A President’s Prayer

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Five years after President Dwight David Eisenhower left the presidency, he and his wife Mamie came to his hometown of Abilene, Kansas, to dedicate the Place of Meditation, one of five public buildings on the grounds of the Dwight David Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home.

The exterior of the building not only stands on Kansan soil, its architect was James Canole, then the Kansas State architect. The exterior is of limestone quarried in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas.

President Eisenhower approved the design of the building, intended to be both his final resting place and a place of meditation. President Eisenhower hoped that visitors would stop and remember the ideals that made America great and commit themselves to continue to be loyal to them. One year later, the former President was present when the remains of his first child, Doud Dwight, were moved there from a cemetery in Mamie’s hometown of Denver. Two years later, President Eisenhower died and was buried there. The site became the final resting place of Mamie Doud Eisenhower a decade later in 1979.

These marble slabs mark the graves of the President and First Lady. The marble of the crypt is Arabian Travertine from Germany, Italy, and France. I am grateful to live in a country where a President who had led Allied forces, including France, in a war against Germany and Italy would later have marble from those three countries for his crypt. Grudges and revenge were not what were important to Ike, but rather the good of mankind.

The beautiful chipped glass windows were created in Pennsylvania.

A large cross stands as the focal point of the interior.

Surrounding the crypt are three quotes from President Eisenhower. He made the statement below on June 4, 1952, when he and Mamie came to Abilene to announce his candidacy for President of the United States.

It reads:

The real fire within the builders of America was faith — faith in a Provident God whose hand supported and guided them: faith in themselves as the children of God . . . faith in their country and its principles that proclaimed man’s right to freedom and justice.

After Eisenhower took the oath of office in 1953, and before he began his inaugural address, he made a few remarks and then said what he called “a little private prayer.” The words of that prayer are written on this banner which hangs near the cross pictured above.

The new President said:

My friends, before I begin the expression of those thoughts that I deem appropriate to this moment, would you permit me the privilege of uttering a little private prayer of my own? And I ask that you bow your heads.

Almighty God, as we stand here at this moment my future associates in the Executive branch of Government join me in beseeching that Thou will make full and complete our dedication to the service of the people in this throng, and their fellow citizens everywhere. Give us, we pray, the power to discern clearly right from wrong, and allow all our words and actions to be governed thereby, and by the laws of this land. Especially we pray that our concern shall be for all the people regardless of station, race or calling. May cooperation be permitted and be the mutual aim of those who, under the concepts of our Constitution, hold to differing political faiths; so that all may work for the good of our beloved country and Thy glory. Amen.

God has commanded Christians to pray for our leaders. I am thankful for American leaders who have prayed for those they lead. I am confident that God continues to answer those faithful prayers. I am grateful that we have the opportunity to join our prayers to theirs and to teach our children to pray.

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties
and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings,
be made on behalf of all men,
for kings and all who are in authority,
so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life
in all godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2:1-2

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