Faith of the Presidents: James Buchanan

           

Lancaster, County Pennsylvania, where I grew up, is filled with history and in addtion to the beautiful farms that are so neatly kept, such as the one shown here, one of the other high spots of Lancaster is "Wheatland", the home of James Buchanan (1791-1868) the 15^th President of the United States.  

James Buchanan was Secretary of State and Minister to England. The only President born in Pennsylvania and the only bachelor President, Buchanan was a Presbyterian by family background. All of his life, he worshiped regularly and gave to many different denominations.  Yet, Buchanan did not join the Presbyterian Church until he retired to private life. Here is how it happened:

In August of 1860, Buchanan’s last year in the White House, he was vacationing at the Bedford Springs Hotel, a fashionable summer resort in the Pennsylvania mountains.  There, the Rev. Dr. William M. Paxton, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of New York City, was a guest at the same time. Buchanan knew the pastor, and so one day he invited Paxton to the Presidential suite, where he opened his heart. The President confessed, 

"I think I may say that for 12 years I have been in the habit of reading the Bible and praying daily. I have never had any one with whom I have felt disposed to converse, and now that I find you here I have thought you would understand my feelings, and that I would venture to open my mind to you upon this important subject, and ask for an explanation of some things I do not clearly understand."

           

The President then asked Dr. Paxton what a religious experience is, and how a man might know he was a Christian.  The minister gave responses that led Buchanan to say,

            "Well, sir, I thank you. My mind is now made up. I hope I am a Christian. I think I have had some of the experience which you describe, and as soon as I retire from my office as President, I will unite with the Presbyterian Church."

Soon thereafter, on the 4th of March, 1861, President Buchanan kept his promise and was received into membership at First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster.

Today, expect to find people in your life who want to know if they are a Christian, and who are eager to hear Jesus’ words of life, from YOU!

Blessings,

John A. Dalles, Pastor

Teddy Taps a Tele!

Today is January 19th...

On this day 110 years ago, U S President Theodore Roosevelt send a message to King Edward VI. Not unusual for a President to communicate with a King, except for the fact that the message was sent by radio. And it was the first time a radio communication was sent from the U S A to Europe.

Radio.

Sounds transmitted through the ether without means of wires!

You and I take it for granted.  But in 1903 it was BIG NEWS.  Before that there were transatlantic cables laid down on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean at tremendous cost and which did not always work.  It was James Buchanan (America's only President from PA) and Queen Victoria who exchanged pleasantries back and forth by cable back then.  But the cable had a glitch and got overheated (you techies will correct me but I have the story mostly right) and over time the sounds of the telegraph were fainter and fainter until ...  silence reigned.

Hmm...  Maybe THAT was Victoria's Secret?

Then along came radio.  No wires, no cords to get in the way.  Radio originator Marconi convinced TR to take part in a wireless demonstration.  His message was tapped out in Morse Code from South Wellfleet to King Edward.  Here is what he said:

His Majesty, Edward VII
London, Eng.

In taking advantage of the wonderful triumph of scientific research and ingenuity which has been achieved in perfecting a system of wireless telegraphy, I extend on behalf of the American People most cordial greetings and good wishes to you and to all the people of the British Empire.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Wellfleet, Mass., Jan. 19, 1903

Expecting only to receive confirmation from Glace Bay that the message had been relayed to England, Marconi got a direct response from England:

Sandrinham, January 19, 1903
The President, White House,
Washington, America  

I thank you most sincerely for the kind message which I have just received from you, through Marconi's trans-Atlantic wireless telegraphy. I sincerely reciprocate in the name of the British Empire the cordial greetings and friendly sentiment expressed by you on behalf of the American Nation, I heartily wish you and your country every possible prosperity.  

EDWARD R. and I.

(R and I does not mean Rhode and Island, it stands for King and Emperor, in Latin)

Amazing!  BIG NEWS!

Sometimes Christians take BIG NEWS for granted and don't get as excited about it as they should.

Such as who Jesus is and what He has done for us.  Some folks think of Him less than they think about...radio...for instance.  Or think, "He is always there and I can get in touch with him when I feel like it..."  Kind of like whether we turn on the...radio.  But more so.

Maybe it is time to give more attention to the Lord and Savior of all humanity than is your normal daily practice.

If you do, I will say, along with Teddy Roosevelt:

"BULLY!  DELIGHTED!"