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The Nation's Pulse

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The last hymn, written to inspire Unionists during the Civil War, likely had rarely if ever been sung by Christ Church's Southern congregation. But the Rev. Welles observed, "It was time that the USA buried the hatchet of the War between the States as well as the British and the Americans burying the hatchet of the Revolutionary War." According to Welles, during the "Battle Hymn," Churchill was "so deeply moved that in the middle he wept, with great tears running unashamedly down his cheeks." As Churchill's granddaughter Cecilia Sandys noted in Chasing Churchill (2003), the "Battle Hymn" was one of his favorites. Did he hear it for the first time at Christ Church? Famously, he left instructions for its performance 23 years later at his funeral at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. In his sermon, Welles borrowed from the hymn, insisting that America would not withhold "its terrible swift sword" from its enemies.

AS CHURCHILL AND THE ROOSEVELTS left Christ Church, the Rev. Welles introduced them to his 7-year-old daughter, who several hours later was diagnosed with chicken pox. Welles fretted that she may have infected the two world leaders. But the President and Prime Minister remained healthy as they hurried on in the rain to Mt. Vernon, where they laid a wreath at Washington's tomb. En route back to the White House, Churchill insisted to Roosevelt that an Anglo-American partnership could curb the post-war world's problems. In typical style, the President continually nodded "Yes, yes, yes." Not completely enamored of the Englishman, Eleanor explained that her husband's nods signified attentiveness, not necessarily agreement. According to One Christmas in Washington, Churchill scowled the rest of their road trip. Several days later, Churchill bemusedly avenged the remark by explaining to the First Lady that Mrs. Churchill abstained from politics, implicitly in contrast with Mrs. Roosevelt.

Largely as Churchill had hoped, the Anglo-American alliance more than survived the war. And the worship by FDR and Churchill at the church where Washington had prayed before leading his new country in war against Britain powerfully symbolized the enduring new strategic partnership. Whatever the passing fads of the modern Episcopal Church, such history will have forever ennobled sanctuaries like Christ Church.

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Global Warming, United Nations