New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-26
TuE PRESIDENTS CHURCH.
-, CLEVELAND Returns TO ELS FORMER
PASTOR. DIR. CUMBERLAND.
PREFERENCES OF CHE MAGISTRATES IN THE
r.sr-wrERE THE MMBERs o. THE CAB

fshr,b where he was .gular attendant during his
AIT Administration. II is the old Presbyterian
CHURCH in Four and -halst, and one OF the Oldest
ra nIainest churches 4 Washington. DR.. sunder-
,ra,s postorate covers ,rtyive gears continuously.
=, ,,,, time there has ever been the suggestion OF
.sh,onable worship within. or o; undermining the
.,de of the edifce by mart and nharnOnious archi-
.c,nre IN this regar 1t has escaped the misfor-
49,. vhch has changes most Of the old churches In
Washington
nrlnp the war; andhe reconstruction DAYS follow
ing. the pastors outsokcn abolitlonism almost de
rouuated his church Tlc congregation melted
.xay Ike dew beforethe sun. and In the handful
pf there rio mer. But the Doctor never
s,rhsd down or waelcss outspoken In his radical
S.ws. II ANYTHING. was more fearless and seemed
,v.v. IN have the CHIP his shoulder. DIR.
sunderland is a verysmal man. short and extremely
slight. and his smothly shaver face gave him the
.npsarancc OF yout' when he had almost reached
middle age He is ow we'll up In his seventies, but
Time still appeared o forget him. until little while
ago. when his step owed less acuVi'y ana nv ue
rided 10 have an sAsant.
vohodv was s,rrscd when the President returned
.. his former par Of worship. The surprise would
have bsen II he hal gone anywhere else. And the
nastor would hae been so unhappy over the Presl'
dan,,s choice ofarother church. he was Tor quite
. Maerent rcass. when his church became the " Pres
Mcnt,s church eight years ago. AS thirgs have
of A
Dr sunderlan bitterly opposed TO Mr.. Clcve-
1850 ers, ertion After the Inauguration he was
,,s, a. h,tey opposed to having his church the
T. prcsdent's hurch7 under Democratic Admins
,ro,,on Hewas not only opposed TO Il Democratic
r~dent bausc he himself WIS a radical Rcpub-
ucan but was opposed TO Grover Cleveland. The
Doc,or taks his opposition openly and with unspar
,ng. merci.s criticisms. But the time came shortly
rhsn he ws forced TO a change of heart. 1t was
,i,oiir rat Mr. Cleveland
friends ~ h. Sunderland family came Cd and were
their guess through Inauguration week. They were
Democrats nd as strong In admiration OF Mr.. 'leVe-
,,rd a. +,cDoctor was in his dislike and opposition.
Mira s,indtland greatly disturbed By the state
~ her hosehod caused BY the warning factions AT
last she elieved her mind by frankly telling her
rnc,,s he much she regretted the probability that
bcr b,stnd's attitude would make their stay uncom-
fortah,e The visitors. however. were fond OF the
Doctor and determined not 10 take offence. no mat
fer wit their host might say about the President.
Thslrst saturday after the Inauguration the Prcsi-
dent SISTER Miss Rose Elizabeth Cleveland, gave
rcceron. The Presidents married sisters. Mrs lioyt
and irs Bacon, with her. of course there were
crods OF strangers. and among them the guests OF
tIesunderland family. Mrs Sunderland accompanied
,bn 10 the White House. She tried 10 persuade her
bsband 10 go also and pay his respects TO the new
Mistress Of the White House But the Doctor fatty
rtused 10 20 and intimated In plain and forcibe
English that it would be long day before he would
10 10 the White House. When Mrs. sunderland ana
ltr guests were presented, Mrs. llOy was struck by
the name of sunderland. Holding Mrs. sunderland's
land In her own the Presidents sister SAIL: sunder
bnd Is familiar name 10 me. Ny dear mother one"
had a pastor who was the Rev. DR.. sunderland. lie
was very young man then and preached In Batavia.
NewYork.'
To make a long story short 1t turned out in the
few minutes talk then and there in the White House
that II was the same Rev. DR.. sunderland. The
sisters expressed their pleasure at thus
maNing the acquaintance OF Mrs. sunderland, and
further pleasure the prospect Of meeting their
mothers former pastor to whom they now sent the
most ccdial invitation TO visit them in the White
House.
Poor Irs. Sunderland. remembering every word
OF her husbands outsp0ken sentiments against the
Iresiden. managed TO get through with It all rs best
she comf. She went home and told her husband Of
her emil rrass and distress. The Doctor weakened
slightly it is true but afterward braced up and held
out more stoutly than ever In his determination not
10 60 o the White House. But this could not last
lCnr With the Presidents sisters gracious. w0many
women as they were, making friendly little advances
10 tier mothers old pastor. When the President
left 1, TO Miss Cleveland to select their place OF
worship. she chose the Rev DR.. SGndcrands church
The pidn humble and "sparsely settled" old church
tn tn UNREASONABLE Four-and a half-st. This was
went own. but with flying colors. expressed in the
sentene NO. | won't take back word" Tile old
chircl became the Presidents church" during the
first democratic Administration since the war The
Iaslorwho had preached abolitionlsm from his pulpit
al III, risk OF his life, the Democratic Pres
dents pastor.
7burh forced upon him. Or. Sundcrlands &C
o,iairance with President Cleveland grew into
warn friendship The Presidents marriage had some
thnsto do with It, and made his friendship closer and
s,rolrcr. As is well known, the Doctor performed
the marriage ceremony. Miss Folsom had been for
som, wears member OF the Presbyterian Church.
Af,r her marriage Mrs. Cleveland brought her letter
and united With the Rev. Dr. sunderlands Church
The President, 1t is said has never become member
Of he Presbyterian Church though the son OF
'prely ,erian minister, with brother Presbyterian
Minister and "A sister in The Presbyterian foreign
mission work In short, belonging to whole lamiiy
of'Presbyterians But the President. for the most
,sr has been at all times regular attendant, ana
In his first term he was seldom never absent from
ue sunday morning service
d. After DIR. sundcrlands Church became the "Presi-
sent's Church., the congregation soon outnumbcred
Is seating capacity. But this was not a financial
advantage The crowds Of strangers filling The
,ews every Sunday morning were not there 10 Ill
he contribution box. They went 10 see the PRESIDENT
and MS sister, and later Oh 10 see the PRESIDENT anu
his wife, Every Presidents Church has ms eA-
perience. The Church oil TIE covenant, ""e'c i'c''
cent Harrison worshippcd. would be crowded to the
.oors But its support depended on the members and
regular attendants and 1t "aa not materially hcp.o
by the eycr-changing crowd OF visitors each week.
Visitors were impressed by the President, his >ecre
tsy Of state. secretary of the Treasury ana >ecrc-
t,ry OF Agriculture. But they were not impressed
b. the contribution box passed along the pcws. WING
rstors as a rule seem desirous each mat MS o""
elurch should be the =" Presidents Church." regular
not enjoy being crowded out OF pews they pay Tor
order TO seat Strangers who go 10 church
merely TO see the President. but who Took away from
he contribution box There are other Disadvantages
tso AZ that TO be distinguished as the President
Church. attracts larr congregations. bu' as Il ruic'
X no substantial bclEt. A marked exception, how
rvcr 4, IN. church of which President GARFIELD was
rnnrhar dlrinc lip nianY Xrnrs OF his public HE