Edward L.R. Elson
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Edward Lee Roy Elson (December 23, 1906 -
August 25, 1993) was a Presbyterian minister and
Chaplain of the United States Senate
.
Monongahela, Pennsylvania
, to Leroy Elson, a locomotive engineer,
and his wife, Pearl. Early on he was encouraged to study music and
gave concerts in the Pittsburgh area on the cornet
with his sister
Hazel playing the piano. One of his favorite memories of high school
was the time he and his sister gave a concert in the very early days
of radio on KDKA
, the pioneer radio station.
Dr. Elson was educated at Asbury College
in Wilmore, Kentucky
,
and then went to University of Southern California
for a master's
in theology. He married Frances Sandys, a fellow Asbury College
student in 1929. At about the time of his ordination in 1930, he
learned that his young wife had a very serious illness, and owing
largely to this, he chose to go and serve at the La Jolla Presbyterian
Church because of its proximity to the
Scripps Clinic
in La Jolla, California. His wife died
three years later on his birthday.
Having been invited to join the American Seminar in Europe and Russia,
Elson took an eye-opening trip to Europe in the summer of 1936. Shortly after returning from Europe,
Elson married Helen Chittick, a member of his church.
After having been in the chaplain reserves for ten years, he resigned
his position with the church and went on active duty with the Army in
1941, arriving in France in December 1944. Not long after, General
Frank Wilburn requested that Elson be his personal representative at
the execution by firing squad of a soldier for desertion
. This
soldier, Eddie Slovik
, was the first to be so executed by the
American military since the American Civil War
. Another of his wartime
assignments was to
interview members of the clergy who had been imprisoned at
Dachau. After the German surrender, he
was asked to represent Dwight D. Eisenhower
before the Consistory, a ruling
body of the German Protestant church, in order to determine how the
German Church would be rebuilt.
Upon returning to the U.S. from the war, he soon learned that he was a
candidate for the pastorate of the Covenant-First Presbyterian Church
in Washington, D.C.
and ultimately became its pastor in 1946. One
of his first duties there was to oversee the transition of the
Covenant-First Presbyterian Church to the National Presbyterian
Church, a move that had been in the works for many years.
Eisenhower attended a pre-inaugural service at the church. A few
days later, on February 1, 1953, Dr. Elson baptized the president and
admitted him to formal membership of the church. The baptism came
after the president's brother, Milton, confirmed that though Ike had
regularly attended the River Brethren Church in
Abilene, Kansas
, he had never officially joined the church
nor had he been baptized. In the 1960s, Elson oversaw, along with
the building committee, the construction of a large new church, which
was dedicated in 1967 on Eisenhower's birthday, October 14.
In 1967, he was named to a special committee of the Presbyterian
General Assembly to study the Vietnam War. In September 1967, while
he and his wife were still at their summer home in
Cape Breton Island
, he received a phone call from the White House
asking him to be on a team to observe the upcoming elections in
South Viet Nam.
Dr. Elson was elected to the position of
Chaplain of the United States Senate
in 1969, retiring from that position after having served for a
little over twelve years in February, 1981. During his tenure at the
Senate, he invited the first woman, Wilmina Rowland, to offer the
opening prayer.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
.
August 25, 1993) was a Presbyterian minister and
Chaplain of the United States Senate
Chaplain of the United States Senate
The Chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for Senators, their staffs, and their families. The Chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate...
.
Life
Edward Lee Roy Elson, the oldest of nine children, was born inMonongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, colloquially called "Mon City," is a Third Class City in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, located approximately south of the city proper. The population was 4,761 at the 2000 census...
, to Leroy Elson, a locomotive engineer,
and his wife, Pearl. Early on he was encouraged to study music and
gave concerts in the Pittsburgh area on the cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
with his sister
Hazel playing the piano. One of his favorite memories of high school
was the time he and his sister gave a concert in the very early days
of radio on KDKA
KDKA (AM)
KDKA is a radio station licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Created by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation on November 2, 1920, it is one of the world's first modern radio stations , a distinction that has also been challenged by other stations, although it has claimed to be the first in...
, the pioneer radio station.
Dr. Elson was educated at Asbury College
Asbury College
Asbury University, formerly Asbury College, is a Christian liberal arts institution located in Wilmore, Kentucky. Although it is a nondenominational school, the college's foundation stems from a Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. The school offers 50 majors across 17 departments. Primarily a four-year...
in Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore is a city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,134 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area...
,
and then went to University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
for a master's
in theology. He married Frances Sandys, a fellow Asbury College
student in 1929. At about the time of his ordination in 1930, he
learned that his young wife had a very serious illness, and owing
largely to this, he chose to go and serve at the La Jolla Presbyterian
Church because of its proximity to the
Scripps Clinic
Scripps Health
Scripps Health is a nonprofit health care system based in San Diego, California. The system includes four hospitals and 19 outpatient facilities, and treats a half-million patients annually through 2,600 affiliated physicians....
in La Jolla, California. His wife died
three years later on his birthday.
Having been invited to join the American Seminar in Europe and Russia,
Elson took an eye-opening trip to Europe in the summer of 1936. Shortly after returning from Europe,
Elson married Helen Chittick, a member of his church.
After having been in the chaplain reserves for ten years, he resigned
his position with the church and went on active duty with the Army in
1941, arriving in France in December 1944. Not long after, General
Frank Wilburn requested that Elson be his personal representative at
the execution by firing squad of a soldier for desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
. This
soldier, Eddie Slovik
Eddie Slovik
Edward Donald Slovik was a private in the United States Army during World War II and the only American soldier to be court-martialled and executed for desertion since the American Civil War....
, was the first to be so executed by the
American military since the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Another of his wartime
assignments was to
interview members of the clergy who had been imprisoned at
Dachau. After the German surrender, he
was asked to represent Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
before the Consistory, a ruling
body of the German Protestant church, in order to determine how the
German Church would be rebuilt.
Upon returning to the U.S. from the war, he soon learned that he was a
candidate for the pastorate of the Covenant-First Presbyterian Church
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and ultimately became its pastor in 1946. One
of his first duties there was to oversee the transition of the
Covenant-First Presbyterian Church to the National Presbyterian
Church, a move that had been in the works for many years.
Eisenhower attended a pre-inaugural service at the church. A few
days later, on February 1, 1953, Dr. Elson baptized the president and
admitted him to formal membership of the church. The baptism came
after the president's brother, Milton, confirmed that though Ike had
regularly attended the River Brethren Church in
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
, he had never officially joined the church
nor had he been baptized. In the 1960s, Elson oversaw, along with
the building committee, the construction of a large new church, which
was dedicated in 1967 on Eisenhower's birthday, October 14.
In 1967, he was named to a special committee of the Presbyterian
General Assembly to study the Vietnam War. In September 1967, while
he and his wife were still at their summer home in
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
, he received a phone call from the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
asking him to be on a team to observe the upcoming elections in
South Viet Nam.
Dr. Elson was elected to the position of
Chaplain of the United States Senate
Chaplain of the United States Senate
The Chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for Senators, their staffs, and their families. The Chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate...
in 1969, retiring from that position after having served for a
little over twelve years in February, 1981. During his tenure at the
Senate, he invited the first woman, Wilmina Rowland, to offer the
opening prayer.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Works
- America's Spiritual Recovery, 1954
- And Still He speaks, The words of the Risen Christ, 1960
- Inevitable encounter, 1962
- Prayers offered by the chaplain of the Senate of the United States/ Edward L.R. Elson, at the opening of the daily sessions of the United States Senate during the 96th and 97th congresses, 1979-1981, 1980
- Prayers offered by the chaplain of the Senate of the United States/ Edward L.R. Elson, during the Ninety-second Congress, 1971-72, 1973
- Wide was His Parish, An Autobiography, 1986