Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe... were all Episcopalians from Virginia. They had to be because the Church of England and then the Anglican church was the state church of Virginia. It was supported by taxes and membership in this denomination was required for any man who sought influence and public office in the state. They were all part of the southern aristocracy and each one of them was a slaveowner. In addition, they were well-educated men who were much more comfortable with reason than they were with emotion. Thus, with the exception of Jefferson, they kept their religious views to themselves and when they spoke of God, they usually spoke in general terms, using words like "Creator" and "Sovereign" instead of "Lord and Savior." If any of them had a personal conversion experience in which they confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their own Lord and Savior, I am not aware of it. Still, they were baptized church-goers who believed that the country was stronger and more civil because it was anchored in Christianity. John Adams and his son, John Quincy, were both Congregationalists from Massachusetts, although the elder Adams was unable to embrace the church's Trinitarian doctrine or the divinity of Christ. John Quincy, staid and proper as a man could be, was the first President to speak publicly about salvation in Christ and his commitment to God's word could not be questioned. Andrew Jackson was the second President to claim that he was saved by "the merits and the blood of Jesus Christ" following an agonizing and soul-searching night in which we was forgiven and reborn. Our first seven Presidents were "Christians" in different ways and to differing degrees, including Jefferson who claimed that he was Christian "in the only sense that Jesus ever wanted anyone to be."
Most people know of our first seven Presidents. They can recite their names, but as the country dealt with territorial expansion and more particularly, with slavery, it became increasingly difficult to form a consensus around any one man. Thus, we had a string of largely forgotten Presidents between Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln. They include Martin Van Buren (the first President to be born in the United States), William Henry Harrison (who served for only 31 days), John Tyler, James Polk (who was the first President under 50 years of age when elected), Zachary Taylor (who, like Harrison, died in office), Millard Filmore (the last member of the Whig party to be President), "handsome" Franklin Pierce (who died on cirrhosis of the liver), and James Buchanan ( who was a life-long bachelor).
In chronological order, historians have made these observations about the religious faith these men practiced (or failed to practice). 1) Martin Van Buren was baptized and buried in the Dutch Reformed Church of Kinderhook, New York. As a former member of this denomination, I have a soft spot in my heart for Van Buren, but it is a fact that he attended this church (and the Episcopal church in D.C) throughout his life. As an anecdote, history notes that Van Buren's voice "could be heard above the entire congregation in song." During his last illness, Van Buren said, "The atonement of Jesus Christ is the only remedy and rest for my soul;" 2) William H. Harrison succeeded Van Buren. He was yet another Anglican from Virginia and the last President born under English rule. There is little evidence that Harrison's life was based on faith, but he did buy a Bible after he was inaugurated, and according to the pastor of St. John's Episcopal Church, "Had he (Harrison) lived, he intended on the next Sabbath to become a communicant at the Lord's table;" 3) John Tyler succeeded Harrison and he was raised in the same Virginia county as Harrison. Thus, he was also an (inactive) Episcopalian who never abandoned his support for slavery. In fact, when he died. President Lincoln did not recognize his passing because Tyler was considered to be a traitor. Instead, his funeral was arranged by Jefferson Davis. Although one of Tyler's friends noted that "he was a firm believer in the atonement of the Son of God and in the efficacy of his blood...", no pastor visited his home for last rites; 4) James Knox Polk attended the Presbyterian Church throughout his life, but he never joined the church or gave religion much thought for that matter. Indeed, he was never baptized, but he did have a spiritual moment at a Methodist camp when he was a younger man. The experience left a permanent impression of Polk and he called the same pastor/evangelist, John B. McFerrin, to his bedside when he was dying. McFerrin baptized Polk and later said that the President embraced Jesus Christ as his personal Savior; 5) Zachary Taylor was a self-taught man whose writing skills were "near illiterate." He gained wealth when his family moved from Virginia to Kentucky by acquiring cheap land and slaves. Later, he parlayed his contacts through marriage and business into great wealth, acquiring more than 200 slaves... and he parlayed his reputation as a war hero into the White House. Like other Virginians, Taylor was an Episcopalian; 6) Millard Fillmore seldom referred to God in his writings and never in a personal sense. He fought to eliminate the oath which witnesses took in court, and he noted, "God knows I detest slavery and consider it an existing evil for which I am not responsible"... However, we must give it the protection guaranteed by the constitution. Fillmore, a Methodist turned Unitarian, sympathized with what he called "liberal Christianity;" 7) Franklin Pierce was a charming, outgoing and handsome man who married a teetotaler named Jane. She despised his heavy drinking and resisted his political ambitions at every turn. All four of their children died as children and their son, Ben, died in a train crash before their eyes. Jane was a devout Christian and on the second anniversary of her death, Pierce was baptized as a member of the Episcopalian church, which he chose because it was not as "political" as the Congregational church. Notwithstanding his commitment to church, Pierce died of cirrhosis from heavy drinking; 8) James Buchanan was a life-long bachelor who was born to a deist father and a strong Presbyterian mother. He wanted to join the Presbyterian church for years, but between his hesitation over their anti-slavery stance and their unwillingness to accept him, he wasn't able to join the church until Sept. 23, 1865. He liked the order of the Presbyterian worship experience, noting that his "old Presbyterian notions prevented him the theatrical entertainment" of some other churches.
Well. there you have it- the eight men who occupied the White House between Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln. They served in trying times to say the least and they found it impossible to appease both the pro-slavery and anti-slavery sides that were readying for war. They were, as a lot, flawed Christians and I will leave it to you to decide whether one or more of them were Christian in name only.
PK IN SWEDEN
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
WAS JOHN QUINCY ADAMS A CHRISTIAN? HOW ABOUT ANDREW JACKSON?
Our 6th President, John Quincy Adams, and our 7th President, Andrew Jackson, could not have had more dissimilar.
Adams was the son of our 2nd President and his wife, Abigail- both of whom were strict, disciplined Congregationalists in most ways. John Quincy's life at home, then, was lived in the shadow of his reserved father and his rather controlling mother. Adams was an intelligent man who spoke fluent French, Dutch, Latin, and Greek. He was a diplomat for George Washington and Secretary of State for James Monroe. After his one-term as President, he served as a U.S. Congressman for 17 years, where he championed the anti-slavery cause and personally brought down the so-called "gag rule" which Congress had at the time concerning the issue of slavery. In fact, Adams became known as the "Hell-Hound of Slavery" and he defended 53 Africans accused of mutiny aboard the slave ship "Armisted." John Quincy Adams had "involuntary and agonizing doubts, which he could neither silence nor expel," but in the face of his doubts, he practiced his faith throughout his life, attending two worship services on the day he died. Adams and his wife, Louisa Johnson, joined the United First Parish Church of Quincy, and they shared a pew with his father and mother. In fact, all four of them are buried beneath this church, which began as a Puritan Congregational church and drifted more and more toward Unitarianism as the years passed. Adams read 2-5 chapters of the Bible, in its original languages, every day and he frequently attended two worship services on Sunday. Adams was vocal about his faith and he kept a personal dairy from 1779-1848. Thus, we know a lot about the faith that John Quincy Adams proclaimed. His dairy is filled with his distaste for "liberal" Unitarianism and "intolerant" Fundamentalism, both of which missed the mark in Adams' view, and the record shows that he offered these opinions over the years:
1. "My hopes of future life are founded in the Gospel of Christ and I cannot quibble away the assertions- by Himself and his disciples- that he was God."
2. "The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth."
3. "For I believe there is a God who heareth prayer and (that) honest prayers to Him will not be in vain."
4. "I have... been a sincere believer in the Supreme Creator of the World... and of the divine mission of the crucified Savior, proclaiming immortal life and preaching peace on earth..."
5. In a letter to his son, dated 12/24/1814, he wrote, "You ask me what Bible I take as a standard- the Hebrew, the Samaritan, the Old English, or what? The Bible with the Sermon on the Mount- the New Testament- read in Greek, Latin,... or Luther's German- I take as my standard."
Andrew Jackson, in contrast to Adams, was born to a family which was neither rich nor famous. His parents were Scottish immigrants and his father died three weeks before he was born. Two of his brothers died in the Revolutionary War and Jackson was taken prisoner by the British. He almost died
himself ... and his mother did die, while nursing prisoners-of-war back to health. In short, Jackson grew up tough and poor ... and throughout his life, he felt that the British had personally killed the member of his family. Unlike Adams, there is no record of Jackson being a regular church attendee and we know that he didn't join a church until 1838, when he became a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Nashville. Jackson credited the "hand of Providence" for giving him victory in the Battle of New Orleans and he noted that he has always been a "rigid Presbyterian" like his father was, but there is little evidence that he gave a faith journey much thought until he walked into a revival meeting in Nashville in October, 1818. According to the story, the evangelist said that Jackson was in need of salvation just like every other man, which embarrassed another minister in attendance who felt that Jackson had been offended. However, Jackson praised the evangelist whose name was Cartwright, noting that every "minister of Jesus Christ ought to love every one and fear no mortal man.
As he aged, Jackson gave matters of faith greater attention and he never got over his intense grief over his wife's death. He pondered life and death... and perhaps the words that he had heard about trusting Jesus Christ at the revival he attended. The night finally came when he walked in his chamber in anguish and prayer. He did business with God that night, and when morning came, he announced his full conviction of sins, his confession, and the forgiveness he had received through "the blood of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." Immediately, he instituted family prayer time and he was pleased to read through the Bible twice before he died.
1. In May 29, 1845, Jackson said, "Sir, I am in the hands of a merciful God. I have full confidence in his goodness and mercy. The Bible is true- upon that sacred volume I rest my hope for eternal salvation, through the merits and blood of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
2. On his dying day, June 8, 1845, Jackson said, "My dear children, do not grieve for me. It is true. I am going to leave you now. I have suffered much bodily pain, but my sufferings are as nothing compared with that which our blessed Redeemer endured upon the accursed Cross, that all might be saved who put their trust in Him. God will take care of you for me. I am my God's. I belong to Him. I go but for a short time before you, and I hope and trust to meet you all in Heaven, both black and white."
3. Finally, among his last words were these, "That book, sir, is the rock upon which our republic rests."
Well, there we have it. A well established New Englander and an immigrant's son from the country. An educated man who read the Bible in several languages and a self-taught man who didn't read the Bible at all until he got old. A man who became known has "Old Man Eloquent," and a man who was known as "Old Hickory." A man who was fought slavery, almost alone at times, and a man who owned slaves to his dying day. A man who was reared in the church and a man who came to know Jesus as his personal Savior. Which one was the better Christian? Which one was "saved?" Both? Neither?
Adams was the son of our 2nd President and his wife, Abigail- both of whom were strict, disciplined Congregationalists in most ways. John Quincy's life at home, then, was lived in the shadow of his reserved father and his rather controlling mother. Adams was an intelligent man who spoke fluent French, Dutch, Latin, and Greek. He was a diplomat for George Washington and Secretary of State for James Monroe. After his one-term as President, he served as a U.S. Congressman for 17 years, where he championed the anti-slavery cause and personally brought down the so-called "gag rule" which Congress had at the time concerning the issue of slavery. In fact, Adams became known as the "Hell-Hound of Slavery" and he defended 53 Africans accused of mutiny aboard the slave ship "Armisted." John Quincy Adams had "involuntary and agonizing doubts, which he could neither silence nor expel," but in the face of his doubts, he practiced his faith throughout his life, attending two worship services on the day he died. Adams and his wife, Louisa Johnson, joined the United First Parish Church of Quincy, and they shared a pew with his father and mother. In fact, all four of them are buried beneath this church, which began as a Puritan Congregational church and drifted more and more toward Unitarianism as the years passed. Adams read 2-5 chapters of the Bible, in its original languages, every day and he frequently attended two worship services on Sunday. Adams was vocal about his faith and he kept a personal dairy from 1779-1848. Thus, we know a lot about the faith that John Quincy Adams proclaimed. His dairy is filled with his distaste for "liberal" Unitarianism and "intolerant" Fundamentalism, both of which missed the mark in Adams' view, and the record shows that he offered these opinions over the years:
1. "My hopes of future life are founded in the Gospel of Christ and I cannot quibble away the assertions- by Himself and his disciples- that he was God."
2. "The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth."
3. "For I believe there is a God who heareth prayer and (that) honest prayers to Him will not be in vain."
4. "I have... been a sincere believer in the Supreme Creator of the World... and of the divine mission of the crucified Savior, proclaiming immortal life and preaching peace on earth..."
5. In a letter to his son, dated 12/24/1814, he wrote, "You ask me what Bible I take as a standard- the Hebrew, the Samaritan, the Old English, or what? The Bible with the Sermon on the Mount- the New Testament- read in Greek, Latin,... or Luther's German- I take as my standard."
Andrew Jackson, in contrast to Adams, was born to a family which was neither rich nor famous. His parents were Scottish immigrants and his father died three weeks before he was born. Two of his brothers died in the Revolutionary War and Jackson was taken prisoner by the British. He almost died
himself ... and his mother did die, while nursing prisoners-of-war back to health. In short, Jackson grew up tough and poor ... and throughout his life, he felt that the British had personally killed the member of his family. Unlike Adams, there is no record of Jackson being a regular church attendee and we know that he didn't join a church until 1838, when he became a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Nashville. Jackson credited the "hand of Providence" for giving him victory in the Battle of New Orleans and he noted that he has always been a "rigid Presbyterian" like his father was, but there is little evidence that he gave a faith journey much thought until he walked into a revival meeting in Nashville in October, 1818. According to the story, the evangelist said that Jackson was in need of salvation just like every other man, which embarrassed another minister in attendance who felt that Jackson had been offended. However, Jackson praised the evangelist whose name was Cartwright, noting that every "minister of Jesus Christ ought to love every one and fear no mortal man.
As he aged, Jackson gave matters of faith greater attention and he never got over his intense grief over his wife's death. He pondered life and death... and perhaps the words that he had heard about trusting Jesus Christ at the revival he attended. The night finally came when he walked in his chamber in anguish and prayer. He did business with God that night, and when morning came, he announced his full conviction of sins, his confession, and the forgiveness he had received through "the blood of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." Immediately, he instituted family prayer time and he was pleased to read through the Bible twice before he died.
1. In May 29, 1845, Jackson said, "Sir, I am in the hands of a merciful God. I have full confidence in his goodness and mercy. The Bible is true- upon that sacred volume I rest my hope for eternal salvation, through the merits and blood of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
2. On his dying day, June 8, 1845, Jackson said, "My dear children, do not grieve for me. It is true. I am going to leave you now. I have suffered much bodily pain, but my sufferings are as nothing compared with that which our blessed Redeemer endured upon the accursed Cross, that all might be saved who put their trust in Him. God will take care of you for me. I am my God's. I belong to Him. I go but for a short time before you, and I hope and trust to meet you all in Heaven, both black and white."
3. Finally, among his last words were these, "That book, sir, is the rock upon which our republic rests."
Well, there we have it. A well established New Englander and an immigrant's son from the country. An educated man who read the Bible in several languages and a self-taught man who didn't read the Bible at all until he got old. A man who became known has "Old Man Eloquent," and a man who was known as "Old Hickory." A man who was fought slavery, almost alone at times, and a man who owned slaves to his dying day. A man who was reared in the church and a man who came to know Jesus as his personal Savior. Which one was the better Christian? Which one was "saved?" Both? Neither?
Monday, September 4, 2017
12 KEYS TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY
To: My grandson and my great-grandson
RE; Spiritual "TIPS" from Poppy
Dear boys, when you embark your own spiritual journeys... keep the following 12 observations in mind. I have found them to be important in my own life and they will be helpful to you if you choose to give your heart and to God.
1) A life based on your own wants and pleasures... will leave you frustrated and empty in the end. It will be far more rewarding to invest in others and to serve God in all that you do. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that it's all about you;
2) You are (or will become) what you believe. Don't let anyone tell you that it doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you believe something. In my view, nothing could be further from the truth. Beliefs matter;
3) Yesterday is dead and while it may provide memories, don't allow it to affect your life in the now. Tomorrow is God's time and it is never promised to us. It is okay to dream about it and even to plan for it, but don't sacrifice your daily life for it. Today is yours. In fact, it is all that anyone of us will ever have-so embrace it with joy;
4) Read the Bible! It is God's word and it is a wonderful guide to what is important and worthy of attention. If you read the Bible in a regular way, your way will be clearer and your burdens will be less;
5) You cannot give what you do not have... so fill yourself with all that is good and lovely. Years ago we used the acronym,"GIGO," for computer processes. It meant "Garbage In-Garbage Out," and it applies to all of our relationships as well. Feed your mind and your soul with what is good and beneficial;
6) Doubt is NOT the opposite of faith, and it can lead to greater faith (as it did in the apostle Thomas' case). Don't nurture doubt. Don't "major" in it. But don't let it drive you into abandoning your faith either.
7) Grace is FREE. Period! Whether it's God grace, or the grace that someone else may offer you, it will always be a free gift of love and forgiveness... because grace cannot be earned, or deserved, and still be "grace;"
8) "Believing is seeing"because the greatest things in life cannot be seen or measured. Some people say that "seeing is believing," and in the world of science, this is true. But things like love, honor, faith, honor, and hope... cannot be measured or even explained. Just accept them when you see them. Embrace them and thank God for them;
9) Prayer is God-talk, and your relationship with God will not survive without it. Don't let anyone tell you that you need to know just the right words or have certain credentials to pray. Prayer is simply an honest conversation with God in which we offer up our praises and our concerns... and listen for His response! Speak from your heart and don't forget to listen;
10) The Bible says that God is love and it also says that there is "no black and white, nor slave and free, nor male and female in Christ... (and I would add) no gay and straight... because we are all children of God, created in God's image. Don't embrace any religion that teaches hate and division because Jesus is a uniter and a healer;
11) There are many ways in which we can serve God here on earth. We can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the lonely, love those who others won't, and treat others as if they are manifestations of God. These are good things, but if you really want to be Christ-like, forgive someone who does't deserve to be forgiven;
12) Be wary of sin. It will always keep you longer and cost you more than you expected. None of us is sinless, nor even particularly close to being sinless. And it is also true that our sins are forgiven... but sin will drain your spiritual energy and break down your relationship with God, others, and your own best self. So, flee from it whenever you can.
There are many other factors that will affect your spiritual walk, but these are 12 of the things that I have found to be helpful and true.
Poppy
9/04/2017
RE; Spiritual "TIPS" from Poppy
Dear boys, when you embark your own spiritual journeys... keep the following 12 observations in mind. I have found them to be important in my own life and they will be helpful to you if you choose to give your heart and to God.
1) A life based on your own wants and pleasures... will leave you frustrated and empty in the end. It will be far more rewarding to invest in others and to serve God in all that you do. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that it's all about you;
2) You are (or will become) what you believe. Don't let anyone tell you that it doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you believe something. In my view, nothing could be further from the truth. Beliefs matter;
3) Yesterday is dead and while it may provide memories, don't allow it to affect your life in the now. Tomorrow is God's time and it is never promised to us. It is okay to dream about it and even to plan for it, but don't sacrifice your daily life for it. Today is yours. In fact, it is all that anyone of us will ever have-so embrace it with joy;
4) Read the Bible! It is God's word and it is a wonderful guide to what is important and worthy of attention. If you read the Bible in a regular way, your way will be clearer and your burdens will be less;
5) You cannot give what you do not have... so fill yourself with all that is good and lovely. Years ago we used the acronym,"GIGO," for computer processes. It meant "Garbage In-Garbage Out," and it applies to all of our relationships as well. Feed your mind and your soul with what is good and beneficial;
6) Doubt is NOT the opposite of faith, and it can lead to greater faith (as it did in the apostle Thomas' case). Don't nurture doubt. Don't "major" in it. But don't let it drive you into abandoning your faith either.
7) Grace is FREE. Period! Whether it's God grace, or the grace that someone else may offer you, it will always be a free gift of love and forgiveness... because grace cannot be earned, or deserved, and still be "grace;"
8) "Believing is seeing"because the greatest things in life cannot be seen or measured. Some people say that "seeing is believing," and in the world of science, this is true. But things like love, honor, faith, honor, and hope... cannot be measured or even explained. Just accept them when you see them. Embrace them and thank God for them;
9) Prayer is God-talk, and your relationship with God will not survive without it. Don't let anyone tell you that you need to know just the right words or have certain credentials to pray. Prayer is simply an honest conversation with God in which we offer up our praises and our concerns... and listen for His response! Speak from your heart and don't forget to listen;
10) The Bible says that God is love and it also says that there is "no black and white, nor slave and free, nor male and female in Christ... (and I would add) no gay and straight... because we are all children of God, created in God's image. Don't embrace any religion that teaches hate and division because Jesus is a uniter and a healer;
11) There are many ways in which we can serve God here on earth. We can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the lonely, love those who others won't, and treat others as if they are manifestations of God. These are good things, but if you really want to be Christ-like, forgive someone who does't deserve to be forgiven;
12) Be wary of sin. It will always keep you longer and cost you more than you expected. None of us is sinless, nor even particularly close to being sinless. And it is also true that our sins are forgiven... but sin will drain your spiritual energy and break down your relationship with God, others, and your own best self. So, flee from it whenever you can.
There are many other factors that will affect your spiritual walk, but these are 12 of the things that I have found to be helpful and true.
Poppy
9/04/2017
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