Leasing the White House

“You are of your father the devil… When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” [John 8:44]

President Bill Clinton was once accused of renting out White House rooms in exchange for campaign contributions. That was nothing compared to Arthur Furguson’s enterprise. He leased the entire building. Arthur Furguson was a dapper little Scotsman, always with immaculate dress and charming manner. He began his illustrious career in the roaring ’20s as a small-time scam artist working the streets of London, but by the time he arrived in America in 1925 he was a con man without peer.

In one summer in London he managed to sell American tourists Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, with the lions, for $30,000; he sold Big Ben for a bargain price of $5,000; and accepted a $10,000 down payment for Buckingham Palace. While visiting Paris, he even managed to sell the Eiffel Tower for scrap at an unknown price to yet another American. At this point, Scotland Yard detectives were hot on his heels, so naturally Furguson boarded a ship for America.

Arthur Furguson had only been in Washington briefly when, posing as a government official, he managed to lease the White House to a cattle rancher for 99 years at a cost of $100,000 per year. Furguson told the believing rancher they were going to build a bigger residence for the president closer to the Capitol Building. Furguson convinced the rancher that income from tours of the old White House would bring a handsome profit. Naturally, the first $100,000 was due in advance. When the deal was consummated, Furguson quickly caught a train to New York City with a bag full of money, leaving it to the government officials to explain that the White House was not available for lease.

Did you know the Bible tells about an even bigger con artist who tried to sell the whole world? The Bible says, “Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”’ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him” (Matthew 4:8-11).