Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-16
PRESIDENTS CHURCHES
Episcopal Hcnds List with Eight md
Presbyterian mud Unitarian Follow,


If Warren G., Harding is elected over
James NJ Coz In November he will be
tho first member of the Baptist Church
to become President Of the Uaited
states
IF james NJ. Cox receives a plurality in
tho Electoral College he VIII be the ninth
Episcopaliar to become President.
In letter to The Boston Traveller
James G. Duncan OF Clinton. Mass, calls
attention to the fact that no matter how
tie November elections result the Episco-
palians will continue to have d plurality
in the Electoral College. Eight Episco-
palians have been President. as against
six Initarians. six Presbyterians, four
Methodicts two Reformed formerly
known as tho Dutch Reformed) and one
member of the Disciples of Christ
Washington was an Episcopalian and
John Adams was a Unitarian, Jefferson
is vaguely classified as a liberal" Fol-
! owing jefferson cane two Episcopalians.
Madison and Monroe; then John Quincy
Adams, a Unitarian. and after him the
first of the six Presbyterians. Jackson
In order there followed Van Buren,. Re-
formed; William Henry Harrison and Ty-
Ter. Episcopalans: Polk. Presbyterian:
Taylor, Episcopalians; Fillmore. Unltari-
an; Pierce. Episcopalian. and Buchanan,
Presbyterian.
Lincoln Is assigned by some statisti-
clans. Mr. Duncan points out. to the
, Presbyterians because he occasionally at
tended their church. although he was
not member. He quotes from Francis
Carpenters "Six Months at the White
House With Abraham Lincoln with ref
erence to the religious belief of the great
war president. MIR. Carpenter says: THE
conversation turned upon religious sub
| jects, and Mr.. Lincoln made this impress
sive remark: j have never united myself
to any church. because I have found diff
Guilty in giving my assent, without mem
tai reservation, to the long, complicated
statements of Christian doctrine which
characterize their Articles of Belief and
Confessions of Faith. When any church
will inscribe over It's altar. as its sole
! qualification for membership, the Saw
ior's condensed statement of both law and
gospel. Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart and with all thy
soul and with all thy mind. and thy
ncig hbor as myself" that church will
| Join with all my heart and all my
/ soul "
Andrew Jackson is included among the
Methodsts, apparently being among
those who are now described as "having
their religion in their wives names. "
| Grant and Hayes We're MethOdists and
the martyred Garfield member of the
Disciples of Christ Arthur was an Epis-
copalan. the latest of long line. The
Presbyterians then had Cleveland Ben
jamin Harrison and Cleveland again
Mckinley was n Methodist.
Then came Roosevelt, the second of the
Reformed Presidents, who was, how
ever. tower of strength to the Episco
,i,h hi
funeral service was held before he was
laid away in the cemetery overlooking
Long Island Sound. Taft is a Unitarian
after not inconsiderabe contac
with many religions Mr.. Taft has said
I do not find my views changed as t.
the profound importance Of maintaining
the Christian religion as an Indispensable
element in the progress of civilization Il
better and higher ideals and OF the per
sistcnt upholding OF liberality in Chris
tiar religious thought means o
stimulating and elevatng the lives o
those whose faith In a strictly orthodox
faith has failed and who, but for tn
broader religious outlook, might drift
with indifference and lose the inspira
; ton of religion which all men need"
, Mr.. Taft Is always ready to encourag
any church that is making substantial
contribution to the religious life OF tn
> country. He has endorsed the work o
the Young Mems Christian Association
on innumerable occasions, and within
= year statement from him was use
: with tangible results by the committe
e in charge of a forward movement in tn
. Episcopal Church.
4 Mr.. Roosevelt emphasized religion
. funda mentals. The story Of this CONVEX
sation with the newspaper correspond
= ent who insisted that he could worshl
as reverently under a tree with ciga
and n book. or in the fields or on tn
| hills with his dog. Is typical
7 Doubtless you can, my friend but n
Il one would ever suspect you of It," h
= snapped.
k President Wilson Is Presbyterian.