The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-03-05

shortest was probably Benjamin
Harrison, although John Adams and
Martin Van Buren, were also very
short men. The oldest President,
when inaugurated, was William
Henry Harrison, who was then sixty
eight years and n month. The
youngest was Ulysses S. Grant, who
was not quite forty-seven. The only
babe ever born in the White House
to a ruling President was little
Esther Cleveland, who was born in
1898, though nine other babes have
first opened their eyes in the Execu-
tive Mansion.
Noting the sectarian bias of the
various Presidents, we find a large
number have been Episcopalians-
Washington, Madison, Monroe, Will
liam Henry Harrison, Tyler, Pierce,
and Chester A. Arthur. Washington
laid claims to great ~liberality of
creed, once saying to a number of
friends who were ~COnversing on the
different faiths: "Though I am a
member of the Church of England,
1 have no exclusive partialities."
Zachary Taylor gave the subject of
religion very little thought, but he
regularly paid his wife's dues to the
Episcopal Church and probably IA
VOred that Church more than anv
other.
John Adams and his son, John
Quincy Adams, came of a long line
of Puritan ancestors. In his early
life John Adams had the intention
of entering the ministry in the Con-
gregatiOnal Church, but soon found
he could not assent to the Puritan
doctrines. He studied law instead
and joined the Unitarian Church, of
which Church his i~llustriOus son,
too, became a member.
Thomas jefferson joined no
Church, and was accused by the re-
ligious people of his day of being a
AA2.h AAL40C1 DCCIuS6 VI Ills uO1l2LU
in reading the works of Thomas
Paine. But his life was q strictly
moral one, and his writings do not
show hat he was an unbeliever. He
it was who declared that the princi-
pies OF a wise government included
equal and exact justice to all men,
of whatever state or persuasion, re
ligiOus or political"
Andrew Jackson was VIGOROUSLY
irreligi0us in early life, but after
his retirement from the Presidency
he became converted and Joined the
Presbyterian Church. 1t has been
said that he was led to Christianity
by the gOdly life Of his wife. In his
final illness Doctor Edgar asked him
what he would have done with Cal
hOun and the other nullifers if they
had kept on. Hanged them, sir,
as high as Hannah - was his reply.
His last words we're 81 hope and
trust to meet you all in heaven, my
dear children and servants"
Martin Van Buren, never made
any profession of religion, though
his privave character was above all
suspicion.
James K. Polk, on his deathbed,
asked to be baptized into the Metho-
dist faith. He received the sacra-
ment and then ''died without a strug-
gle, simply ceasing to breathe, as
when deep and quiet sleep falls
upon a weary man"
Willard Fillmore affiliated with
the Baptist Church. We have not
much account of his religious views.
James Buchanan was a Presbyte-
rian, but joined the church after he
retired from office. Buchanan was
the prince of entertainers, and dur
ing his administration the White
House perhaps more nearly aD-
preached the ideal of an American
court than at any time in it's history.
He was Il bachelor President, but
was ably seconded in his love of style
and magnificent entertainments by
his beautiful and accomplished niece,
Harriet Lane.
Abraham Lincoln was a member
OF no sect. He it was who, when
passion and prejudice were at their
highest, uttered this immortal SEN
tence: "NNith malice toward none,
with charity for all, with frmness
in the right, as God gives US to see