The Washington times., 1901-10-07
THE PRESIDENT At CHURCH
Hears DR.. Schick, While Mrs.
Roosevelt Attends st Johns.

The Executive Walks TO the Litti-
Edifice Dedicated TO the Dutch Re-
formed Fsith-stops TO Chat With
Children on the Way to Service
President Roosevelt followed his usual
custom Of walking to divine service yes
terday morning With his daughter Ethel
he attended the Grace Dutch Reformed
Church, where he has worshipp;d every
Sunday since he returned to Washington
Mrs. Roosevelt. with heg son Kermit. &C
cupied the President, pew at old St.
Johns Church, just across l-afayette c
Square from the White House. She alsa
walked to service and remained to COM
nlunion
The CROWD which every Sabbath morn
Ing gathers near Grace Church TO see the
PRESIDENT was larger yesterday than
usual The President made his appear
ance somewhat earlier than he f~s on
previous occasions. His walk up Six
tentn Street was without especial Incl
dent, save once or twice he stopped to
speak with some children on the sidewalk
The President, as usual, seated himself
in ;he pew reserved for him near the
front of tfc church He followed the
service closely, as did his daughter. and
Joined in the singing OF the hymns The
service at Grace Church is quite brief,
never lasting over an hour. The Rev.
John NJ Schick, pastor of the church,
preached the sermon. For his text he
took Matthew xxi 30: What is the
greatest commandment of the law?" Dr.
Schick said there was no greatest com
manGment, but Gods supreme desire was
for obedience as pressive of love and
not as subservience to law.
AT the conclusion of the service, when
the benediction had been pronounced, the
members of the congregation remained
standing in their pews while President
Roosevelt and his daughter passed down
the aisle and out of the door.
Outside the church on the lawn We're a
large number OF people whose salutations
the President smilingly returned as he
made his way to the street. Once reach
ing the sidewalk he fell into his chsrac-
ter1stic rapid stride, with which Ethel
Eturdily Kept pace. 1t takes the Presi-
dent only about eight minutes to cover
the distance from the church TO the
White House.
Mrs. Roosevelt is devout church
woman and when her husband was Civil
Service Commissioner and later when he
was Assistant Secretary Of the Navy she
was regular attendant at St Johns.
She did not, however, occupy at that
time the President S pew" Possibly she
never thought she would.
She walked across Lafayette Square
from the White Hounse with her son a
few minutes before II O'Clock. Many Of
the parishioners who were on their way
TO church recognized The first lady Of the
land, who was plainly dressed in black.
Kermit was as usual attired in knicker-
bockers.
Mrs. Roosevelt and Kermit were the
only occupants of the Presidents pew"
which was until a few days ago occupied
by Secretary Hitchcock. Formerly it was
kept vacant when there was no President
of the Episcopal faith in the White !
House, but owing to the scarcity Of pews !
in the church ii was allotted to Secretary |
Hitchcock, who. however. Immediately |
made application for another when he |
learned that Mrs. Roosevelt desired to at !
tend St Johns
The Rev. Alexander Mackay-Smith, rec |
tof or St Johns. is at present attending I
the triennial conference of the Episcopal 4
Church at San Francisco. In his absence /
the pulpit was occupied by his assistant /
the Rev. +. H. Bigelow.
II being the first Sunday of the month /
holy communion was celebrated. Kermit /
left at the conclusion Of the regular ser /
vice and returned to the White House. !
When Mrs. Roosevelt left the church I
some time later she walked to the White E,
House with several friends.