The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-03-07
FOR HOME MISSIONARY WORK
Efforts Of Presbyterians and Other
Creeds in This Direction OF
Vast Importance.

ment OF the Presbyterian church tool
place in Carnegie Music hall tonight
Inc Importance or the occasion was EN-
phasized by the appearance. as presid.
ing officer Of the meeting. of President
Cleveland. Every available seat in the
hall was taken. and an overflow meet
ing was held in the lower hall. When
PRESIDENT Cleveland appeared at s
O'Clock. accompanied by Rev. DIR. John
Hall. Of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian
church. he was received with tumult-
GUS applause. the whole audience ris-
Ing and waving handkerchiefs. When
the applause subsided DIR. Hall intro
duced President Cleveland as chair
man Of the meeting, whereupon the APP
plause was renewed again and again.
When the cheering had subsidized, Mr.
Cleveland said:
desire to express my appreciation
OF the privilege of participating in this
conference and Of the opportunity thus
afforded me of testifying to the values
and usefulness Of the work undertaken
by the board of home missions of the
Presbyterian church.
My interest in this subject and my
familiarity with home missionary effort
are not newly acquired. They early
~-s~A-S
Christian Presbyterian home, and were
stimulated by fathers faithful lab
Ors In the cause.
My early impressions are not, how
ever. the only basis of testimony T give
tonight in favor Of home missions AS
you fellow citizen. interested hope, in
all things that deepen the religious
sentiment Of our people and enlarges
Christian influence, I fully realize the
transcendent Importance Of this agency
In Its operation upon the hearts of men
Tor the salvation Of men. But it is as
the chief executive of your government
that desire to speak, for / am entirely
certain that serve well our entire peo-
pie, whose servant I am, when I here
testify to the benefits our country has
received through home missionary eff
Tort, and when join you in an attempt
TO extend and strengthen that effort.
No one charged with the duties and
responsibilities which necessarily weigh
upon your chief executive can fail to
appreciate the Importance of religious
teachings and Christian endeavor in
the newly settled portions of our vast
domain. It is 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 a new settlement is never without
Its vicious and criminal element. Gamb-
ling houses and dram shops are fire.
quently among the first establishments
In new community.
It must also be confessed that remov-
al from old homes and associations to
new and more primitive homes has a
tendency among honest and respecta-
bic settlers to smother scruples and
breed evil Indifference to Christianiz-
Ing and elevating agencies. These con-
ditiOns, If uncheckeI and uncorrected.
Tx 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 regu-
lated municipalities, corrupt and un-
safe territories and undesirable states.
These churches and this religious
teaching were never more needed than
now on our distant frontiers, where the
process of forming new states is going
on SO rapidly, and where newcomers
who are to be the citizens Of new states
are so rapidly gathering together"
Mr.. Cleveland referred feelingly to
the dangers that threaten American
missionaries in foreign lands.
After President Cleveland's address
q prayer was offered by Rev. w. c.
Roberts, secretary of the board OF
home missions.
Rev. DR.. Sheldon Jackson. superin-