Presidents and Faith: Ulysses Grant
Ulysses Grant was born on April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio. His family were Methodists and to this day, there is a Grant Family Pew at the United Methodist Church of Galena, Illinois, where the Grant family later moved.
When Grant attended West Point, with the help of a local congressman, he complained that the academy was trying to mold cadets into gentlemanly Episcopalians. Grant was never a religious person and he resisted the college's efforts.
On August 22, 1848, Grant married Julia Dent, the sister of one of Grant's West Point classmates. Julia was a devout Methodist. Throughout their marriage it is said that she was disappointed that her husband never became a churchgoer. Grant said that he didn’t like the music, but when he became President, he occasionally attended services with his wife.
As a young soldier Grant had problems with intemperate drinking. He drank too much when he was depressed or away from Julie. Although he managed to control his drinking for much of the Civil War, there were occasions when he drank to excess, such as during one period of inactivity while the Siege of Corinth was underway.
Though not a religious man, there are numerous examples throughout his life of decency and high moral standards. For example, despite marrying into a slave-owning family, Grant was opposed to slavery. He was a loving husband and father, as evidenced by his letters to his wife. Although Julia Grant had some physical imperfections such as some crossing of her eyes, Grant was reassuring and affectionate, and there is no suggestion that he was ever unfaithful or strayed from his marriage vows. A further example of Grant's moral standards are seen later in his life, when his son used his name to attract investors, only to see those investors swindled by an unscrupulous business partner. Grant sold off personal possessions including civil war mementos to repay those who were swindled. He then worked through a painful throat cancer to finish his autobiography, to ensure that his wife would be provided for financially after his death.
In his first inaugural address, Grant promised freedom of religious beliefs, stating:
"This requires security of person, property, and free religious and political opinion in every part of our common country, without regard to local prejudice. All laws to secure these ends will receive my best efforts for their enforcement."
He concluded the address by asking for "the prayers of the nation to Almighty God" to help him reach the goals set in his address.
As President, Grant argued that "Christianizing" Native Americans would help in their overall social development. He also argued for a strict separation of church and state. Grant supported the Blaine Amendment's denial of public funds to parochial schools. In a 1873 address, Grant said that the government should "leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and the state forever separate."
Grant's second inaugural address contained no religious or spiritual themes, other than opening by stating that "Under Providence I have been called a second time to act as Executive over this great nation."
After leaving the White House, Grant embarked on a world tour that included a winter sojourn in the Holy Land and a meeting in Rome with Pope Leo XIII. After a year-long struggle with the cancer, Grant died at 8 o'clock in the morning in the Mount McGregor cottage on July 23, 1885, at the age of 63. Although there is one account that on his deathbed Grant converted to Presbyterianism, it does not have widespread acceptance among historians.
When Grant attended West Point, with the help of a local congressman, he complained that the academy was trying to mold cadets into gentlemanly Episcopalians. Grant was never a religious person and he resisted the college's efforts.
On August 22, 1848, Grant married Julia Dent, the sister of one of Grant's West Point classmates. Julia was a devout Methodist. Throughout their marriage it is said that she was disappointed that her husband never became a churchgoer. Grant said that he didn’t like the music, but when he became President, he occasionally attended services with his wife.
As a young soldier Grant had problems with intemperate drinking. He drank too much when he was depressed or away from Julie. Although he managed to control his drinking for much of the Civil War, there were occasions when he drank to excess, such as during one period of inactivity while the Siege of Corinth was underway.
Though not a religious man, there are numerous examples throughout his life of decency and high moral standards. For example, despite marrying into a slave-owning family, Grant was opposed to slavery. He was a loving husband and father, as evidenced by his letters to his wife. Although Julia Grant had some physical imperfections such as some crossing of her eyes, Grant was reassuring and affectionate, and there is no suggestion that he was ever unfaithful or strayed from his marriage vows. A further example of Grant's moral standards are seen later in his life, when his son used his name to attract investors, only to see those investors swindled by an unscrupulous business partner. Grant sold off personal possessions including civil war mementos to repay those who were swindled. He then worked through a painful throat cancer to finish his autobiography, to ensure that his wife would be provided for financially after his death.
In his first inaugural address, Grant promised freedom of religious beliefs, stating:
"This requires security of person, property, and free religious and political opinion in every part of our common country, without regard to local prejudice. All laws to secure these ends will receive my best efforts for their enforcement."
He concluded the address by asking for "the prayers of the nation to Almighty God" to help him reach the goals set in his address.
As President, Grant argued that "Christianizing" Native Americans would help in their overall social development. He also argued for a strict separation of church and state. Grant supported the Blaine Amendment's denial of public funds to parochial schools. In a 1873 address, Grant said that the government should "leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and the state forever separate."
Grant's second inaugural address contained no religious or spiritual themes, other than opening by stating that "Under Providence I have been called a second time to act as Executive over this great nation."
After leaving the White House, Grant embarked on a world tour that included a winter sojourn in the Holy Land and a meeting in Rome with Pope Leo XIII. After a year-long struggle with the cancer, Grant died at 8 o'clock in the morning in the Mount McGregor cottage on July 23, 1885, at the age of 63. Although there is one account that on his deathbed Grant converted to Presbyterianism, it does not have widespread acceptance among historians.