Ely was born June 13, 1786 in Connecticut. He graduated from Yale in 1803. His first taste of national fame was his publication of Visits of Mercy in 1813, describing his chaplaincy among the prostitutes at the New York City hospital and almshouse. Later, Ely became pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia and was selected as stated clerk of the General Assembly of the national Presbyterian Church from 1825 to 1836.
A Christian Party
As a prominent Presbyterian in 1827, Ely attracted national attention with his July 4th sermon. He called for "christian freeman to elect christian rulers" and for a "christian party in politics" to keep unorthodox liberals and deists from office. To that end, Ely supported the Sabbath movement. Proponents wanted to halt mail delivery on Sundays or otherwise the nation would suffer God's wrath. However, Richard M. Johnson's congressional committee killed the proposal.
The Christian Party sermon was also an attack on John Quincy Adams, according to historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. Ely despised the rationalist, humanist approach of Adams' Unitarian worship. Adams, likewise, despised "the busybody presbyterian clergyman." In the election of 1828, Ely campaigned for fellow presbyterian Andrew Jackson, mobilizing his christian soldiers to defeat Adams. After Jackson's victory, Ely advised Jackson not to travel on the Sabbath on his way to Washington. Jackson obeyed, but believing in the separation of church and state, he was wary of Ely.
The Petticoat Affair
Rumors swirled about the extramarital activities of Margaret Eaton, the wife of Jackson's Secretary of War John Eaton. Ely wrote to Jackson about those rumors: one example- Mr. Eaton fathered Margaret's children while she was married to her first husband John Timberlake. Ely concluded that Mrs. Eaton was a lewd woman who would do more damage to "your administration than one hundred Henry Clays." He advised that Jackson's nieces "not return the civilities of Mrs. Eaton."
Jackson replied with a stern lecture, warning about unsubstantiated rumors. He presented his own testimony and of others about the Eatons, refuting the rumors. Ely backed down, admitting the accusations had no proof. Already rebuked by Jackson, Ely was paid an unexpected visit from Margaret Eaton herself, who traveled to Philadelphia to interrogate Ely about the charges, totally unfeminine behavior at the time.
Then on September 10, 1829, the most extraordinary meeting in presidential history took place. Jackson, Ely, Washington presbyterian pastor John N. Campbell, and the cabinet, except Eaton, discussed the controversy. Jackson stubbornly defended the Eatons. Ely admitted that Mr. Eaton's integrity was not impugned, but couldn't say the same thing about Mrs. Eaton. Jackson exploded, "She is as chaste as a virgin!" The meeting resolved nothing. In 1831, Jackson ended up replacing his whole cabinet over the issue.
Anne Royall
Also in 1829, Ely set his sights on another bold, offensive woman in Washington. Anne Newport Royall wrote books and articles about her travels across America, pointing out political and religious corruption of the Prebyterians. Ely and his followers thought she was a devil. Washington Presbyterians, in contact with Ely, planned their revenge. They taunted her at her residence until she lashed out at them. She was arrested and convicted of disturbing the peace.
Afterwards, Ely involved himself in less petty endeavors. He attempted to build a college and seminary in Missouri. However, the Panic of 1837 derailed the project. In 1844, he was named pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in New London, Pennsylvania. He was active in benevolent works, donating about $50,000 during his lifetime. Ely suffered a paralytic stroke in 1851 and eventually died on June 17, 1861 in Philadelphia.
Ezra Stiles Ely may have started a long line of political clergyman. For example, there was Henry Ward Beecher of the Civil War era, Father Coughlin of the 1930's, Jerry Fallwell of the Moral Majority, and Pat Robertson of the Christian Coalition.
Sources:
Earman, Cynthia, An Uncommon Scold, Library of Congress archive, 2000.
Marszalek, John F., The Petticoat Affair, Free Press: New York, 1997.
Meacham, Jon, American Lion, Random House: New York, 2008.
Schlesinger, Arthur Jr., The Age of Jackson, Back Bay: New York, 1945.
Wilentz, Sean, The Rise of American Democracy, WW Norton: New York, 2005.
mssa.library.yale.edu, Obituary of Ezra Stiles Ely.
