The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-26
INAUGURALS or PRESIDENTS
Every Address Except One Contains
Reference to a Higher Power.

A Supreme Being has been ac-
knowledged and his aid invoked in
every presidential inauguration, save
one, from Washington to Wilson. The
exception was in the second inaugural
of Washington, which contains not
even reference to a Higher Power.
"God" and almighty Cod are not
as frequent in the inaugurals as other
divine applications The invocation
for supreme guidance occurs most fire.
quently in the termination of the adj
dress. President Wilson almost paral-
leIed Garfield in this respect, the last
words of Garfield'S inaugural being
Almighty God"
Some of the presidents fastened to
acknowledge their dependence upon
Providence at the start. Mckinley
invoked the guidance of Almighty
Cod in the first paragraph of his in
augural and closed with petition to
the Lord Most High which no for
mer president had used on a similar
occasion.
In his first inaugural Washington
was nearly verbose in his acknowledge
ment. Almighty Being" Great
Author" and Smiles of Heaven" APP
pear in the same paragraph. and
"Providence" and 1.-The Divine Parent
of the human race were devoutedly
supplicated to favor the American
people," Maybe because of his fire.
quent overtures for help from on high
in his first, the Father of His Country
thought it unnecessary to go over the
same ground in his second inaugural.
John Adams, in the beginning of his
inaugural, acknowledged an over
ruling Providence" and in the close
mentioned the Being Supreme over
ALL" the Patron of Order" the
Fountain of Justice" and the PRO
tector of Virtuous Liberty"
Thomas Jefferson called upon that
Infinite Power in the last section of
his inaugural and duplicated that
Being" in his second address. And in
the second he also mentioned the
Creator and made fervent refer
ence to Christian religion.
James Madison acknowledged the
almighty Being in the close OF his
first and the Smiles of Heaven" in
his second inaugural. In the latter he
quoted Washington.
James Monroe, in the beginning of
his, acknowledged that the Almighty
had been graciously pleased" etc, and
also spoke of the Supreme Author"
and almighty God"
John Quincy Adams admitted being
in the presence of Heaven" in the
first part of his address, and in closing
repeated an admonition from David,
"If the Lord keepeth not the city the
Waterman waketh in vain" This was
the first and it is the only direct quo
tation from the Psalmist in any in
augural.
Andrew Jackson in his first invoked
that Power" and in closing asked
HIS QlVlne care anu DeIGOlCLlOH. LII
his second he made a ''most fervent
prayer to that Almighty Being"
Martin Van Buren, in the beginning
of his inaugural hoped for that sus-
tanning support of an ever watchful
and beneficent Power" and in closing
Cooked to that Divine Being"
William Henry Harrison in his 5000
words made two references to the
.sHieher Power" "Beneficent Creator"
and that Good Being"
John Tyler, who succeeded Harrison
a few weeks later, printed his inaug-
uraI in the newspapers. He looked to
an alI-wise and all-powerful Being
who made me- and trusted to the
and overruling Provi-
dence."
James K. Polk invoked the CAL
mighty Ruler of the Universe" and
the Divine Being"
Zachary Taylor in the last words of
his inaugural relied on divine Provi-
dence."
Willard Fillmore, who followed Tay-
Tor a little later, made a brief inaugu-
raj in which he mentioned Him who
holds US in His hands"
Franklin Pierce put his dependence
upon Cod and asked the blessings of
Divine Providence"
James Buchanan asked for the aid
of 1.-The God of our forefathers' twice
in the same address.
Lincoln in his first inaugural ac-