Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-16
in A NOVEL ROLE.
General Harrison Presides at q
Missionary Meeting.
PUTS IN A PLEA FOB HIS CHURCH

Declares That She Stands - Rock Against
Agnosticism and for Liberty and Educa-
ton, and Denies That She Il Illiberal-
General Foster Talks Of the Results Of
Christianity In India and Elsewhere
"Yather" Clarke's Remarks.
NEW YORK, Nov. i16-The Carnegie
Music hall was filed last night with q
great crowd Of Presbyterians interested in
foreign missions. The platform was occu
pied principally by ministers, among them
being DR.. John Hall, Rev. Dr. Delafleld,
Rev. Charles E. Thompson and Rev. DR..
John B. Shaw. The announcement that
ex-President Harrison was to preside
proved q great attraction. When the ex-
president arrived he was heartily ap-
plauded. The Hon. John w. Foster, ex-
secretary Of state, and also on the plat
form. Rev. John R. Davis acted as chair
man and introduced ex.President Harri-
son as "a great and good man." General
Harrison began his speech by saying that
the Presbyterian church had been greatly
celebrated for its power of resistance.
Praise for the Presbyterian Church. .
1t had stood fast for love and liberty; it
had stood fast for education; it had been
in the United States the pioneer Of educa-
ton; it had stood for the highest scholar.
ship, and it had stood against that pseudo
altruistic philosophy that from the study
Of Gods works finds there is no God, and
from the study of His word that He has
given US no word. He continued: sit
hos TN fr,
this doctrine and has stood with the stiff
ness of steel beam for the faith delivered
| by the fathers, and it still stands for the
essential doctrine of the inspired word.
Says It Is Not Illiberal.
ut is not an illiberal church. No body
Of Christians in the world opens its arms
wider or more lovingly to all who love
the Master. 1t is catholic in its sympa.
thy and in its cooperation with the
churches. The missionary spirit is in.
herent in Christianity and we meet here
tonight in this meeting which eliminates
| our efforts to take counsel as Presby'
| terians as to how we can advance the
cause of foreign missions. have some.
times in missionary meetings heard speak
ers talk about the needs Of the board
That seems to me very much like the man
whose grocery bills are not paid and who
will talk about the needs of his butler.
| What We Are Here For.
1--WE are not here to talk about the needs
Of the board, but our needs-the needs Of
the church and the needs of the world. We
are here to summon you to the duties
which your church membership implies
and which implies much more when you
consider the great head of the church.
think may say to you, "Hold fast tbs
good doctrine, not the shepherd" The
next speaker was the Hon. John w. Eos
ter, ex-seretary of state, who spoke of the
condition Of the Christian propaganda in
India, China and Japan, and declared
that when compared with their condition
before Christianity was introduced those
countries were vastly improved.
Moral Reform Is of Christianity.
Referring to India he said that the grca,
moral and social reforms were the direct
result of the introduction of the gospel
among which were the prohibition o.
human sacrifice and torture in the religion.
rites, the burning of widows, the killing
Of female children, reform as to chile
marriage, the establishment Of schools ant
colleges. the zeal for education, and tn,
awakened interest of the Brahmins for
qualification and reform in their own nc
ligion. Referring to China General Eos
ter reiterated that the Chinese govern
ment had shown q greater readiness {,
punish the offenders and repair the losse
resulting from fanatical rioters than wa
lcvinced by our authorities when riot
against the Chinese had occurred in thu
United States.
What Is Wanted Il Money.
Rev. F. b. Clarke, d. D., president o
the United Societies of Christian Endeay
or, delivered an address declaring tina
Christianity was making Roadway in ever,
country where missions were maintained
even with the Turks. Hundreds of younI
people are Offering themselves to the mis-
sionary boards, he said, who for lack o
money cannot be sent. 1t might also b
said that there was a limitless supply o
young men and women in these day
moved by the limitless power Of the spiri
of God to meet the limitless need of tn
| hoo thor, xx-orld nd ho rrood tho oh, cbo