Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-04-17
s'President's Church"
Term Is Held MYTH

To the Editor OF The Star:
Certain myths which are current In
the popular mind from time to time
reflect absence of historical research
on the part of the originators OF the
particular story.
Doubtless their frequent mention
might well be ignored If those fictions
did not occasionally find place IN
such conservative journals as Inc
Washington Star. To ignore such
printed statements implies recognition
of their truth; and in way OF correc-
ton perhaps some comment will be
of service in this present instance.
Among these myths" none is more
persistent than mention Of st. Johns
Episcopal Church as 1.-The church OF
the Presidents" This statement Is SO
far unfounded in fact as to SAVIOR OF
unconscious humor when submitted to
the test of reference to known facts
concerning the religious Affiliations OF
our Presidents since the inauguration
of President Washington in 1889.
OF course, in the absence OF an
established church, such as exists IN
England and in certain continental
countries Of Europe. adoption of the
title, The Presidents Church" would
be unwarranted. even though all in
cumbents OF the White House had
Worshiped within the same sacred
edifice: but waving that legaliSm as
an objection to the term itself, the
facts are plainly against any superior
claim on the part OF any form OF
Christian worship. OF the 80 Presi-
dents who have held office since the
inception Of the Republic nine have
been communicates of the Episcopal
Church, whereas religious allegiance
has united other Presidents to the
Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and
Unitarian denominations.
A silver marker within the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church in
dictates the pew which was occupied
by Lincoln-our martyred President.
Membership in the Episcopal
Church was confined mostly to Pres
idents who flouriShed in the first 60
years of our national life. After the
term of President Pierce. 1850-53,
there was no other Episcopalian in
cumbent of the Office of Chief Mag
istrate until the Inauguration Of
Chester A. Arthur, october S, 1881.
President Arthur was a worshiper at
st. Johns. Various denominations
received the allegiance of our PreSi-
dents in the interval between 1881
and 1898. when Franklin D. Roose-
welt occupied pews reserved for pres
idential use at st. Thomas Church.
In passing it may be mentioned
such occupancy occurred in natural
sequence, following the choice of st.
Thomas as the family place of wor-
ship during the eight years of Mr..
RooseveltS prior service as Assistant
Secretary Of Navy during the term
of President Wilson. With the added
connection a period Of membership
upon the vestry implies.
Statement of the fact Of present.
time attendance does not in any
measure warrant the assumption that
st. Thomas is the official church be-
cause it is adopted by the White
House incumbents as their church
home: non constat future presidential
church homes may not occur where
spiritual comforts are administered
according to other forms of Chris
tan worship. I am convinced neither
the rector. Rev. c. Ernest Smith,
D. D.. D. c. L., nor the vestry would
presume to arrogate for ST. Thomas
such a title as The Church Of the
Presidents" because Of the fact of
the present occupancy of the White
House pewS.
However, the sense Of humor per-
sists. and one is driven to wonder
in what quarter and in what form
the next popular myth" will appear.
RICHARD S. HARVEY.