The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-05
FAv0Rs HOME MISSIONS
The Chief Executive Of the Hatisn Richly
Entartains Many Christian Workers.
WORDS FULL OF LOVE AHO PATRIOTISM.
Mr. Cleveland Displays Remarkable
Familiarity with Chmrct work.
PAYS Hcnufirui nuI Touching
Ia Foreign Missionaries
The Mammoth Music Hall TiIIed.

New York. March 3.-rhe opening gun
OF II big home mission VIA
Hired Tonight ut Carnegie Musir Hall
ny the Board OF Home Missions ar Tho
Presbyterian Church.
The announcement that president
cleveland was 10 prrai Il. at tho mertIrt
was of Itself sufficient 10 draw an ma
iicHse audience 10 the hall. Tho doors
We're opened ut 7:l1 o'clock, but lui,g
before that time the crowd began 10
Either. Fiv minutes after the doors
We're opened every sea-. IN the Immense
hall was illlcd.
me nudlcfc" was Il very enthusiastic
one ana tho rcninrks OF the various
~SItSkcf were clpprrd la The echo. The
object OF the rally wns Ia stir IN ,nll-
ne interest In the wrr.: Vi home mis-
SION and to raise funds for completing
me Payments on tile new buildin. az
the society In Fifth =. 'Anu". rbr meet
,hs t"-night Is the first Of II series TO lie
held all over the United States.
II YVES exactly five minutes after &
O'clock when President Cleveland al,-
pearcd on the platform. II, was drc%s-
ci IN - black frock coat lrl wore II.
turned down collar and IL black tic.
tn" "mc the President was sccn
the immense audience rose up nill cheer
''''' ~ " t'' y Z lss'.t
was another burst OF applause When liz,
, iieN. Or. John Hall. introduced prcsi-
don; Cleveland ny the presiding officer
% The meeting In II brief speech. nr.
iihll IN introducing the F~rpsircn,. said:
My Christian friends. We have will.
US here one who has been twice called
Nv tho voice of his fellow citizens 10
the highest official porition In tho united
Stntcs and one who has. | understand
some happy family associations with
our fi"ard Of Home Missions. have
the pleasure, therefore. hv tn" direction
Of IN" iioard Of lone Missions. aud
court II Al honorable u:y to invite the
PRECEDENT Of the United ita,c. To pre-.
SID OrrF nur present meeting"
President Cleveland then came for
ward. He was received very warmly
hut til" cheering was 'br no m"l;is bois
ferrous. His remarks on the foreign mis-
;~slonarica SuffcrinES were loudly cht.!ci
He spoke as follows:
81 desire 20 express my appreciation
Of the privilege nf participating In tni.
conference aud OF the opportunities thu.
afforded mo Of testifying To the valu,
and usefulness Of the work undertukrr
by the Roard or Homo Missions OF m,
Presbyterian Church.
MY Interest in this subject and my ia
miliarity with home missionary efforts
are not newly acquired. They earl,
came To me In The surroundings of q
Christian Presbyterian home. nnd wrr,
stimulated by ii fathers faithful labor:
THESE are serious considerations In n
country where the people. good or bad
are lis rulers. because the conditions Ia
which ] have referred would certainly
menace within - circle constantly enIarg-
Ing, the safety ara welfare of the entire
buly polite. if we could not hopc that
chuTches ana religious teaching would
from the FIRST br on the ground To oppose
evil influences that :;Ic apt TO pervada
the beginning of organized communities
IF we turn from the objects of home
missionary labor TO the situation OF those
actually toiiins in Instant fields. FOR
Goo and humanity and a purcr. better,
citizenship. our sympathy with their
work must be further pu!ckeued and
ol!r sense OF duty Ia tiem and their cause
actively stimulated.
These are the men ana women who
have left home and the association of
friends unde: the direction Of organized
mission boards to teach Christianity I'm
sparscly settled sections. and to organize
churches where non" nxiSt. nrFn"iu.
discomfort. hardship, poverty and dan
ger for the Sakc o: a cause 10 w....n
In a very comfortable and inexpensive
way wc profess Ia he attached. T"ne"
are our soldiers at the front, fighting
our battles, ana Wc VINO StaJ a. none
cannot cscar" The duty Of providing for
them aad reinforcing them In every
way IL wc are to continue them In our
service.
IL seems to me that If the Christian
people of our land estimate at IL, real
v2lue the work which the hoard OF
Home Missions has in charge. and Il
they can he made to realize IL. extreme
Importance, the means 10 carry on and
extend this work will he easily forth
coming; and ! hope that such an unusual
interest may be aroused In behalf nf
the cause, by IN" movement Of which
ms meeting IS a part. as Will suggest to
many heretofore Indifferent. that among
t.i' inpst comforting OF their possessions
viii he u share IN the triuinphs ana
achievements of home missions"