The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-04-29
OUR PRESIDENTS AT CHURCH..
Young Chureli-going OAicc-seeker Il
Jackson's Day--Hays and Arthur.


President Cleveland is Presbyterian and
the son of Presbyterian parson. He will
attend DIR. Sunderland's church. where he
has rented pew.
Presidential piety has not been promi-
nent factor in our history, though most of
the Presidents have been church members.
Cleveland is not the first President who hns
been Presbyterian. Andrew jackson,
though hard case in early life, and to his
death fond of cock fighting and horserac-
ing, took up the religion of his wife after
she died and became Presbyterian. He
read chapter in the Bible every night be-
fore he went to bed while he was in the
White House, and had family worship in
his bedroom with his adopted daughter at
Top. NJ. jackson was very strict as to
church matters, and would let no one run
down his pastor. One night he noticed q
nobby-looking young man sitting in pew
in front Of him and paying very close at
tenion to the sermon. His actions pleased
jackson worry much, aud on going out he
asked the young man what he thought of
the sermon. He replied: Stuff, sir poor
stuff of no account whatever!"
81 think you are mistaken, SIR" answer.
ed jackson, as he looked at the young fell
low with contempt and then strobe away
A few days after this, this same young
man wanted to go abroad as secretary of
the legation to one of the chief European
courts, and the minister, who had been ap-
pointed minister to England, wanted him to
go with him. Old Hickory, however, would
not consent to his appointment. "The
man," he said, +" is fool. He cannot ap-
preciate good sermon and he would dis
grace the country" The result was that
the young man remained at home. Presi-
dent Polk was Presbyterian. He went to
church regularly, and his wife would not
have dancing at the White House. Frank
Pierce was another Presbyterian, and so
was Buchanan, and the latter attended
church in this same building to which
Cleveland is expected to go. Pierce went
TO church twice day, and no also attended
the Thursday evening prayer meetings. Blu
chanan gave great deal to the church in
charities and he said his prayers regularly.
Lincoln went to church occasionally, and
when he did he attended the Presbyterian
Church.
President Arthur's church wns the st.
Johns Episcopal, the old church which
Dolly Madison used to attend when Wash
ington was a small village. Mr.. Arthur sat
in the pew which his wife used to occupy
when she was young girl, and he had a
memorial window put into the old church
to her honor. This church lies within o
stones throw of the White House.
Washington was also an Episcopalian.
His favorite church was at Alexandria, but
II is said by old citizens of that place that
the General often tired before the services
were over, and digniiedly walked out il
the very middle of the sermon. Jefferson
went sometimes to the Episcopal Church,
Paine and Bob Ingersoll than in the religion
of Christ, and he would not have a preacher
at his deathbed. Madison, Van Buren, and
Monroe all went to this same Episcopalian
church which Arthur attended, and it ID
said that they all occupied the same pew.
The two Adamses were Unitarians, and
both God-fearing men. Fillmore was also
Unitarian, and Grant and Hayes were
Methodists. Mrs. Hayes always had hymn
singing at the White House of Sunday
evening, and the employees about the man
sion were called in to help. Garfield was a
Campbellite, and he built his church here
to good size. johnson had no regular
church, and went to all churches, anc
Zachary Taylor, though not church men,
Der, when he did go attended the St. Johns
Episcopal.