The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-04

NEW YORK, March 3.-One of the most
important meetings held in recent years
in favor Of home missions WAS that
which took place in Carnegie Music
Hall to- night. The Importance OF the
occasion was emphasized by the appear.
ance as presiding officer of the meeting
of Presidents Cleveland. Every availa-
BILE spot in tho hall was crowded and On
overnow meeting WAS held in the lower
hall.
The platform was crowded with prom.
inent ministers and lsymen of the Pres.
byterisn Church.
When President Cleveland appeared
st 8 O'Clock accompanied by Rev. DR..
John Hall, OF the Fifth Avenue Presby-
terrain Church, he WAS received with tu-
multuous applause, the whole audience
rising and waving their hRndkerchiefs.
When the applause had subsidized DR..
Hall introduced President Cleveland as
chairman of the meeting, whereupon
the applause was renewed again and
again. When the cheering had sub.
sided MI Cleveland arose and said:
II desire to express ny appreci-
alton OF the privilege OF partici-
psting in this conference and of
the opportunity thus afforded me of
testifying to the value and usefulness
OF the work undertaken by the board of
home missions Of the the Presbyterian
Church.
my interest in this subject and nv
familiarity with home missionary fforts
are not newly acquired They early
came TO me in the surroundings of q
christian Presbyterian homo and we're
stimulated by q fathers faithful labors
in the cause.
my early Impressions are not, how
ever, the only basis OF the testimony ]
give tonight in favor OF home missions.
As your fellow citizen, interested hope
III all tninKo tnat deepen sne religious
sentiment OF our people and enlarge
Christian influence, fully realize the
transcendent Importance of this agency
In itn operation upon the hearts of men
for the salvation of their souls. The
long roster OF those who have been led
into the way OF righteousness through
the instrumentality of our home mis-
stons are rich trophies Of successful en-
deavor.
but 1t Ia not only as your fellow
citizen, but az the chief executive
officer OF your government that desire
to speak for am entirely certain that
| serve we'll our entire people, whose
servant l am, when here testify to the
benefit our country received through
home missionary efforts and which 1
join you In an attempt to strengthen,
mo one charged with the duties and
responsibilities which necessarily weigh
upon your chief executive can fail to
appre ciate the importance of religious
teaching and Christian endeavor in the
newly settled portions Of our vast do
main. 1t 1s there where hot and Stub
born warfare between the forces Of good
and evil is constantly invited. In these
days the vanguard Of occupation in
new settlement Is never without its
victims and criminal element. Gamb.
ling houses and dram shops are fre-
quently among the frat Establishments
in 8 new community.
ut must also be confessed thetremoval
from old homes and associations to a
new and more primitive home has q
tendency among honest and respectable
settlers to smother scruples and to
breed liberation of evils and indiffer-
ence to Christianiztng and elevsting
agencies. These conditions If unchecked
and uncorrected fix upon the new com
munity by their growth end expansion
o character and disposition which, while
dangerous 70 peace and order in the
early ssaRes OF settlement develop into
badly regulated municipalities, corrupt
and unsafe territories, and undesirable
states.
These are serious conseq in a
country where the people, good or bad,
are fts rulers, because the conditions to
which have referred would certainly
menace. within q circle constantly en-.
larging, the safety and welfsre OF the
entire body polite, If we could not hope
that churches and religious teachinR
would from the first be on the ground to
oppose evil influences that are apt to
psrvade the beginning OF organized com
mnnitiee.
"These churches and this religious
teaching were never more needed than
now on our distant frontiers, where the