in the "bomb proof" with shrapnel bursting over his head, calmly breaking coffee beans for his cup of coffee with the butt of his revolver.

In speaking at an anniversary meeting of the American Tract Society, which was scattering religious truth in printed form everywhere, he said: "One of the best things done by this society, and by kindred religious and benevolent societies, is supplying in our American life of to-day the proper ideals." Continuing, he said that such service could not be bought with money:

This is the spirit that lies behind this society, and all kindred societies; and we owe to this society all the help we can afford to give, for it is itself giving to our people a service beyond price, a service of love, a service which no money could buy.

He welcomed the day when the various denominations would work together more closely, and rejoiced that they were learning "that they can best serve their God by serving their fellow men, and best serve their fellow men, not by wrangling among themselves, but by a generous rivalry in working for righteousness and against evil."

The church to him did not consist of building, preacher, or choir. It was, rather, a place of worship. He did not go to hear a great preacher or a noted choir or see a cathedral structure. Most of his worship was observed in humble buildings with ordinary music and preaching. He did not excuse the faults of church members, neither did he expect them to be perfect, but he worked through the organiza

tion called the church to improve them, receive help, and widen the influence of religion. He did not forget the "assembling" together in common worship to aid each other to obtain happiness and scatter helpfulness. He was therefore loyal to its services, its aims, and its claims. To him religion and its organized form, the church, was never secondary, but always primary.

CHAPTER XVII

CHURCH ATTENDANCE AND WORK

"I advocate a man's joining in church work for the sake of showing his faith by his works."-Theodore Roosevelt.

Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Heb. 10. 24, 25.

R. ROOSEVELT always acted in line with his belief. When he decided that the Republican party was the one most nearly correct, he publicly affiliated with it and identified himself actively with a local party club. Friends ridiculed the poor caliber of its membership. He ignored this criticism and started to improve the members by interesting them in better government. He continued to render his public service through a party organization. He admitted its weakness and faults, but instead of using this to excuse inactivity he exerted himself to make it better.

He joined the church in the same practical way. He believed in what the church stood for, and since he believed also in organization he identified himself with a visible body of believers. He did not require perfection in membership, nor was he willing to be a religious "mugwump." He did not stay out because there were so many hypocrites in the church; that would have kept him out of the Republican party.

He also went to work, for very early he taught a Sunday-school class and continued until he graduated from college. Mr. Washburne, his classmate, wrote me: "I remember that he taught a Sundayschool class when he was in college, which was quite an unusual occupation for a college student." And he encountered some unpleasant experiences in his church work, but acted toward those experiences even as he did in his political clubs. He was teaching in Old Christ Church, where General and Mrs. Washington had attended in 1775, when suddenly he was asked to resign by the new rector. A classmate tells

us:

The news spread about college like flames through a building. We learned Roosevelt was removed because he was not a confirmed member of the Episcopal Church. Everybody lauded Roosevelt. One Professor actually withdrew from the congregation. But Roosevelt did not take the occurrence to heart.1

Another "story" already related attributed his expulsion from the Sunday school to the fact that he rewarded a boy for using his fists in a righteous cause. However that may be, he immediately found another Sunday school and continued teaching. He did not get offended because of mistreatment nor break with the church because it was not perfect.

If he had not joined a conservative denomination which used laymen very little, he might have been much more active. He once said that if he had been a Methodist he would have sought for a local

Theodore Roosevell as an Undergraduate, p. 20.