Evening star., 1953-01-19
Sermons in D. c. Area Voice
Confidence in New President

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Faith in our country's future
and confidence in President
elect Eisenhower's leadership
keynoted pre-inaugural sermons
yesterday at Washington area
churches.
District and nearby Virginia
and Maryland ministers and
priests spoke to crowded houses
of worship as Inauguration week
| end visitors augmented local
residents at services and masses.
Sullen skies and a penetrating
chill kept to a minimum holiday
dress among churchgoers. But
here and there a bright hat. an
attractive coat or colorful
flower reminded onlookers that
this was pre-inaugural Sunday
Truman Is Praised.
Amid the numerous sermons
expressing goodwill and God
speed to Gen. Eisenhower in the
Office he will assume Tuesday
were several paying tribute to
President Truman.
DR.. Edward Hughes Pruden,
pastor of First Baptist Church,
where Mr. Truman often wor-
SHIPPED, said "even as we hail
our new President we would ex-
press words of appreciation to
the one who has served our
Nation with such sincerity and
devotion for the past eight years.
These years of his occupancy
OF the White House have been
perhaps the most frightful and
momentous in all of history.
None of us will ever know of
the many dark valleys through
which he - has had to pass.
While I have not always agreed
with his policies, I have never
doubted his sincerity nor his de-
sire to serve his country faith
fully and well. He deserves our
gratitude for his services in the
past, and our prayers for his
future usefulness to the Nation
to which he has given so much
of himself"
Prevented Third War.
President Truman was cred
tied with preventing a third
world war in the sermon of the
Rev. Thomas Daniels, pastor If
Saints Constantine and Helen
Greek Orthodox Church.
"The historian of the future
will uncover in the official docu-
ments of the White House the
great work of President Tru-
man." the Greek Orthodox pas
tor declared.
Excerpts from sermons by
Washington area ministers yes
terday follow:
DIR. Frederick Brown Harris,
pastor of Foundry Methodist
Church-"The swearing in of a
new Chief Executive has vast
significance. New personalities,
new policies, new political phil
osophies displace the old in this
national changing of the guard.
The man inducted into office is
the symbol of all men every
where of the democratic creed
which is now in a life and death
grapple with the powers of
darkness who seek to rule by
mental and physical chains and
who deny and degrade the dig
nifty of the individual.
"The fact that the morning
of Inauguration day will find
our President-to-be at the altar
of church will suggest no mere
pious gesture. 1t is a good omen
Of Gen. Eisenhower's reliance on
God as a present help in the
practical affairs of the Govern
ment."
DIR. George M. DOcherty, min
lister of New York Avenue Pres
byterian Church-"The inaugu-
ration ceremony is the answer to
those who wish to know what is
democracy. Here are President
and people, Congress and COM
munity, governors and the gov
erned met together in one place
at one time fulfilling the will of
the people >. This is democracy
on the march. Enshrined in the
ceremonies will be the confidence
and pride of a great people for
its past. and the hopes and fears
of the free world of the future.
Three million square miles of
American land becomes suddenly
encompassed within the ten
square miles of the District of
Columbia.
"On the eve of this second
Second Front" he is about to
launch. the President-elect will
! lay his hand upon the Bible to
take the oath of his Office. It
will not merely be great man
humbly promising to take the
oath of his Office. The Bible
which is the Word of God, will
give strength to his right arm
and power to his mind and heart.
"This day is also an Inaugural
tion of the people one and
all must regard the day as a
new Inauguration for them into
the responsibilities of citizenship,
a new conservation of their tai
entS towards the community, a
new realization of their place in
the affairs of men"
The Rt. Rev. John X. Cart
wright, rector of st. Matthew's
Catholic Cathedral-"The day of
inauguration is preceded by this
day of prayer. We pray for
many things that will be needed
by this incoming Government
! and by our people whose will the
Government expresses. We pray
for strength, patience, courage.
which citizens and Government
must have at this solemn hour of
of the trial of the nations.
But most of all we pray for
wisdom not to be beguiled. The