, 1885-03-22
MISS CLEVELAND
Her Rare Literary Attachments And
Thoughtful Character.
From the Evangelist, June 2s. 1888.


From the Evangelist, June %. 1881
The great address of the commence
ment lat Elmira Female College was that
before the alumne, by Miss Elizabeth
Cleveland, sister Of Gov. Cleveland.
This was so good that we give your read
ers a full abstract. She somewhat resem-
bles Anna Dickinson in looks, but her de-
livery was very effective. Her subject
was "Altruistic Faith and for her illus
tration Of this she took Chedidja, the first
wife OF Mohammed, who was rich, a wild
ow, and much older than he when she
married him. When asked why he did
notin later years put her away and take a
younger wife, he replied he loved her best
because she believed in him when all men
desplsed him. This is the fervent e~ffectual
faith OF one soul in another. 1t was her
faith that wrought out Mohammed. There
IS faith In God, In self, andhn humanity.
The first produces the others. Give this
full growth and the others will have full
sweep. Our creed should be enlarged to
add to Il believe in God, the Father, =
l believe In myself or in you. This three
fold faith should be taught.
Faith IN Others ls faith in humanity,
trst In the abstract and second in the con
crete. The first is that general altitude
OF MIN which Is hopeful and expectanl
OF humanity. 1t looks to a goal of final
good. 1t is not pessimistic. 1t believes
that life IS worth living infinitely and inf
nltely worth saving. But it must not
stop with the abstract. Life is laid out
In definite door yards. A whole milky
way OF generaiities may not give a rush
light to any human being. 1t must
touch humanity in the individual if for
good 1t must look into almshouses and
asylums and prisons and the darkness of
the cities night.
The faith which believes IN another
does not require negatively. first, that its
professor be a female, yet 1t is ofteneI
found In a woman than a man. Men be-
lleve IN themselves and are occupied With
themselves Second, this is not lnsepera-
BILE from the bonds of matrimony. But
she would have a woman moderately
married. She need not be a but
tonhole bouquet to a man, nor be dead in
owe with lin. They may have faith IN
each other. Third, 1t Is not hero worship;
1t will serve but not worship. 1t believes
that he can be n do n thing. This
was illustrated by Mrs- Carlyle. Chedidja
believed IN Mohammed. Afirmatively,
thus faith IS that faculty of mind, by
which one dlscrlmlnates what l am good
Tor and best Tor 1t sees that this, and
no other, IS your way. 1t discerns the
ordinary M the extraordinary IN you. 1t
divlnes you 1t appreciates you, whence
this talthI 1t IS III gift OF God. Chedidja
IS a Theodore. Miss Cleveland did not
believe in self-made men.
There IS at least one Chedidja in every
lie. Your faith will at times need
the support of another This will be
when all men despise you and you depise
yourself. You will have much hunger
and thirst, and will crave wealth and
booI,h and agoo,;on b., - -.
"eAi." anu anec'ion' Ou. your keenest
craving Will De Tor recognition to do some
thing, to be somebody, to accomplish
something, to do a good piece of work. 10
W Jun Des@ IL "Ay Do ao nouseAeep-