Evening star., 1897-03-05
THE BIBLE USED.
1t Wns Presented by Bishop of Will
berfOrce College.

1t Was Presented by Bishop of Will
berfOrce College.
The Bible on which Mr.. Mckinley took
the oath of Office as President of the
United States is an unusually handsome
and costly copy of the testaments made es-
peciaily for the occasion in Ohio and pre-
sented to the new President by Bishop Ar
nett of Wilberforce College, a colored III
stitution in the buckeye state, on behalf
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Its covers are of blue morocco, with satin
Innings, white satin panels and gilt edges.
gold plate in the center will be engraved
with the following inscription: William
Mckinley, President of the United States
of America. Inaugurated March 4. 1897
The book On which he was sworn into the
highest office within the gift of the pco-
pie was matter of quite decided sentiment
with President Cleveland. Mr. Cleveland
asked the privilege of being sworn ON a
little red Bible which had been given him
by his mother In his boyhood when he first
left the family roof tree. and he took the
oath at the beginning of both of his pres
idential terms on this book. which he treas
ures fondly.
The custom. however. has been for the
United States Supreme Court to furnish the
Eible on which the President takes his Off
clal cath, and this tradition has been car
ried out by the clerk of the court ever
since that tribunal was established. except
en- the TWO occasions when President Cleye-
land was installed in Office. Mr.. McKenny,
clerk of the Supreme Court who has held
the Bible on which Garfield was sworn. and
every President after him, has always
narked the verse which the President
touched with his lips. and after the inaugu-
fal has presented the book made historic
by this event to the President or to his
wife. When Mr.. McKenny presented to
Mrs. Hayes the volume on which her nus
band had been sworn she inquired what
passage he had kissed. The verse recited
in substance that his enemies encompa sseI
him like bees. but he would destroy them,
Mrs. Hayes remarked that President Hayes
would destroy no one.
At the second Inauguration of President
Grant the clerk opened the Bible and hand
ed it 10 Chief Justice Chase who held it to
the lips OF the President. They rested upon
these verses from the eleventh chapter OF
Isaiah:
And the spirit of the Lord shall res,
upoh him; the spirit of wisdom and under.
standing. the spirit of counsel and might
the spirit of knowledge ard Of the fear OF
tie Lord.
And shall make him OF quick understand
ing in the fear of the Lord; and he shall
not Judge after the sight of his eyes, neither
reprove after the hearing OF his ears
The hrst fnaugura ton of George Wash.
ington. in the Federal building in New York
on April 30. 1IS9. was delayed by the failure
| to provide Bible. Just as the arrival OF
Washington vas announced to Congress
Chancellor Livingston discovered that there
was no Bible in the building. He was mas
ter of st. Johns Lodge. No. /. of Free Ma
sons and happened to remember that there
was a Bible in the lodge ROOM A messen
ger was quickly sent to bring the book. ant
II Is preserved to the present day anone
the relics of the lodge