1889-1893
Harrison was born into a devout Presbyterian family and from a very young age observed the Sabbath without fail every Sunday. He officially became a member of the Presbyterian Church while attending Miami University in the early 1850s, and he would remain a devout church member his entire life. Upon moving to Indianapolis in 1854, Harrison joined the First Presbyterian Church, and, according to a church memorial: "He was constant in his attendance on church meetings; his voice was heard in prayer meetings. ... And in whatever way opened, whether public or private, he gave testimony for his faith and the lordship of his Master."
Harrison taught Sunday school and later became a church elder, a position he would maintain for 40 years. According to a soldier who fought with the future president during the Civil War, Harrison held nightly prayers in his tent and was well liked for his "earnest religious nature." In a letter written to his wife, Harrison implored her to ask God "for me in prayer ... first that He will enable me to bear myself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ; second, that He will give me valor and skill to conduct myself so as to honor my country and my friends."
Before his election to the White House, Harrison wrote about the power of prayer to a friend: "It is a great comfort to trust God -- even if His providence is unfavorable. Prayer steadies one when he is walking in slippery places -- even if things asked for are not given." Indeed, Harrison believed his victory in the 1888 presidential election was the result of divine Providence, and in his inaugural address he called upon God to bestow on him "wisdom, strength, and fidelity." Harrison continued his tradition of daily prayer while serving in the White House; a firsthand account of his presidency recorded that "No morning is passed in the White House and no day's duties or pleasures are begun without the brief family prayer."
Harrison's speeches are full of religious rhetoric, and on several occasions he issued proclamations recommending Americans of all faiths to observe days of prayer. In a June 7, 1889, directive, Harrison urged the Army and Navy to limit activities on the Sabbath.
Harrison was born into a devout Presbyterian family and from a very young age observed the Sabbath without fail every Sunday. He officially became a member of the Presbyterian Church while attending Miami University in the early 1850s, and he would remain a devout church member his entire life. Upon moving to Indianapolis in 1854, Harrison joined the First Presbyterian Church, and, according to a church memorial: "He was constant in his attendance on church meetings; his voice was heard in prayer meetings. ... And in whatever way opened, whether public or private, he gave testimony for his faith and the lordship of his Master."
Harrison taught Sunday school and later became a church elder, a position he would maintain for 40 years. According to a soldier who fought with the future president during the Civil War, Harrison held nightly prayers in his tent and was well liked for his "earnest religious nature." In a letter written to his wife, Harrison implored her to ask God "for me in prayer ... first that He will enable me to bear myself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ; second, that He will give me valor and skill to conduct myself so as to honor my country and my friends."
Before his election to the White House, Harrison wrote about the power of prayer to a friend: "It is a great comfort to trust God -- even if His providence is unfavorable. Prayer steadies one when he is walking in slippery places -- even if things asked for are not given." Indeed, Harrison believed his victory in the 1888 presidential election was the result of divine Providence, and in his inaugural address he called upon God to bestow on him "wisdom, strength, and fidelity." Harrison continued his tradition of daily prayer while serving in the White House; a firsthand account of his presidency recorded that "No morning is passed in the White House and no day's duties or pleasures are begun without the brief family prayer."
Harrison's speeches are full of religious rhetoric, and on several occasions he issued proclamations recommending Americans of all faiths to observe days of prayer. In a June 7, 1889, directive, Harrison urged the Army and Navy to limit activities on the Sabbath.
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