Evening star., 1932-03-13
Capital Sidelights

letter In 1892 regarding the attitude
of George Washington toward religious
beliefs, written by the venerable Bishon
White of Philadelphia, who was per-
sonally acquainted with Washington
during his presidency.
The Rev. B. c. G. Parker, to whom
the historic letter was addressed waS
rector at the time of Trinity Church
Lenox, Mass. The letter in full is as
follows:
philadelphia,
"28th November. 1892.
Dear Sir: have received yo,,r
letter Of the goth instant. and will
furnish you with what information 7
possess on the subject of it.
THE Father of Our Country. as well
during the Revolutionary War as in his
presidency, attended divine service in
Christ Church in this city, except dur
ing one Winter, when being here for
the taking of measures with Congress
toward the opening of the next cam
paign he rented a houSe near to ST
Peters Church, then in parochial union
with Christ Church. During that sea :
son he attended regularly at st. Peters.
His behavior was always serious and
dGISilt'S' bOI 40 youI leJIeE seems to
intend an inquiry on the point of
kneeling during the service I owe it
to the truth to declare that never
saw him in said attitude. During his
presidency our vestry provided him
with a pew not 10 yards in front of Of
the desk. It was habitually occupied
by himself, by Mrs. Washington. who
was regularly communicate, and by
his secretaries.
Although I was often in company
with this great man. and had the
honour Of dining often at his table. l
never heard anything from him which
could manifest his opinions on the
subject of religion.
i knew no man who so carefully
guarded against the discoursing of him
self, or OF his acts, or Of ANYTHING that
pertained to himself, and it has oc-
casionally occurred to me when in his
company, that If a stranger to his
person were present, he would never
have known from anything said by
the President that he was conscious
Of having distinguished himself in the
eye OF the world. His ordinary
behavior, although unexceptionally
courteous was not such as to encourage
obtruSion on what he had on his mind.
Within few days of his leaving the
presidential chair our vestry waited on
him with an address, prepared and de-
livered by me. In his answer he was
pleased to express himself gratifled by
what he had heard from our pulpit,
but there was nothing that committed
him relatively to religious theory.
Within day or two Of the above there
was another address by many ministers
Of different persuasions being prepared
by DR.. Green and delivered by me. 1t
has been a subject Of opposite state
ments. owing to a passage in the post
humous works Of Mr. jefferson He says
giving DR.. Rush for his author, who Is
said to have 1t from DR.. Green) that
the said address was intended to elicit
the opinion of the President on the
subject of the Christian religion. DR..
Green has denied this in his periodical
work, called The Christian Advocate,
and his statement is correct. DR.. Rush
may have misunderstood DR.. Green, or
the former may have been misunder-
stood by Mr.. Jefferson, or the whole
may have originated with some indi-
vidual of the assembled ministers who
mistook his own conceptions for the
sense of the body. The said two docu-
ments are In the Philadelphia news
papers Of the time.
"On a Thanksgiving day, appointed
by the President for the suppression of
the Western insurrection, preached in
his presence. The subject was The
Connection Between Religion and Civil
Happiness
1T was misrepresented in one of our
newspapers. This induced the publish
ing Of the sermon, with a dedication to
the President, pointedly pleading his
proclamation in favour of the connexion
affirmed. 1t did not appear that he
dtsallowed the use made of his name
Although, In my estimation. entire sep
aration between Christianity and civil
government would be a REIMBURSEMENT
of religion in the abstract, yet that thi:
was the sentiment Of the President
which may have been, have no light
| positively to infer.
There do not occur to me any Other
| particulars meeting your inquiry, con.
| fined to my knowledge. Accordingly
conclude with writing myself, very re.
| spectfully, your humble servant,
WILLIAM WHITE"
The biographer, to whom we are in
| debted for the preservation of tn,
above letter. adds: The situation IL
which Washington stood, while Presi,
dent of the United States, made it nee.
eSsary that he should use much cir.
cumspection in whatever came from
him touching theological subjects. HI
received addresses from many Chris.
tian congregations .. including nearly
every denomination in the country.
In his replies it would have been EQUALLY
diScourteous and impolitic to employ
language indicating preference for the
peculiar tenets or forms of any par.
ticular church He took wiser course,
the only one, indeed, which with pro
priety could be taken. He approved the
general objects, and commended this
zeal, of all the religious congregation,
or societies by which he was addressed
spoke Of their beneficial effects in pro.
noting the welfare of mankind de.
clared his cordial wishes for their sue
prayers for the future happiness of the e
individuals belonging to them. both In in
this world and in the world to come
All answers of this kind breathe .
Christian spirit