It takes some guts to be a police officer. It takes even more if you are going to slap the cuffs on a sitting president, hauling him off to the local precinct for booking. Such was the case for Washington, D.C. police officer William H. West.
City Hall had received many complaints about speeding vehicles in a particular area of town. West’s commanding lieutenant had West patrol 12th and M Streets area where a series of accidents had occurred, the latest causing injury to a woman and her 6-year-old child. The driver of the vehicle had sped off, leaving the injured in the street. Without knowing it, West was about to make history.
While in the area where the hit-and-run had occurred, a vehicle came tearing up the street. West pursued and stopped the vehicle, only to be shocked to find the President of the United States sitting in the driver’s seat. A warning was issued with a bit of a lecture. West informed the president that he was “violating the law by speeding along [the] street” but also setting a poor example for the others … of the city.”1 The president apologized and accepted the warning.1
The next day, West was on duty again when the same vehicle came through the area at a reckless speed, racing with others. It took an entire block to get the vehicles stopped. Things were going to be different this time. West said, “I am very sorry, Mr. President, to have to do it, for you are the chief of the nation, and I am nothing but a policeman, but duty is duty, sir, and I will have to place you under arrest.”2 The others were arrested as well. To the president’s credit, he informed West that he admired a man who would do his duty and went willingly with West.
Maybe you are scratching your head, wondering how you missed this in the news. Surely the liberals would have smeared this across the media and had a heyday with it. Why are you just now hearing about this in a devotional?
The president who was arrested was President Ulysses S. Grant and the arrest took place
in 1872. Grant was driving a horse drawn carriage. And, to make matters worse, this was actually Grant’s third arrest, the first arrest for the same crime taking place on this day in 1866 while Grant was racing on 14th Street. He alleged to the arresting officer that he was merely “exercising his fast gray nag.”3 The second arrest for speeding took place on July 4, 1866. “Grant “took the arrest very good humoredly, said it was an oversight, and rode over to the Second Precinct station house and paid his fine.”4
Maybe Grant is the reason why sitting presidents today lose their driving privileges! It is said that Reagan drove only while on his ranch, much to the displeasure of the Secret Service who could barely keep up!
One of the comments leveled at Grant during these arrest situations is that he wasn’t setting a very good example. That accusation is absolutely true and valid. However, I don’t say that judgmentally. I say it with humble personal conviction. How many things have I been guilty of that didn’t set the best example as a Christian or pastor?
Proverbs 25:26 says, “A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.” Ouch! That is a weighty indictment with an unpayable fine.
As Christians, we must remember that our lives are being watched by the world. The validity and integrity of our claims to Christianity are constantly being weighed in the balance by the world. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The world IS watching.
We must be the very best representation of Christ in this world that we can possibly be. We must be willing to accept a wrong done against us, responding in a Christ-like fashion. In our vernacular, we must “take it on the chin” in order to represent Christ well.
May we face today with the attitude that is determined to live an exemplary example, not with the concern of what others might think about us but what they might think about the Lord. 2 Corinthians 8:20-21 leaves us with some parting instruction. “Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: (21) Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
1https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-president-ulysses-s-grant-was-arrested-for-speeding-in-a-horse-drawn-carriage-180981916/
2Ibid.
3https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/April-9/ulysses-grant-arrested-buggy-speeding
4Ibid.
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