The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-12-20
WOODROW WILSON
MAY OCCUPY PEW
USED BY LINCOLN
Presbyterian Church on New York
Avenue, Washington, Probably Will
Be Attened by Next Executive.

Washington, D. C., Dec 15.-Since
the announcement. "A fortnight ago,
that Presidentelect 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,
M.
It is believed here that there IS
scarcely a doubt that Mr.. Wilson will
settle on the New York avenue house
OF worship. This is because of it's
nearness to the White House, its re-
markable 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, 1S61-1S65." 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 On 1t, In which he said in part:
"a man would be a poor citizen of
this country if he could sit in Abra-
ham Lincolns pew and not feel the
solemn sense of the associations borne
il. upon him, and | wish TO thank the
people of this church for that reger-
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 Lincolns private seere-
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
steepleless, red brick edifice, 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.
nr, 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
national anthem adapted to the words
Give Peace In Our Time, 0 Lord
DIR. Radcliffe, while he does not
preach partisan politics. never hesi
tates to speak out on any question
wherein he thinks moral Issue is IL
volyed In his centennial sermon he
said: IN the large and comprenon
sive sense. politics must be preached
and large duties OF citizenship, the
absolute obligations of patriotism. cs
peclally 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 House since he has been in
Washington and so close is he o
President Taft that the present chief
executive invites him over TO his pri-
Nate Office for a consultation ON any
government matter which affects the
churches or foreign missions Mr.
Taft calls Or Radcliffe Our John
Knox" When the two men are to-
sether, as is often the case, Mr. Taft
invariably wraps his arm about Mr..
Radcliffe
One of the closest friends Or Rad
cliffe ever had was 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
ator Frye and Senator Elkins were
Il -. i