The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-04
The Chief Executive of the Nation Richly
Entertains Many Christian Workers.
WORDS FULL OF LOVE AND PATRIOTISM.
MF. Cleveland Displays Remarkable
Familiarity with Church Work
Pays Beautiful and TouchinG
Tribute to Foreign Missionaries
The Mammoth Music Hall Filled.

r
of a big home mission campaign was
fired tonight at Carnegie Music Hall
by the Board of Home Missions OF the
Presbyterian Church
The announcement that President
Cleveland was to pre3 1e ut the meeting
was of itself sufficient to dIaw an IN
Inense audience to the hall. The doors
were opened at 7:15 o'clock, hut long
before that time the crowd began to
gather. Five minutes after the doors
were opened every S1nt III the Immense
hall was filled.
The audience was very enthusiastic
one and the remarks of the various
speakers were cheered to the echo. The
object of the rally was TO stir up pub
lie interest in the work of home mis-
sion and to raise funds for completing
the payments on the new building of
the society In Fifth avenue. The meet
ing tonight lis the first of a series TO be
held all over the United States.
IT was exactly five minutes after s
O'Clock when President Cleveland ap-
pearcd on the platform. He was dress
ed In a black frocls coat and wore a
turned down collar and q black tie
The moment the President was seen
the immense audience rose up and cheer
cd wildly for Il few minutes. There
was another burst of applause when the
Rev. Dir. John Hail. introduced Prcsi-
of the meeting I'm brief speech. pr.
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 the United
States and one who has. ! understand,
some happy Family associations with
our Board of Home Missions. have
the pleasure. therefore, by the direction
OF the Board of Home Missions. and I
count II an honorable duty, to invite the
President OF the United States TO pre-
side over our present meeting"
President Cleveland then came for
ward. He was received very warmly,
but the cheering was by no means bois-
ferrous. His remarks on the foreign mis-
sionarics sufferings were loudly chez, ed.
He spoke as follows:
81 desire TO express my appreciation
of the privilege of participating 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
Presbyterian Church.
My interest in this subject and my ia :
miliartty with homo missionary efforts
are not newly acquired. They early
came to me In the surroundings of a
Christian Presbyterian home, and were
stimulated by fathers faithful labors
In the cause.
My early Impressions are not, how
ever. the only basis of the testimony I
give Tonight In favor of home missions
AS Your fellow citizen. Interested.
hope. in all things that deepen the reli-
gious sentiment of our people and en-
large Christian influence l fully realize
the transcendent Importance of this
agency In It's operation upon the hearts
or men for the salvation of their souls
,fhe long roster of those who have been
led into the way of righteousness
through the instrumentalty OF our mis-
sions are rich trophies OF successful
endeavor.
No one charged with the duties and
responsibilities which necessarily weigh
upon your Chief Executive. can fail 10
appreciate the importance OF religious
teachtnS and Christian cndeayor in the
newly settled portions OF our vast do
main II is where hot and stubborn
warfare between the forces of good and
evil Is constantly invited. In these duys
the vanguard of occupation in n new set
Element Is never without its vicious and
criminal element. Gambling houses and
dram shops are frequently among the
nrSt establishments in new community
II must be confessed that removal from
old homes and old association to now
and more primitive home has n tendency
among honest and respectable settlers
~ anu 10 breed tOla-
ration OF evil and indifference to Chrls-
tianizng and elevating agencies. These
conditions If unchecked and incorrected
fix upon the new community by their
growth and expansion character and
disposition which while dangerous TO
peace and order in the early stages of
settlement. develop into badly regulated
municipalities. corrupt and unsafe terri
tories, and undesirable States. CHEERS.
These are serious considerations 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 constantly enlarg-
ing. the safety and welfare Of the entire
nody polite, If we could not hone that
churches and religious teaching would
from the first be on the ground 10 oppose
eVii influences that are apt to pervade
the beginning of organized communities
II we turn from the objects of home
missionary labor TO the situation OF those
actually toiling in distar. fields. for
God ana humanity and d purer, better.
citizenship. our sympathy with their
WORK must be further Quickcncd and
our sense of duty to them and their cause
actively stimulated
TheSe are the men and women who
nave left home and the association of
friends under the direction of organized
1rNN.