Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-03-06
BIBLE ON Which
OATH IS TAKEN
Inaugural Book is His.
tOriCal Volume
Of alton

Washington, ID. c., Feb 13.-That
the incoming President always takes
the oath of Office on a Bible and that
the Chief Justice of the United states
administers the oath is generally
known, but where the Bible comes
from Is fact concerning which the
public knows much less. The one who
is able to give more information on
this subject than any other Is James
II. Mckinney, Clerk of the Supreme
Court, who is the man who always has
the sacred book at the right place at
the right time, ami in whose hands.
strange to say, II always so opens that
the august parsonage who Is about to
pledge his fidelity to the Constitution |
aud the best interests Of the people |
Of the United States, finds his palm
resting upon some passage which Is |
nm augury Of good for all concerned. |
The purchase Of the boot . one Of !
the "perquisites" Of the clerk.
NO" said Mr. McKenney In re.
Spouse to question: mo, we do not
use our century old Bible for the
swearing in of Presidents, but It of.
ten happens that the Clerk supplies a
new book for the occasion. II Is the
intention that the man who takes the
oath of Office should have the volume
as keepsake, and II generally tran
spires that his family. IL not himself.
set much store by II. Not always.
however. nor even In a majority OF
cases, are we called upon to supply a
new book. for II frequently happens
that the President or some member
Of his family is the owner Of some
treasured volume of the Scriptures.
which II Is desired that he should use
upon this sacred and important occa.
sion.
This was the case when Mr.. Cleve.
land was inaugurated. He was the
owner of a small Bible. not longer
than your hand, and which apparently
had seen much usage. His mother had
presented II to him when he was q
boy, and he had treasured II ever
since. When he was consulted about
taking the oath, when first inaugu.
rated as President. he stated that he
desired his mothers present should
be used for this purpose. When the
oath was administered to him at the
beginning of his second administra.
ton, the same volume. which on this
occasion had been hunted out by Mrs.
Cleveland was again brought forward
and presented as the one upon which
her husband should make his pledges
Quite In contrast with this little
volume was the one used in admin
istering the oath to Mr. Mckinley.
The negro bishops joined together and
presented TO Mr.. Mckinley one OF the
biggest books have ever seen. II
was an extraordinary large family
Bible, bound In heavy morocco trim.
med in gold and stored in a much or.
namented box remember very well
that I was quite tagged ont from car.
rying II TO the Senate chamber and
from that chamber to the platform In
front of the Capitol. After the Bible
had been used for this purpose turn.
ed II over to the President, but. not
withstanding he had already received
II, the donors afterwards called at the
White House and presented II with
formal speeches, to which Mr.. McKin
ley made appropriate reply,
President Roosevelt was sworn IN
on a Rible which had been used fol
the same purpose when he was inau
gurated Governor OF New York. We
had bought Bible for his Inaugural
ton when we received word from Mrs
Roosevelt that she preferred the use
of their own volume, and 1t was nc
cording!y substituted.
I'VE still have on hand the Bibl,
bought for that occasion. but we shall
not use II for Mr.. Taft. Unless h
furnishes book himself we will &c
new one and will keep the Roost
welt Bible on hand for emergencle,
such for instance. as occurred whe
Arthur took oath OF Office in this cit,
He had been sworn in New York, bu
II was suddenly decided that II woul
be safer to again administer the oat
In Washington. Accordingly Chile
Justice Waite and about twenty othe
people of prominence were called yer
suddenly together in the Vice.Pres
dents room at the Capitol. had
send uptown for a book, and had br
few minutes in which to execute tn
commission. succeeded, however, |
getting the book in time for the Ger,
mony and was one of the few preser
when Mr.. Garheld's successor wa
Initiated into his high Office.
i I'VE now make II a point to hay
an available book on hand at all time
and will probably keep the Rooseve
Bible for that purpose"