The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-05-31
OUR pREsBYTEPlAy RULER.
Mr.. Cleveland Before the Two General AS
semblIes

interesting eplSOIS Iol Lue IIesuy.oilan
Assembly thus far occurred this afternoon
when the reception rendered Jointly to
the commissioners of the two General
Assemblies, North and South, by Mr..
and Mrs. Wister Norris, was held at their
residence at Overlook uear this city.
The President and Mrs. Cleveland
were guests of honor, and this fact caused
every member of the Assembly to brave
the dissgreeable weather aud board the
special train tha. started for Overlook
shortly before 3 o'clock this afternoon.
The members of the Southern Assembly,
some two hundred in number, arrived
about an hour later.
At the station they were met by tho
Rev. pr. henry G. Myrock, DR.. McIn-
tosh, District Attorney George S. Graham
aud John Wannamaker Of :his city.
They we're driven to Mr. Morris's
house, nearly a mile distant, and when
nearing the place were met by the Mod
orator, the Rev. DR.. Charles L. Thomp.
son, and other officers of the Northern
Assembly.
When DR.. Thompson and DR.. Bullock,
the venerable Moderator of the Southern
Assembly, greeted each other, there was
chorus of cheers, which we're renewed
when .ts visitors entered the grounds,
where the Presidet:: .nd Mrs. Cleveland,
the host and hostess, aid the commission
ers of the Northern Assembly we're wait.
ing to receive them. The latter stood in
double row with uncovered heads as the
! members passed up to the front Of the
portico where the exercises were to be
held, the venerable DR.. Brown, of Vir-
ginia, and the Southern Moderator, the
Rev. J. J. Bullock, D. D., of Washing
ton, coming 10 for special share of
applause. Congressman j. Randolph
Tucker, of Virginia, and Breckenridge, Of
Kentucky, were conspicuous among the
Southern lay commissioners and were
heartily recognized.
AS the President and Mrs. Cleveland
came out from the House to the portico
there was burst of cheering from the
big assemblage on the lawn. The rain
had ceased and the people stood with
bare heads. The President was accompa-
MED by the host, Mr.. Morris, the Rev.
Charles Wood, Moderators Thompson
and Bullock and other officers of the two
assemblies. Beside Mrs. Cleveland stood
Mrs. Morris, Mrs. Wood and Mrs.
Thompson. Mr.. Morris introduced the
President and Mrs. Cleveland in brief
address, and the President replied as fol-.
lows:
81 am very much gratifed by the
OPPORTUNITY here afforded me to meet
the representatives of the Presbyterian
Church. Surely a man should never
lose his interest in the welfare Of the
Church in which he was reared, and yet
1 will not find fault with any of you who
deem it sad confession made when l
acknowledge that / must now recall days
now long past to find my closest relation
to the grand and noble denomination
which you represent. I say this because
those of US who invite fealty to our
churches, as I did, began early to learn
those things which makes us Presbyterians
all the days Of our lives, and thus it is
that the rigors of our early teaching, by
which we are grounded in our lasting
allegiance, are especially vivid and per-
haps, best remembered. The attendance
upon church service three times each
Sunday and upon sabbath.sc school during
the noon intermission may be irksome
enough to boy of 10 or u years Of age
to be we'll fixed in his memory but |
have never known a man who regretted
these thing in the years of his maturity.
The shorter catechism though thoroughly
studied was not perhaps at times perfectly
understood, and yet in the stern labors
and duties of after life those are not apt
to be the worst citizens who were early
taught what is the chief end Of of man.
Speaking of these things and in
presence of those here assembled, the
most tender thoughts crowd from my
mind, all connected with Presbyterianism
and its teachings. There are present
with me now the memories of 8 kind and
afectionate father, consecrated to the
cause and called to his rest and his
reward in the midday of his usefulness,
the sacred recollection of the prayers and
pious love of sainted mother, family
circle, hallowed and sanctiied by the
spirit of Presbyterianism, I certainly
cannot but express the wish and hope
| that the Presbyterian Churcn Will
always be at the front in every movement
which promises the temporal as well as
spiritual advancement of mankind.
"In the turmoil and hustle of everyday
life few men are foolish enough to ignore
the practical value to our people and our
country of the church organizations
established among us, and the advantage
of Christian example and teaching
The field is vast and the work sufficient
to engage the efforts of every sect AID
denomination. But I am inclined to
believe that the Church which is most
tolerant and conservative, without loss OF
spiritual strength, will soonest find the
way to the hearts and affections of the
people. While we may be pardoned for
insisting that our denomination is the
best, we may, 1 think, safely concede
much that is good to all other churches
that seek to make men better.
II am here to greet the delegates Of
two General Assemblies of the Presbyte
rian Church. One is called North and