Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER XI

WAS HE A CHRISTIAN? OTHERS'

TESTIMONY

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.-1 Tim. 6. 12.

M

R. ROOSEVELT'S friends all agree that he

was very reticent in talking about or discussing the subject of personal religion.

Not a single influential friend has hesitated to declare the conviction that Mr. Roosevelt's religion was an indispensable part of his being. As Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler put it, "He never paraded his religion or his faith but both were very fundamental with him."

His fear of using religion as a cloak made him go almost to the other extreme of neglecting to posit the fact that his ideals and his strenuous righteousness were both the fruits of his faith. He also so stressed the necessity of applying the doctrine of James, "Show me your faith by your works," that some were likely to forget that his "faith" was fed by worship, Bible study, prayer, and Christian associates as roots are by soil, sunshine, and moisture if a tree bears fruit. He did use the "means of grace" as food for his faith but so unobtrusively that people did not notice it and hence often lost sight of the fact that he was a full-orbed "Christian."

So many of the people who were constantly associated with him were so marked as Christians that they are qualified to recognize and affirm Mr. Roosevelt's discipleship. This chapter will therefore deal largely with the "testimony" of his friends which came in answer to personal requests.

In talking with me Kermit said:

It was inherent in father to be reserved about the subject of personal religion. He claimed that actions "talked" in religion as in everything else. These told of his faith in a clear way.

Mrs. Robinson also affirmed:

My brother seldom talked about doctrinal subjects in religion. He had a profound faith which he believed would show itself in his actions. In my judgment he led in an absolute and exact way the life that is laid down for a Christian. He believed that a Christian life was the one to lead. He believed absolutely in the value and necessity of churches and that worship on Sunday was helpful and essential.

In answer to a letter, President Harding, himself an ardent member of the Baptist Church, wrote:

I am convinced that Theodore Roosevelt had a devout belief in God and though a consistent churchman he never paraded his belief, but it was evident in his writings, in his speeches, and in his conduct. His clean personal life is the best proof of his faith and belief. That he was a close student of the Bible was but natural since he was ever a seeker after truth. Unquestionably he believed in prayer, not only as a means of grace but as a personal help and consolation.

General Leonard Wood understood Mr. Roosevelt as well as any man who is alive and is himself an earnest member of the Episcopal Church. He wrote

me:

Theodore Roosevelt was a true Christian. He believed in God and that all peoples must have faith, that a nation forsaking its religion is a decadent nation. He was a churchgoer as an evidence of his faith and for purpose of worship. His life, his ideals, and his acts established his faith in God. He was a reader of the Bible. I have no recollection of hearing him take the name of God in vain. I believe that he gathered many of his ethical ideas from the Scriptures. His courage was maintained by his sense of righteousness and justice. He was clean in thought and speech; a man of broad sympathy; limited neither by race nor creed. He was a doer of good works and a strenuous advocate of those principles which are laid down in the commandments.

Ex-President, now Chief Justice Taft in a personal letter among other things says, "Of course, he was a Christian, and a broad Christian at that." That is high tribute when their relations are recalled.

"Bill" Sewall was raised in the Congregational Church, and told me: "My grandfather was a Congregational minister, and he had a near relative who put seven Sewall brothers into the Congregational ministry." He himself did not join the church because of the aggravating friction between the only two churches in his small home town, yet he affirmed a simple and complete faith in God. Four of his five children are already members. He walked many hours with Mr. Roosevelt in the silences of the woods and on the wide prairies and knew the

Hook Point Camps

Island Falls, Maine.
WW.Sewall. Proprietor

Jan 7th 1921 Mr Christion Fr. Reisner Dear Sir TRease pardon me for my delay rope it has not bothered you habease your letter came about the time we were moving but of our camps and I forget to answear but will be glad to do so now I think he road The Bible a great deal I never saw him in formal player but as prayer is the dsire of "heart think he prayed bithout ceasing for for the desire of his heart was always to do to do right I am not a very religious man but bellive in real cristiantly judge Roosevelt by his life and and the Bible tells us by their fruits you shall know them sonce heard him say be joined the churchon account of his xxample I think his early training probably did have an influance on him I think he did attend Church when he was where he could and Ithink you have the right tille for your book.

now if what I have written its of any pise to you I am glad and hope it is net too late

very truly yours
M.Sewall

"BILL" SEWALL'S LETTER DESCRIBING MR. ROOSEVELT'S RELIGION.

« PreviousContinue »