The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-04
PRESIDENT As MISSIONARY
Delivers an Address at Carneqie
Hall.
REMARKS APPLAUDED
The Immense Hall Is Packed with au
Audience OF 5000 psopIe-cars-
full Review Of the Mis-
SiOnary Field.


New York. March 3.-President
Cleveland presided ut a meeting to-
night at Carnegie Music hall of the
board of home missions of the Presby
terian church. The meeting was the
first of q series to be held over the
United States to stir up public interest
In home mission work and to raise funds
for completing the payments on the
new building of the society on Fifth
avenue. The immense hall was packed
with 5000 people, and the meeting was
very enthusiastic. President Cleve-
lands address was brief and he dwelt
upon the value tC the country of the
work of home missions.
Rev. DR.. John Hall, in Introducing
the president. said:
My Christian friends: We have with
us here one who has been twice called
by the voice Of his fellow-citizens to
the highest official position in this
United states and one who has. i un-
derstand. some happy family associa-
tions with our board of home missions
l have the pleasure, therefore. by the
direction OF the board of home mis-
sons, and count it an honorable duty
To invite the president of the United
States to preside over our present
meeting"
President Cleveland then came for
ward He was received very warmly
but the cheering was by no means bois-
terous. His remarks were as follows:
CLENELAND'S ADDRESS.
desire TO express my apprecia ton of
the privilege of participating In this con-
ference and of the opportunity thus af-
fOrded me Of testifying to the value and
usefulness of the work undertaken by the
Board of Home Missions of the Presby-
terian church.
My interest in this subject and my IA
miliarity with home missionary efforts are
not newly acquired. They early came TO
me in the surroundings of u Christian
presbyterian home, and were stimulated
by "A fathers faithful abors In the cause.
My early impressions are not. however.
the only basis Of the testimony | give to-
mig Int in favor of home missions. As your
fellow citizen, Interested, I hope, i'm ali
things That deepen the religious senti-
ment OF our people and enlarge Christian
influence. fully realize the transcendent
Importance OF this agency In It's opera
ton upon the hearts of men for the saliva
tion of their souls. The long roster of
those who have beer led into the way Of
righteousness through the instrumentallty
of our home missions are rich trophies Of
successful endeavor.
BUT 1t Is not only as your fellow citizen,
but as the chief executive officer of your
government that | desire to speak. for
| am entirely certain that serve we'll
our entire people. whose servant I am,
when l here testify to the benefit our
country has rceivsd through home mis-
sonary EFFORT, and when | join You in
an attempt to extend and strengthen that
effort.
No one charged with the duties and re-
sponsibilites which necessarily weigh
upon your chief executive can fail to ap-
precia:e the Importance of religious teach
ing and Christia endeavor In the newly
settled portions Of our vast domain. Ii is
there where hot and stubborn warfare
hptA an fhn fnl nf III md
stantly invited In these days the van
guard of occupation in "a new settlement
Is never without its vicious and criminal
element. Gambling houses and dram
shops are frequently among the first es-
Establishments in a new community. 1t
might also be confessed that movai from
old homes and associations to a new and
more primitive home has tendency
among honest and respectable set tiers to
smother scruples, and to breed toleration
of evil and Indifference to Christi nizing
and elevating agencies. These conditions,
II unchecked ana uncorrected, fix upon
the new community by their growth and
expansion a character and disposition
which. while dangerous to peacesand or
der lin the early stages OF settlement, de-
velop into badly regulated municipalities.
corrupt and unsafe territories, and un-
desirable states. These are serious con-
sderations in a country where the people.
good or bad, are its rulers, because the
conditions to which have referred would
certainly menace. within a circle constant
ly enlarging, the safety and welfare of the
entire body, polite, II we could not hope
that churches and religious eachings
would from the first be on the ground to
oppose the evil influences that are apt to
pervade the beginning Of organized COM
munitteS.
ing We're never more needed than now on
our distant frontiers, where the process
Of forming new states Ia going on so rap
idly. and where newcomers who are. to he
elf nf mas StatH anil
gathering together.
For these instrume ntalities that the out
posts OF our population so vitality impOr-
tant in the view OF Christian men as
pend to q very great extent on home mis-
sonary exertion. How can we excuse our
selves II we permit this eNertion to Ian
guish for the lack Of support?
If we turn from the objects of home mis-
sionary labor to the situation OF those
actually toiling in distant fields. for God
and humanity and purer. better citi-
zenship. our sympathy with their work
must be further stimulated. These are the
men and women who have left home and
the association of friends under the III
rection of organized mission boards 10
teach Christianity in sparsely settled seq
tions and to organize churches where none
exist, enduring discomfort. hardship, pow
erty and danger for the sake OF cause
to which in "a very comfortable and mex
pensive way We profess TO be attached.
These are our soldiers at the front, fight
ing our battles: and We, which are at
home. cannot escape the duty of provid-
ing for them and reinforcing them in
every way II We are TO continue them in
our service.
Our hearts have recently beeen pro-
foundly stirred BY the dangers that threat
EN- the devoted men and women who have
gone from among us to preach and teach
Christ ianity i'm foreign land. Our SYM
pathy with them and those with whom
they labor and suffer IL made more painful
because the arm of complete relief has not
thus far been able to reach them. Our
missionary impulse should be large
enough for both.
While we will not turn away from them
nor allow encouragement to destroy ac-
tivity in their behalf. let US not forget the
missionaries in our own land. who need
our aid. TO whom we owe duty, and who
can be reached.
1t seems to me that II the Christian
people of our land estimate at it's real
value the work which the board of home
missions has In charge. and IL they can
be made to realize it's extreme Importance
the means to carry on and extend this
work will be easier: and / hope that such
an unusual interest may be aroused in
behalf of the cause, by the movement of
which this meeting is a part. as will sug-
gest to many heretofore Indifferent. that
among the most comforting OF their pos
sessions will be a share in the triumphs
and achievements OF home missions.