Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-27
INAUGURATION BIBLE
Book Used in Swearing in
the President.
THE VERSES KISSED
SELECTION MADE IN GENERAL
GRANTS CASE.
Sanitary Precautions of the Japanese
in War-Few Cases of Typhoid
Miscellaneous Notes.
Nv WILLIAM E. CURTIS.


Record Herald
The oath of office taken by the incoming
President of the United States is the short
est and the simplest required OF any ruief
on earth 1t is prescribed by the Constltu-
ton and is as follows:
II do solemnly swear Cor affirm) that
will faithfully execute the office OF Presi-
dent of the United States, and, to the best
of my ability, protect. preserve and defend
the Constitution of the United States
This oath is slowly repeated by the Presi-
dent-elect after the chief justice of the
Supreme Court, in the presence of the pup
lie. upon platform erected in front OF the
main door on the eastern side of the Capt.
toll After the President has taken the oath
he delivers his inaugural address While
the oath Is being repeated the President
elect and the chief justice face each other
and hold with their right hands, between
them, Bible, furnished by some person
interested or especially procured 1or the
occasion, which becomes the property OF
the President after it has been appropriate
ly inscribed and sealed by the chief clerk
of the Supreme Court. President Cleve-
land, at both inaugurations. took the oath
upon a little red pocket Bible which was
given him by his mother when he left home
as boy President Harrison used a Bible
that had been presented to him by Sun
day school class in Indianapolis.
At the close of the oath the President
elect bows his head and kisses the open
page of the book and 1t has been custom
airy for him or for his wife or a friend to
select some appropriate passage at which
the book shall be opened and the verse upon
which he shall press his lips. Sometimes
when those interested forget or neglect to
choose passage the Bible is opened at
random, but the clerk of the Supreme
Court is always careful to note and mark
the exact place where the lips touched the
page.
The verse that General Grant kissed at
his second Inauguration is found in the
eleventh chapter of Isaiah, and reads as
follows:
and the spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon us; the spirit of wisdom and under
standing; the spirit of counsel and might;
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the
Lord: and shall make him of quick under
standing in the fear of the Lord
1t is understood that Rev. DR.. Newman,
at that time pastor of the Metropolitan
Methodist Church of Washington, furnished
the Bible for that occasion and marked the
passage he wanted General Grant to kiss
Hayes Sworn in Twice.
President Hayes was sworn in twice. You
will remember that there was a great deal
of political feeling growing out of a doubt
of his election, and at one time it was
feared lest some hot-headed democrats
might try to prevent his Inauguration. To
compicate matters, the 4th of March fell
On Sunday, and as precaution at noon of
that day the oath was administered to Mr.
Hayes by Chief Justice Waite in the blue
parlor of the White House. General Grant
his cabinet. General Sherman, several Of
the justices of the Supreme Court, the
Hayes family and several others were pres
ent. Rev. DR.. Newman offered a prayer
but there was no other ceremony, and an
a To n W Ia RI he O.
cret. The same Bible was used during the
ceremonies at the Capitol on the following
day and Mrs. Hayes selected the twenty
third Psalm for her husband to kiss.
President Garfield did not select any pas
sage so far as has been known. President
Cleveland made no selection and the pas
sages he kissed at both inaugurations are
unknown. President Mckinley in 1897 HIM
self selected very appropriate passage,
which reads:
Give me new wisdom and knowledge
that may go out and come in before this
people, for who can judge this, thy people,
which is great
1t may also be noticed that twice in his
first inaugural address-at the beginning
and the end-President Mckinley acknowl-
edged divine sovereignty and invoked the
guidance of divine power.
At his second inauguration Mr.. McKen-
ney of the Supreme Court purchased a new
Bible, opened it at random and offered It
to the chief justice, who did not turn a
page. After the book had been kissed the
chief justice handed 1t to Mr. Mckenney.
who placed his finger nearly as possible
upon the spot which the Presidents lips
had touched. 1t was an entirely accidental
but very appropriate passage-the TWEEN
tieth and twenty-first verses of the six
teenth chapter of Proverbs, which read as
follows:
80. He that lambeth a matter wisely
shall find good and he who so trusteth in
the Lord. happy is he.
'21. The wise in heart Shall be called
prudent, and the sweetness of lips increas-
eth learning"