The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-04-21
FAITHS OF PRESIDENTS.
They All Seemed to Have Believed
in God.
Lincoln Was Not an gnfidel-Declared His
Intention of Making Profession of
Faith Before His Assassinatlon-
"Old Hickory's" Conversion.
[coPYRIGHr, 1921


the remark recently made by Col. Rob
crt G. Ingersoll to the effect that Abra-
ham Lincoln was no more n Christian
than Voltuirc was. This has given
rise to discussion of the religious
views of the martyr president which
promises to have long run.
1t is n remarkable fact that of the
twenty-thrce presidents of the United
States very little is recorded by the
biographers of the majority of them as
to their religious faith. 1t is further
remarkable that as to all of the great
est of them, Washington excepted.
there was much doubt during their
deaths rs to whether they were
were, to what classification of
Christians they properly belonged.
by common consent the greatest presi-
dental names are those of Washington,
Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln and Grant.
Everybody knows that Washington
was member of the Episcopal church
OF Virginia, in good and regular stand
ing; that he resortcd to prayer at all
the critical moments in his career, and
attributed to Almighty God direct per-
sonal intcrposition in his behalf and
that of the American people. Early in
ITO he wrote to the Continental con-
gress earnestly asking for chaplains
for the army. The blessing and pro-
lection of Heaven are ut all times
necessary" he wrote, "but especially
so in time of public distress and dam
ger The general hopes and trusts
that every officer and man will en-
deavor to live and act as becomes u
Christian soldier
In August of the same year he issued
the following notice to his army at
New York: "Thc general is sorry to be
informed that the foolish and profane
practice of cursing and swearing, a
vice hitherto little known in an Ameri-
can army, is growing into fashion. He
hopes that the officers will by example
as we'll as by influence endeavor to
check it, and that both they and the
men will reflect that we can have lit
tie hope of the blessing of Heaven on
our cause if we insult it by our impiety
and folly. Added to this it is vice SO
mean and low, without any tempta-
ton, that every man of sense and char
nctcr dctests and dcapises it."
When Lord CORVALLIS had capitu-
lated and the cause of independence
was won Washington issued this order
to the army: "Divine service is to bc
performed tomorrow in the several
brigadcs and divisions. The command
er-in-chief earnestly recommends that
the troops not on duty should univer-
sally attend with that seriousness OF
department and gratitude of heart
which fhn ,.annrnif,r,, %
atcd and astonishing interpretations of
Providence demands of us.''
Next came President John Adams.
lie was a Congrcgationalist, the de-
scendant of Il long line of Puritan an
cestors. lie was baptized October 28,
1885, in the First church of Quincy,
Mass, not unfairly called "The Church
OF Statesmen" because within its walls
have worshiped the Adamses, the
Quincys and the IIancocks. But John
Adams was by no means Puritan of
the Calvinistic type. The First church
of Quincy was a Unitarian church to
all intcnts and purposes long before
Claiming preached his famous Balti-
more sermon, which brought about the
separation of the Unitarians from the
Trinitarian Congregationalsts in New
England.
When we como to Thomas jefferson
it is not SO easy TO define his religious
status. He was freely denounced
during his lifetime, especially from
the pulpits of New England. as god
less man. and was very commonly
classified, as Col. Ingersoll has just
classified Abraham Lincoln, with the
great French philosopher and skeptic,
Voltaire. There can be no sort of
doubt now, however, that Mr.. Jeffer-
son was profoundly religious man.
His morality was never questioned,
and if he were alive to-day, leading
the same life that he led and express