Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-03-20
CLEVELAND AND RELIGION.
Grntified by the Prayers OF the
PIous, Hut Hating Everything
Like Hypocrisy.

Washington Letter to Pittsburg Leader.l
"a very large per cent. of the people
throughout the country seem to be bent
on evangelizing President Cleveland"
observed one of the Chief Executives
most intimate friends to-day. "Mr.
Cleveland was telling me the other day
that he sometimes thought there was an
impression in the minds of too many good
| folks that he presented rare opportunity
for the missionaries. | asked him why |
| he thought so and he laughingly replied: |
'Oh, if the advice given me was con-
centrated on Africa, it would civilize |
and Chrstianize that whole wild and |
wicked and dark country l had !
| to laugh, for there was so much serious
ness and yet dry humor in it all. Cleve-
land realizes, us he is reminded so
often and SO forcibly, that in a certain
way he sets an example to the world, but
it worries him little, | can see, to be
told by hundreds OF people, sometimes in
one week, that he ought to let his light
shine, etc. He believes that these peo-
Pile must think he is very wicked, or else
that he is the spiritual guardian of fifty
million of people. Speaking of this point
he said to me: "a President or King or
other high and national officer should
recognize the supreme power in every act
A man or woman should never get so ex-
alted as to fail to do this. Now, few public
men have as little opportunity to dissent
nate personal views as / have. If were
ever SO anxious to make people believe 1
was the embodiment OF goodness, it
would be uphill work to create that i'm
preston, for President cannot cry his
wares from the housetops. If this advice
about being Christian and all that,
coming in every form and from every
direction, is for my own guidance, very
well. If it is to change the general course
OF my public career, it is ill given. One
e thing / am bound shall never be made
: the charge that l was a hypocrite. | like
Christians; they are the salt of the
:, earth. a hypocrite, to my mind, is the
basest of sinners"
| "The President must be little ANNOYED
q by these opportunities, is he not?"
. asked. mot in the least. On the con-
= trary, he is gratifed for the interest shown
c in him, if it is respectfully shown. He
e doesn't seem to comprehend the fact
v that all Presidents have had to withstand
the ordeal. The letters he receives are
, not the only evidence given him OF a de-
/ sire that he shall be moral man. 1ou
c would be surprised how many Christian
d people breathe an audible prayer for him
!. however, when they grasp his hand, and i
. all has very perceptible effect upon MIR
. Cleveland, for he said he didn't think an,
man or woman with sense and a hear
is could fail to be affected by the prayers o
> an earnest people, when lie or she knew
they were so constantly delivered. 1T il
J. something like love in its physical effect,
n said Mr.. Cleveland one day. Now,
'. one is very earnestly and sincerely lovet
Va that affection is sure, ii kept up and dem
- onstrated, to have its way, unles
oi the sutor is absolutely offensive. TIL
at mere fact that so much confidenc
is and affection is persstently bestowe
90 will touch heart of stone. So the in
w tense interest shown by SO many in
+ mans spiritual welfare must eventual
ne touch him, if he thinks. And the ma
he or woman who cannot be reached by tn
M prayers of nation is strange being ir
~, deed" "In his private life do yo
hu think the President observes any standar
de OF Christianity" eyes, he does
he In all my intercourse with hir
ra l do not remember to have heard hiI
~. say anything improper. He sometime
oi becomes very much perplexed, but Ii
doesn't swear about it, Mr.. Clevelan
believes that honor between man an
man is the foundation of Christianity
that unless one tells the truth and pay
Ter his dues he can lay no claim to morality.