter season to see senators
and representatives in the church prayer
meetings. The fact of the matter is,
that the same remark applies 10 the re-
hgious aspect congress, which we made
In our last arecle, respecting its moral
aspects, namely, that residence in Wash
ington does not change, but illumes, the
character OF our representatives. A good
devout elder, or church warden, or class
leader, if he comes to congress, will
soon find his way to some sanctuary
and settle down to prayer and work
as naturally as he would at home
While the men whom you find in New
York city, spending their Sabbaths in
hotels, or lounging around the clubs,
or driving fast horses, continue the same
course of life in Washington. Occasionally
there slips into a seat in congress min
lister OF the Gospel. Indeed, if we include
the local preachers of the Methodist and
the deacons of the Baptist church, it is
surprising how many persons in congress
have once filled American pulpits. In
the last congress, we know of at least one
Presbyterian, Rev. John A. Anderson
(who has been reelected to the present
congress), Baptist, Rev. j. Hyatt Smith,
also Methodist, Rev. Gilbert De La
Matyr. The latter, we learn, has returned
to the ministry; this, however, is excep-
tional. The halls of congress have no
adaptation for theological seminary; a
minister who enters therein may, like
Garfield, command eminence and respect,
but generally his debut in congress marks
hta axit fro, ka snsa 4
Seelye of Amherst college was notable
exception. Garfield rarely preached after
entering congress he may have given an
occasional exhortation in the meetings OF
his own (the Christian) church, but we
never heard of his occupying the pulpit Of
any other denomination. 1t would hardly
do to say that minister of the gospel il
out of his place in congress while this
country has the memory Of John Wither
spoon to cherish, but If man can there
preserve his ministerial integrity and