Hmmmm.... Teddy Roosevelt once more on going to church

Appears T.R. after a term and a half, was quite a bit better theologian. The following is taken from "Theodore Roosevelt as I Knew Him" by Ferdinand Igelhart. Say's Teddy below: “After a week on perplexing problems and in heated contests it does so rest my soul to come into the house of the Lord and worship and to sing and mean it, the 'Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,' and to know that He is my Father, and takes me up into His life and plans, and to commune personally with Christ who died for me.” He still doesn't speak of the delivery of the forgiveness of sins (for which Bente took him to task), but he does mention Christ's death. T.R. attended "Grace Reformed Church" on 15th Street in D.C. (pictured).

Bully!

Matt H.

Having an important matter to take up with President Roosevelt, I went down to Washington Saturday afternoon, June the 9th, 1906. In communicating with Mr. Loeb, the President's able secretary, with reference to an appointment on Monday, I said to him:

"Will the President attend church Sunday morning?"

The secretary answered: "I presume so; he nearly always does. Let me see now, there may be doubt about his attending the service. He turned his ankle and the sprain is pretty severe; it may prevent his going to church. You know which one he attends, do you not? The Grace German Reformed Church on 15th and O Streets, N. W. If you have no appointment of your own to preach in the city, it might be well to worship at the President's church. If he should be able to get there I am sure he would be glad to see you.

"

I was on hand seasonably.

At three minutes to eleven an usher said: "He is always here by this time; he is not coming today." "Yes, he is, all the same," answered another. "There he comes yonder, and he is walking to beat the band."

Sure enough, there he was, the robust man in pepper and salt suit made in business fashion, wearing a stove-pipe hat, throwing his arms and pushing and pulling his wounded leg with a perceptible limp at a rapid gait.

Buttoning up my Sunday coat nicely, I said to myself, "I will fool him," and started down the street, keeping my eyes away from him, thinking I could get past him without recognition. But no, when I had gotten about twenty feet away from him, he cried out: "My dear Dr. Iglehart, what are you doing here in Washington? "Where are you going to preach? I am on my way to my church, but I will follow you anywhere to hear you preach." I said: "I do not preach anywhere this morning." "What brought you down?" "You," I answered. "I have come down on purpose to see you." "That was lovely in you to do that. I do not know any one in America I would rather see this day than you. Just turn around and go back with me to church and after the service we will walk back to the White House. Tomorrow I have appointments with admirals, generals, Congressmen, Senators, etc., and we will be to ourselves, and we will have a bully visit together."

On entering the church two surprises met me — first, the smallness of the audience room, having capacity for not more than five or six hundred; and second, the appearance of the congregation, having so few evidences of wealth or social pretense. The surprise in neither instance was a disappointment, for the audience room was new and neat and beautiful, and the congregation was of the common people with their intelligence and worth, the foundation of the best things in church and state.

The ritual service, which was almost as elaborate as that of the Episcopal Church, was participated in scrupulously by the President, who stood, sat and responded at the proper time. He joined heartily in the singing, which was led by a presenter and organist without a choir. He was the best listener I saw in the house. The weather was intensely hot, the mercury at ninety-five, and he kept a large palm leaf fan in his right hand going to the limit of its capacity every moment of the service. The pastor of the church, the Rev. Dr. Schenek, was not in his pulpit, and the secretary of the Missionary Society occupied his place and preached a most excellent sermon. It was children's day and the minister preached on "The Home." It was clear, discriminating, sound, timely, pungent and inspiring. Just as he was concluding his sermon the President put his hand into his trousers pocket as though he were fishing for change for the collection soon to follow. When the plate came to his pew he took out his pocketbook, apparently as full as it could hold, and dropped a bill upon it which I took to be five dollars.

After the benediction had been pronounced the audience remained standing till the President and the Secret Service men had left the house. No two- thousand-dollar carriage with spanking team nor five- thousand-dollar automobile awaited him at the door. These would have, been an annoyance to him there, so full of life he was and so fond of exercise.

I commenced to tell him something and he halted me and said : "Let me say something first and then you can go on with your story." He said: "The services this morning were enjoyable. The sermon was good, and I agreed with him in the points he made that the home is the chief foundation stone of the republic and the hope of the church. The 'Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty' is one of the grandest of hymns; that went off splendidly. After a week on perplexing problems and in heated contests it does so rest my soul to come into the house of the Lord and worship and to sing and mean it, the 'Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,' and to know that He is my Father, and takes me up into His life and plans, and to commune personally with Christ who died for me. I am sure I get a wisdom not my own and a superhuman strength in fighting the moral evils I am called to confront. The other two hymns, while full of good theology and tender sentiment, did not create as much warmth or enthusiasm. Lusty singing is a great help in church worship."

Then, pausing, he said: "Go on now with your story!"

"I will when you have answered a question I will ask you," I replied.

"What is it?" he inquired.

"It is this," I said. "Why did you select this little church with its plain people, so inconspicuous

and uninfluential comparatively?"

He answered me with not a little feeling: "When I first came to Washington I did not know

there was any Dutch Reformed church here, and went with my wife to the Episcopal church. But on becoming President I learned that there was a little obscure red brick building tucked away on the back of a lot, and I immediately selected that as my church. The fine new building has since been erected. I take sentimental satisfaction in worshiping in the church of my fathers.