Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-03-07
HOME MISSIONS.
Presid ent Cleveland Presides at q
Presbyterian Meeting.
THE ADDRESS THE PRESIDENT MADE.
He Upholds the Importance of Religious
Teachings in Newly Settled Places
Foreign Missionaries Also TOM
mendEd-The other Orators.

NEW YORK, March 4-One of the
most important meetings held in recent
years in favor of the home mission
movement of the Presbyterian church
was that which took place in Carnegie
Music hall last night. The Importance
of the occasion was emphasized by the
appearance as presiding officer of the
meeting of President Cleveland. The
platform was crowded with prominent
ministers and laymen of the Presby-
terian church. When President Cleve-
land appeared at o'clock he was re-
ceived with tumultuous applause, the
whole audience rising and waving
handkerchiefs. DR.. Hall introduced
the president as chairman of the meet
ing and Mr.. Cleveland said:
I desire to express my appreciation of the
privilege of participating in this conference
and of the opportunity thus afforded me of tes-
t1fy1ng to the value and usefulness of the work
undertaken by the board of home missions of
the Presbyterian church. Ny interest in this
subject and my familiarity with home mission
airy efforts are not newly acquired. They early
came to me in the surroundings of Christian
Presbyterian home, and were stimulated by
fathers faithful labor in the cause.
But it is not only as your fellow-citiZen, but
as the chief executive of your government that
1 desire to speak, for I am entirely certain
that 1 serve well our entire people, whose
servant am. when here testify to the bene-
fit our country has received through home mis-
Slonary effort. and when join in an attempt
to extend and strengthen that effort. No one
charged with the duties and responsibilities
which necessarily weigh upon your chief exec
utive can fail to appreciate the impor-
lance of religious teachings and Christian
endeavor in the newly-Settled portions of
our vast domain 1t is there where
hot and stubborn warfare between
the forces of good and evil is constantly invit-
ed In these days the vanguard of occupation
in new settlement is never without its
vicious and criminal element Gambling
houses and dramshopS are frequently among
the first establishments in community.
1t must also be confessed that removal from
old homes and associations to and more
primitive homes has a tendency among honest
and respectable settlers to smother scruples
and breed evil Indifference to ChriStianizing
and elevating agencies.
These conditions, if unchecked and uncor
rected, fix upon the new community by their
growth and expansion a character and DISPOSE
ton 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 ia a country
where the people. good or bad, are its rulers,
because the conditions to which 1 have
ferred would certainly menace within a circle.
constantly charging, the safety and welfare
OF the entire body polite, II we could not hope
that churches and religious teaching would
from the first be on the ground to oppose the
evil influences that are apt to pervade the be-
ginning of organized communities.
If we turn from the objects of home mission
airy labor to the situation Of those actually
toiling. in distant fields, for God and humanity
and purer, better citizenship, our sympathy
with their work must be futher quickened and
our sense of duty to them and their cause ac-
lively stimulated. They are the men and
women who have left home and the association
of friends, under the direction Of organized
mission boards. to teach ChristianitJ in
sparSely settled sections and to organize
churches where none exist. enduring diScom-
fort hardships, poverty and danger for the
sake of q cause to which in very comfortable
and inexpensive way we profess to be attached.
These are our soldiers ut the front, fighting
our battles; and we who say at home cannot
escape the duty of providing for them in every
way, if we are to continue them in our service.
It seems % me if the Christian people of our
land eSti q at its real value the work which
the board home missions has in charge, and
if they be made to realize its extreme inn
portance, the means to carry on and extend
this work will be equally forthcoming. and
hope such unusual interest may be aroused
in behalf of the cause, by the movement of
which this meeting is part, as will suggest to
many heretofore Indifferent among the most
comforting of their possessions will be share
in the triumphS and achievements of home
missions.
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage and Booker
T. Washington, the colored orator. also
addressed the meeting.