Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-04
THE PRESIDENT PRESIDED
NJ. Cleveland Speaks in New York on
Home Missions.
DR.. TalmaEe Delivers n Stirring Adj
dress-Liberal Contributions by the
AxsembinEe-Over Meeting.

When President Cleveland appeared at
the Presbyterian home mission meeting
in Carnegie Hall, New York, last even
ing, accompanied by Rev. DR.. John Hall
of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
he was received with great applause, the
whole audience rising and waving hand
kerchiefs
When the applause had subsidized DR..
Hall introduced President Cleveland as
chairman of the meeting, whereupon the
applause was renewed again and again.
The Presidents Remarks.
When the cheering had subsidized Mr..
Cleveland said:
Il desire to express my appreciation 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
be srd of home missions of the Presbyterian
Church.
My interest in the subject and my IA
miliarity with home missionary effort are
not newly acquired. They early came to
me in the surroundings of a Christian Pres
byterian home. and We're stimulated by
a fathers fait, ful labors in the cause
My early impressions are not. however,
the only basis of the testimony 1 give to-
night in favor of home missions. AS your
fellow citizen, interested, l hope, in all
things that deepen the religious sentiment
of our people and enlarge Christian infiu-
ence, l fully realize the transcendent inn
portance 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 of our home
missions are rich trophies of successful
endeavor.
Benefit to the Country.
But it is not only as your fellow-citizen,
but fhn f.f 80
government, that desire to speak, for l
am entirely certain that 1 serve well our
entire people, whose servant 1 am, when
L here testify to the benefit our country
has received through home missionary
effort, and when I join you in an attempt
to extend and strengthen that effort.
NO one charged with the duties and re-
sponsibi!ities which necessarily weigh upon
your chief executive can fail to appreciate
the importance of religious teaching and
Christian endeavor in the newly-settled
portion of our vast domains. 1t Is there
where hot and stubborn warfare between
the forces of good and evil Is constantly
invited. In these days the vanguard of
occupation in settlement is never without
Its vicious and criminal element Gambling
houses and dram shops are frequently
among the first establishments in new
community. 1t must also be confessed that
removal from old homes and associations
to new and more primitive home has a
tendency among honest and respectable
settlers to smother scruples. and TO breed
federation of evil and Indifference to Chris
thanking and elevating agencies. These con-
ditions, If unchecked and uncorrected, fix
upon the new community by their growth
and expansion a character and disposition
which, while dangerous to peace and order
In the early stages of settlement, develop
INTO badly regulated municipalities, corrupt
and unsafe territories and undesirable
states. These are serious considerations
in country where the people, good or
bad, are its rulers, because the conditions
to which I have referred would certainly
menace, within a circle constantly enlarg-
ing, the safety and welfare of the entire
churches and religious teaching would from
the first be on the ground to oppose the
evil influences that are apt to pervade the
beginning Of organized communi ties
'"These churches and this religious teach
ing were never more needed than now on
our distant frontiers, where the process
of forming new states is going on SO rap
idly, and where newcomers who are to be
citizens of new states are SO rapidly gath
ering together.
Need of Proper Support.
For these instrumentali:ies at the out
posts Of our population, SO vitality import
ant in the view of Christian men, as well
as patriotic citizens, we must depend to a
very great extent on home missionary ex-
ertion. How can we excuse ourselves II
we permit this exertion to languish for
the lack Of proper support?
If we turn from the objects OF home
missionary labor TO the situation of those
aaflfalIv tnf13y1r In distant <olds Ro~ Ca