The record-union., 1896-03-04

was f1red tonight at Carnegie Music
Hall by the Board of Home Missions of
0he Presbyterian Church The an
houncement that President Cleveland
was to preside at the meeting was of it
Self sufficient to draw an immense au-
dlence TO the hall. The doors We're
opened at 7:15 O'Clock, but long before
that time the crowd began to gather
Five minutes after the doors We're
opened every seat in the immense hall
was filed.
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
public interest in the work of home mis-
slons, and to raise funds for completing
the payments on the new building Of
the society in Fifth avenue. The meet
ing tonight is the first of a series to be
held all over the United States
1t was exactly five minutes after S
O'Clock when President Cleveland ap-
peared on the platform. He was dressed
in black frock coat, and wore a
turned-down collar and a black tie
The moment the President was seen the
immense audience rose up and cheered
wildly for a few minutes.
There was another burst of applause
when the Rev. DR.. John Hall introduced
President Cleveland as the presiding
officer of the meeting III a brief speech.
DR.. 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 w-citi-
zens to the highest official position in
this United States, and one who has,
understand, some happy family associ-
ations with our Board of Home Mis-
sions. I have the pleasure, therefore,
by the direction of the Board of Home
Missions, and I count it an honorable
duty, to invite the President of the
United States to preside over our pres
ent 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
missionaries sufferings were loudly
cheered. He spoke as follows:
II 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 familiarity with
home missionary efforts are not newly
acquired. They early came to me in
the surroundings of a Christian Presby-
terian home, and were stimulated by a
fathers faithful labors in the cause
My early impressions are not how
ever, the only basis for the testimony
7 give tonight in favor of home mis-
sions. AS your fellow-citizen, I hope
in all things that deepen the religious
sentiment of our people and enlarge
Christian influences. / fully realize the
transcendant Importance of this agency
in its 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 oftthe home mis-
sions are rich trophies of successful en-
deavor
But It is not only as your fellow
citizen, but the chief executive officer of
your Government, that desire to speak,
for I am entirely certain that I serve
well our entire people. whose servant I
am, when 1 here testify to the benefit
our country has received through home
missionaries efforts. and when I join
you in an attempt to extend and
strengthen that effort.
mo one charged with the duties and
responsibilities which necessarily weigh
upon your Chief Executive can fail to
appreciate the Importance of religious
teaching and Christian endeavor in the
new settled portions of our vast do
main. It is there where hot and stub
born warfare between the forces of
good and evil is constantly invited. In
these sections the vanguard OF the oc-
ci,nation in new settlement is never
without its vicious and criminal ele-
nent. Gambling houses and dram
shops are frequently among the first
esta blishments in a new community
TT must also be confessed that re-
moval from old homes and associations
to a new and more primitive home has
u tendency among honest ana respect
able settlers to smother scrupies and
to breed liberation of evil and lndiffer-
ence TO Christianizing and elevating
agencies. The conditions, II unchecked
and uncorrected, fix upon the new COM
,,,,,nitv bv their growth and expansion
q character and disposition which,
1T.hile dangerous to peace and order in
tbe early stages of settlement, develop
into badly regulated municipalities,
corrupt and unsafe Territories and un-
fiesira BILE States. These are serious con-
siderations in a country where the peo-
Me good or bad. are its rulers. because
fbe conditions to which | have referred
would certainly menace, within a sec
ton constantly enlarging, the SAFETY
and welfare of the entire BODY polltic.
.aTbese churches and these religious
4ol,i,,rS were never more needed
nan now on our distant frontiers where
The process Of forming new States Is
Going on so rapidly. and where new
comers who are to be the citizens or
new States are so rapidly gathering on
the ground.
IF we turn from the op9ects OF nome
missionary labor to the situation OF
those actually toiling in distant helds
for Cod and humanity and purer'
better citizenship, our sympathy with
+heir work must be further qulekened'
and our sense of duty to them ana thelr
cause actively stimulated Inese are
the men and women VINO nave leIt
home and the association OF friends
1,nder the direction of organized ms
zion boards to teach Christianity In
rnarsely settled sections and to organ