Faith and White House History (#81)

Ever since President John Adams moved into the newly built White House in 1800, the American presidents have brought to the house their own traditions for practicing their faith. "With this issue we visit some of the churches where presidents worshipped, preached, taught, celebrated, and mourned as active members or occasional visitors," explains Marcia Mallet Anderson, editor of White House History Quarterly.

Author Jonathan Stolz opens the issue with a visit to the historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia, where early future presidents worshipped even before the United States of America was founded. George Washington attended the baptism of fourteen of his godchildren here, and pew doors in memory of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe remind us of the faith of the nation’s Founders.

Years later as president, James Monroe supported the effort to add a bell tower to the first church in the President’s Neighborhood, St. John’s on Lafayette Square. Author Richard Grimmett takes us into the bell tower, where the 964-pound Revere bell purchased in 1822 has rung during every presidency for more than two hundred years.

As the city of Washington grew throughout the nineteenth century, more than 135 churches were established, and many welcomed the presidents. Abraham Lincoln, who often worshipped at New York Presbyterian Church, took an interest in the efforts of Black congregations to build their own houses of worship. Author Anne Slattery follows Lincoln on commutes to and from the Soldiers’ Home and the White House that took him past the “contraband camps” where he would often stop and join in the prayer and song.

Charlie Goodyear tells the story of James A. Garfield, the only preacher to become president, while Abigail Coker tells the story of Billy Graham, a preacher who supported every president in good times and bad, for more than half a century. “He became a frequent visitor to the White House,” she explains, “serving as a friend and spiritual adviser. His presence provided comfort and encouragement to the presidents, supporting them in the day-to-day burdens of their position as well as during times of personal and national crisis.”

Christi Harlan takes us to First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., a half mile north of the White House, where President Jimmy Carter is remembered not only as an ordinary member but also as a teacher of the Couples Class, a Sunday school class for adults.

J. Theodore Anderson traces the history of the National Presbyterian Church from the 1790s Carpenter’s Hall on Lafayette Park, which served the builders of the White House, to its present 12-acre campus on Nebraska Avenue NW. He leads us on a visit to the Chapel of the Presidents, which is dedicated to all presidents at the behest of member President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was baptized there.

First envisioned in 1791 by city planner Pierre Charles L’Enfant as a church “intended for national purposes, such as public prayer, thanksgivings, funerational orations, &c and assigned to the special use of no particular sect or denomination, but equally open to all,” our presidential site for this issue is the Washington National Cathedral. Author Jennifer Wojeck shares the story of the sixth largest cathedral in the world, where President Woodrow Wilson lays at rest, and where for more than one hundred years presidents have been on hand for ceremonies, public prayer, and worship services.
With his "Reflections" column, Stewart D. McLaurin, the Association's president, closes the issue observing, that in the nation’s Semiquincentennial year it is fitting to "reflect on these histories, fostering a deeper appreciation for the interplay of spirituality and governance. In Lafayette Park’s evolving story—from the Carpenter’s Hall to presidential pew—we see faith’s quiet persistence, guiding the nation toward unity and purpose from generation to generation."