The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-06

presence of the president in any church
always fills the peWs, and more than
doubles the contri buttons. The in
come of the church is largely enhanced,
and the expenses are no greater
Under the circumstances the hotel
formerly patronlzed by Mckinley will
have big boom in the spring, and
for some time thereafter, and during
the next four years the Foundry church
will get out of debt. These are strange
facts.
President Cleveland has been a
-ekureh-g going man, and he will be miss
ed. particularly in Presbyterian cir
cles. Six of our presidents have been
Presbyterians; but only Grant, Hayes
and Mckinley are to be recorded as
followers Of John and Charles Wesley.
The majority of our presidents have
been regular attendants at Sunday
worship. Gen. Washington, while
president, attended generally the Epis-
copal churches of Philadelphia. John
Adams, the first of the Washington
presidents a Uniterian in belief, found
no church of his denomination in the
fields out of which the capital was riS>
ing and attached himself to none of the
orthodox congregations here. Jeffer-
sons creed is contained in the four
teenth article of the Virginia bill OF
rights. Madison attended ST. Johns
church, as did Monroe, but in 1919 the
yestry of Christ church, East Wash
ington, Commodore Tinsley chairman,
appropriated pew No. 1 to the use of
the president of the United States. Mr.
Monroe, in reply, requested the COM
modore to express to the Vestry his
thanks for their polite attention" John
Quincy Adams was one of the founders
of the old Unitarian church, at the
building now used by the police court,
off <1n1
Jackson attended the Four and-a-halk.
Street Presbyterian church, the same
now attended by Mr.. Cleveland, this
church having been erected during his
administration. He was also an at
tendant at st. Johns church. Mr.. Van
Buren, attended St. Johns church. Gen.
Harrison during his short term at
tended the F Street Presbyterian
church, whose congregation having
disposed of their church to be wills
lard's hall, are now a portion of the
New York Avenue church congregu-
ton. Mr.. Tyler, observing Virginia
customs, was an eattendant at ST.
Johns p. E. church. Mr. Polk ac-
tended both the 3 Street and the Four
and-a-half Street Presbyterian church
Gen. Pierce attended st. Johns church
and the F Street Presbyterian church.
Mr.. Buchanan attended ST. Johns
church. Mr. Lincoln gave an impetus
taking a pew there. Mr.. Johnson kept
a pew in st. Johns church. Gen. Grant
established the fame of the Metro
politan NJ. E. church by becoming one
of it's trustees and taking pew there
Mr.. Hayes attended the Foundry M. E.
church. Gen. Garfield was one of the
founders of the Vermont Avenue
Christian church, from whose pulpit ne
had sometimes preached. Mr.. Arthur
occupied q ST. Johns pew, and Mr..
Cleveland in sitting under the minis
tratfons of the Four and a-half street
church pulpit renewed the era of Jack.
son in this regard. President Harri>
son attended the Presby terrain church
of the Covenant on Connecticut
avenue, opposite the embassy of Great
Britain; fashionable church, In the
most fashionable part of town.
1t thus appears that eight of our
presidents attended the Protestant
Washington being the first and Arthur
the last of that denomination in the
chief magistracy.
Andrew jackson, William Henry Har-
rison, Abraham Lincoln, James K.
Polk, Grover Cleveland and Benjamin
Harrison were the six Presbyterians
who have occupied the white house.
Only one member Of the Christian, or
Campbellite church has ever occupied
the white house, and that was James A
Garfield
John Adams and John Quincy Adams
were the only Unitarians,-- and in their
day they were reckoned as approx
mating infidelity, although they were
transformations Of their religious views.
John Quincy Adams was a liberal con-
tributor to the new church, which was
founded here in his day,-but he was a
very quiet worshiper.
The Methodist Episcopal church did
not become factor in national affairs
until the middle of the present century,
and hence it was not until the year
1889 that a Methodist president was
inaugurated in the person of the great
civil war soldier Grant. The people
have Since elected the two Methodists,
Hayes and Mckinley. S.sr-'.f7.S 80
If this country were denominational
in its political divisions we should soon
have demands for recognition by the
Congregationalists Baptists, Quakers,
Lutherans, United Brethren, Catholics
and other religious organizations, none
of whom has ever yet been favored
with national recognition. Fortunate
ly, however, such a demand will never
be made in this republic. No one of
our presidents has ever been nomi-
mated or elected because of his relig-
ious beliefs or affiliations. No such
test will ever be made
One thing only may be conjectured of
the future; and that we can only judge
of the past The people have dem
onstrated by their treatment of the
brilliant and patriotic Ingersoll, that
they will not give great preferment to
a pronounced and aggressive agnostic
or infidel Everybody knows that be-
cause Of the ostentatious display of his
unbelief Col. .Ingersoll has been denied
such elective or. appointive federal rec
ignition as his splendid intellectual
gifts and requirements might other
wise have commanded
In only one instance has the subject
of religion affected a presidential cleo
ton in the history Of the republic, and
that was In 1884. James Ct. Blaine, one
of the most magnetic and popular OF
statesmen and politicians, failed OF
election because of a series of peculiar
circumstances; and yet, the most po-
tentia1 element adverse to him was the
Injection Of a brief suggestion of re-
Hgious controversy into the closing
hours of that campaign. Blaine was
born a Roman Catholic, and it was
generally understood that the vast In
fuence Of the church was in his favor.
One. of the many delegations received
by him was composed of clergymen;
and their spokesman uttered a sheer al
the church of Rome.
For once only in his career, the ever
ready tongue Of the oratbl and debater
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