The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-12
TO STUDY THEOLOGY.
What Cleveland May do When he
Leaves Washington.
President has Alwsys Been OF Rsiig-
ious Turn Of Mind.

dent Cleveland intends to devote the re-
mainder of his life TO the study of theolo.
gy. That, says my informant, Is the ex.
pianation of the removal OF the president
and his family 90 Princeton.
"It Is an inherited trait Of the Cleveland
family TO dwell upon things sacred, says
this gentleman, who, IL may be stated, has
been frequent and welcome caller at the
White House, "and as Mr.. Cleveland in
creases in years he has developed anew
those serious tendencies which he had
ouite early in life, but which were tempo.
rarily interrupted by his entrance into pol
itics, when he was impelled TO conduci
himself after the manner OF politicians Oh
the kind which often begins greater ca
reer by roughing it in the ward school.
Cleveland was never quite in his element
among the city politicians N Buffalo, Dui
IL was necessary he should do as they oid
that the greater good Of after years might
be accomplished by his elevation to the gov
ernorship and the presidency.
"During all these years when the young
man was at times apparently in love with
n somewhat riotous way Of living, the un.
.dercurrent Of picty ran strong within him,
and he was at times tempted TO break
AWAY from IL all and assume holy orders,
as more than one of his nearest relatives
had done But TO turn upon ones lively
companions Is not the easiest thing In life,
and Cleveland remained with them, doing
as the Buffalo Romans did, and landed In
the presidency
"If the president has not shown evidence
of deep reli gious convictions while he has
been an inhabitant of the White House, IL
was mainly because he detested all that
would be construed into an affectation OF
a quality that few would have believed
was natural or sincere, but can assure
you that the feeling was there, and far
81 - ser In it's influence upon his daily
wax and conversations than even his most
.suuent associates would have believed.
His fishing excursions were really for the
purpose of meditation, and when he was
supposed TO be cunning for ducks, with no
feeling more exalted than love of such
sport he was coming and pondering those
abstruse problems which must lie close to
the soul OF even that man who has suffer.
ed the grossest violation of his spiritual
being by imperative association with the
brutal companionship that is TO be found
In its highest development in the lowest
circles of political life. What direction the
thoughts of the president took at these
solemn moments no one can tell, and no
one should attempt 20 discover. Suffice II
to say that it has been hinted, merely IN
the most delicate way, by some who were
his COMPANIONS on these marine excur.
sions, that fish and ducks were the least OF
his ambitions. and that isolation and med
itation, such as the antique hermits were
wont 20 seek, were the grand purposes
which led him SO frequently to divorce
himself from his official duties at moments
that were almost critical in the public
work
"This will furnish clew TO the remark.
able decision of the president to plant him
| self at Princeton, the axis around which
| revolves the best that is left of the old or
| thodoxy There, in affectionate association
| with eminent professors, the knightly de-
| tenders of the Calvinist view of this life
and the life TO come, the ex-president viii
| live the life of pure and godly person,
delving ever deeper and deeper into the
mysteries of the psychic forces bringing to
bear upon them that grasp Of thought that
| has marked his treatment of so many pub
lie questions. IL was this impulse that led
him. possibly with undue and shortsight.
| ed ZEAL into the movement for arbitration,
and the mistakes which have appeared In
| those prospective treaties, which give Great
| Britain such mighty material advantages,
are traceable clearly TO Cleveland's grow.
| ing tendency TO look upon the spiritual
| side of all things.
Il do not mean to suggest that Mr..
| Cleveland will formally enter the pulpit.
! That he will engage TO q marked degree
| in spiritual teaching do not doubt, but
| believe he is convinced he can accomplish
greater good by holding himself aloof from
| the deliverance of studied sermons and en-.
| gaging in talks to Sunday schools and Bi'
BILE classes, something after the fashion OF
| Mr.. John Wanamal<er, who is another per
son of lofty religious tendencies who made
"A mistake by going into politics and en-
deavoring to extract from the destinations
of public life quality of food that could
only be grateful to his appetite for adula'
| tion, and which appealed 10 vanity rather
than spirituality. / look upon this as real
ly the greatest act of Mr.. Cleveland's life.
1t is glorious example for the youth OF
| the country for one who has won the
| highest public honors TO prove by his later
| life that all worldly aggrandizement Is but
foolshness and vexation, and that the true
ambition of really great mind should be
20 ponder and solve the mysteries of eter'
nifty, giving only that attention that Is
unavoidable TO the petty considerations oi
what shall be eaten and worn. "
| l do not vouch for the truth of this view
| of Mr.. Cleveland's momentous conclusion
20 settle at Princeton, but II seems "a
offer an explanation of something that has
hitherto been unexplained. The Cleyelands
were supposed TO have been welded 10 New
York for the winter and Buz2ards Bay for
thc summer, and it must have been pow
| erful incentive that could lead one Of the
| presidents taste To fix upon 90 humdrum
place az Princeton FOR tho home OF his
declining years That ne is off for Prince
ton is evident from reports from the White
House, which tell us of mighty boxes bear
ing upon them the words, Grover Cleve
land, Princeton. y. J."--E. W. Llghtnei
in Pittsburg Dispatch