The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-04-08
THE PRESIDENTS CHURCH.

The fact that President Cleveiane
rented . pew In the First Presoy
terrain church, with q view to max
lpEdt his place Of worshipa has causet
q deal Of talk, not only IN religious
but political circles of Washington
It was a notorious fact that the sew
eral church denominations OF tn
Capital city were anxiously awaiting
the,P Presidents decision In the mat
ter, and when at last he made nj
selection, it proved q "stunner' u
most people of Washington. I'M
First Presbyterian church. 1t II
claimed, had not q large following
and was not considered the mos
popular religious institution in tn
city. It is presided over by Rev
Byron Sunderland, who, while q
very learned and able man, is lacking
in magnetism and fuency. Another
strange thing connected with his Sc
lection of a place of worship, is thai
Dr. Sunderland was a strong Blaine
advocate during the campaign, ano
it is stated also that the members O.
the church, almost TO a man, arr
staunch Republicans. It is needless
to say that the more popular churches
of the city feel no little chagrinned al
the decision of the President, as they
expected him to be a drawing card
for the next four years. DR.. Sunder'
land was no little astonlshed when
he received a card from the Presi'
dent saying he would like to select a
pew, and asking that a plat OF the
pews te sent to him for that purpose.
A diagram was at once forwarded to
the White House by a church official
and his Excellency was not long in
designating his pew. The church
heretofore has not been largely at
tended, and owing to the change In
the administration it was Thought
that it would have to close its doors.
But its pastor and members were
pleased beyond expression when I'M
expectedly the President selected
their church as his place of worship
for the next four years. The Eresult
will be to fill up one of the weakest
churches in the city in point of num-
beers. It is an old saying, There is
no telling where lightning will
strike" President Cleveland seems
to possess a faculty for surprising the
people. The idea of his selecting q
Republican church, as it is termed,
ia bewildering to the average old-line
Yet we can see no reason
why people should carry their preju-
dices into the Lords house. "Church
and State'' are two different things,
and If the President and his family
prefer to worship at a Presbyterian
altar, it is his own business. 1t is a
sad commentary on religion when
the several churches are to be desig-
mated publicly as Republican and
Democratic. The pulpit is no place
TO argue politics, and if it Las been
The custom of Rev. Mr.. Sunderland
TO depart from the old rule, the pres
ence of the President in
his congregation will un-
have a tendency to put a
sheck to it. Mr.. Cleveland in this
has not proved inconsistent
with his record. Being a man of his
,wn head he proposes to suit himself
all things. His appointment of
Mr.. Pearson, a Republican, as post
of New York, was a departure
rom the old political rule that few
hought he had the backbone to
make. His selection of cabinet Of
icers also afforded many surprises.
3ut at last the administration church
ust designated seems to have capped
he climax. For the first few Sab
,aths after his inauguration he rs
NAMED quietly at the White House,
he said, not to make a
exhibition of himself. But
rom this on, it has been given out,
o will attend regularly. And so
note Il be.