The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-12-16
WOODROW WILSON
MAY OCCUPY PEW
USED BY LINCOLN
Presbyterian Church on New York
Avenue, Washington, Probably Will
Be Attened by Next Executive.

the announcement, a fortnight ago,
that President-elect Wilson and his
family will in all likelihood attend
either the Presbyterian church of the
Covenant or the New York avenue
Presbyterian church, little else has
been discussed in church circles here,
where the particular church to be
honored for four years of the chief
executive of the nation is always a
matter of interest
Mr. Wilson is the so nof Pres
byterian clergyman, and an elder in
the Presbyterian church of Princeton,
N. J.
1t is believed here that there IS
scarcely doubt that Mr.. Wilson will
settle on the New York avenue house
of worship. This is because of its
nearness to the White House, its re-
marl1able history as the church OF
the presidents" as it is known, and
because of the fact that the Rev. DR..
Wallace Radcliffe its pastor for sew
enteen years, is so intimately wound
up in national and Presbyterian life.
If Mr.. Wilson does attend this church
in all probability he will occupy the
Lincoln pew" used by President Lin
coin during his whole life of illustrious
statesmen and foreign visitors since.
The pew is on the right hand side
of the middle aisle, about six seats
from the pulpit. On its end is a small
tablet of silver reading, Abraham
Lincoln, 1S6l-1S65" At present Mrs.
Radcliffe occupies it.
At the one hundredth anniversary of
the church of the presidents, which
was celebrated nine years ago, Mr..
Roosevelt, then president, sat in this
pew and later made an address stand
ing in it, in which he said in part
"a man would be poor citizen of
this country if he could sit in Abra-
ham Lincoln's pew and not feel the
solemn sense of the associations borne
in upon him, and | wish to thank the
people of this church for that rever-
ence for this historic past, for the
sense of historic continuity which has
made them keep this pew unchanged.
| hope it will remain unchanged in
this church so long as our country
endures. This evening sit in this
pew of Abraham Lincoln, together
with Abraham Lincoln's private secre-
tary, who, for my good fortune, now
serves as secretary of the state in my
cabinet"
National Tone to Services.
There is national tone to every
service held in the old-fashioned,
steepleess, red brick edilice, only two
and one-half blocks from the White
House, which has bee nthe place of
worship of more presidents than any
other church here.
DIR. Radcliffe prays for President
William Howard Taft by name also
the senate, congress and other public
officials, that they will give us right
eous legislation" The church has its
own special hymn, which is sung every
Sunday morning. This is the Russian
natioaal anthem adapted to the words,
Give Peace in Our Time, o Lord.
DIR. Radcliffe, while he does not
preach partisan politics, never hest
tates to speak out on any question
wherein he thinks a moral issue is IL
yolyed In his centennial sermon he
said. In the large and comprenen-
sive sense, politics must be preached;
and large duties of citizenship, the
absolute obligation of patriotism, es-
pecially in times of necessity and peril,
must be preached in the faithful mes
sage of Christ"
Dr. Radcliffe has been the close
friend of both the occupants of the
White IIouse since he has been in
washington and so close is he 10
president Taft that the present chief
executive invites him over to his pri-
vate Office for a consultation on any
government matter which affects the
churches or foreign missions. Mr.
Taft calls DR.. Radcliffe Our John
Knox" When the two men are to-
gether, as is often the case, Mr. Taft
inyariablx wraps his arm about Mr.
Radcliffe. NJ
One of theAcsosest friends DR.. Rad
cliffe ever had Nas the late Justice
John NJ. Harlan. who during all the
years he was in Washington was an
elder in the Lincoln Church and the
teacher of a large Bible class. Sen
ofor Frva and Senator Ell<inS were