European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                From watergate to the pulpit by Cynthia Mitchell Cox news service the 150 Metal folding chairs in the first presbyterian churches basement Assembly Hall in. Lexington ky., Are All taken a ring of people sit on tables or stand in the Back. Three weeks earlier the biggest sunday school class was held in the churches cozy Book lined study Home to an old but comfortable Couch and a scattering of ladder Back chairs. The difference dark haired Rudd faced Man in a Navy Blue suit. He is the new minister the Rev. Jeb Stuart Magruder 56, the convicted watergate co conspirator and former Republican operative who admitted taking payoffs burning incriminating evidence and lying under oath about the watergate conspiracy the elaborate scheme to insure the re election of president Nixon. Magruder is not alone among sex watergate names involved in religious a activity Charles  Heads prison Fellowship based in Reston Van a an organization that Aims to bolster religious Faith among prisoners and seeks prison reforms. It Magruder a Church topic this fall has been Christian ethics seven weeks of classes based on meaty readings of. Dietrich both offer Paul Lehmann Immanuel Kant and the like. But As a prelude to this his third lesson he plunges in with a reference to his own glaringly unethical  ethical issues become Gray a they certainly became Gray Tor us in the Nixon administration and if you look at the Basic issues you see a lot of Gray Quot he reminds the class a conglomeration of yuppies Gray haired retirees and a a sprinkling of teenagers. Quot the truth loses when anxiety dominates if you re worried about being re elected you May very Well not Tell the truth Quot a v Magruder who insists that everyone Call him Jeb has spent a lot More time in the ministry eight years than he Ever did in Federal prison a seven months. But widespread Public scepticism about the sincerity of his newfound path Stilt follow him,./ a. He greets yet another reporter graciously with not even a hint of Surprise or irritation As if he accepted Long ago that press scrutiny and Public scepticism come with the Job. As do somewhat surprisingly the congregation. They re excited frankly and done to mind gushing about their very own prodigal son / How did they resolve his past with his new present Quot the committee realty wrestled with it. It was such a Shock when we walked into a meeting and there was Jeb Magruder s  admits Martha King a member of the seven member committee that recommended him out of 220 applicants to the congregation which approved his appointment by a 254-5 vote. Quot we Cam tothe conclusion that god. Forgives arid we heed to be forgiving too and that a not an Issue anymore. His Jeb Stuart Magruder a convicted watergate co Consul Rotor la minister of a presbyterian Church in Lexington by. Onetime White House colleague Charles w. Colson above Heads prison. Fellowship. Journey the failings that he has had Isa tremendous asset Quot she adds echoing several members who say  have a much easier time bringing their problems to him than they have with other ministers. The crowd at the sunday morning a service has swelled just As the sunday school class has. In the soaring gothic style Sanctuary lined with dramatic stained Glass the front rows Are full. So is the Balcony. Regular members say they be seen folks who Haven t made an appearance since last easter or Christmas during sunday school they freely ask Quot Jeby a to explain the dense study materials and Exchange approving a almost triumphant a looks at each other when he Calls on several people by name. Coffee sessions before and after the class Buzz with discussion of the ethical dilemmas that were posed the Energy level is tangible. Quot there a definitely a pre Jeb Magruder _ and Post Jeb Magruder a says Pam Jenkins i a member since 1987, who has brought a Friend and co worker state auditor Bob Babbage who belongs to a Christian Church in Lexington. R Babbage who has a masters degree in ethics from Lexington theological Seminary seems confounded Over the transformation of the Man he remembered being Quot right in the Middle of it ally during watergate when Babbage was a reporting intern for the Chicago Tribune. Quot. Quot that was an outstanding piece of work he says shaking his head in Awe Over Magruder s Sermon an eloquent outline of the Mission and role he believes the Church and More specifically his Well heeled congregation should take in the a Community Quot you Don t just Goto a quote Book and Puli that stuff  he says he stalked his wife a Catholic into coming. Later Magruder Drew the biggest crowd Ever to the Louisville my can a annual Soma 350 people packed a banquet room at the restaurant. A. As he had the previous sunday he. Bemoaned society s emphasis on Quot Money and  Arto said it is Quot relationships a with god Christ friends family that give life real meaning. Arid to bring the Point Home he delved into his own Story. His Tough path from sin to redemption from watergate to the present. A it we Money and Power that were important Quot in my Early life Quot he said r referring to his pre watergate years a a top Nixon aide and then As director of communications for the infamous committee to re elect the president. Quot i had a chauffeured car a ail the accoutrements that made life seem important. In one Day i Tost my political leverage my income and All my other associations i thought would be the hallmark of my life. Ule seemed limitless until watergate  while the crisis did indeed renew his spiritual life he said Quot there was More to it than that a which i think suggests that life is difficult even when we have god on our side.�?�. A. A. A he was ordained in 1981, after attending Princeton theological Seminary. But that beginning he said also was the Quot beginning of the end1�?T of his marriage. By he left his first appointment in Burlingame Calif for the executive. _. _ minister s Post at the first Community Church in Columbus Ohio and was deeply depressed. He saw therapists and a a psychiatrists who tried a variety of. Treatments Over six months. Quot but the anti depressants did t work the valium did no to work. I was barely Able to function Quot he said. The doctors called a meeting Only to conclude that the accumulation of serious losses in his life had Quot created a depression that is very. Difficult to Deal with. You re on you re own Quot they told him. \ Quot what happened is i realized i was t _ really on my own i had god Quot he said Quot the next six months i had the most profound spiritual experience much More profound than after watergate Quot it became Clear he said that his work with people counselling them baptizing them performing their marriages Quot was More important than the White House. As soon As i realized that my depression lifted. As soon As i realized that god was at work in my Day to Day environment i got  he met his second wife Patti Middle. _ doctoral degree at his Columbus Church and they married 3 is years ago. A life has turned around Quot he said. Saturday december 8, 1990 the stars and stripes it kit Page 13