Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-21
ANENT HOME MISSIONS
THE PRESIDENT DELIVERS AN
ADDRESS TO PREsBYTERIANs
Takes Occasion Incidentally to Praise
the Army and Navy Of the
Country.

President Roosevelt delivered an address
in Carnegie Hall. New York city. last
night in the interests OF Presbyterian home
missions, the occasion marking the close OF
the centennial celebration.
In introducing President Roosevelt DN
Dodge said that no man knew better than
the President the Importance to the nation
Of the good work OF the home missions.
The President said
1T is a pleasure on behalf OF the people or
the United States to bid you welcome on
this hundredth anniversary OF the begin
ming of organized home missionary work
by the Presbyterian Church. In one sense
Of course all fervent and earnest church
work is a part OF home missionary work
Every earnest and Jealous believer every
man or woman who is a doer Of the word
and not a nearer only, is a lifelong mis-
sionary in his OF her field OF labor-a mis-
Sionary by precept. and by what is a thou
sandfold more than precept, by practice
Every such believer eNerts influence on
those within reach. somewhat by word and
Infinitely more through the ceaseless yet
well-nigh unseen pressure, all the stronger
when its exercise IS unconscious. OF eN-
ample, OF broad, loving, charitable neigh
borliness.
but tonight we celebrate a hundred wears
or missionary work done not incidentally,
but with set purpose; a hundred years Of
earnest effort to spread abroad the Gospel.
to lay deep the moral foundation upon
which true national greatness must rest
The century that has closed has seen the
conquest OF this continent by our people
To conquer a continent is rough work. All
really great work is rough I'm the doing
though IL may seem smooth enough 10
those who look back upon II. or who gaze
upon II from afar. The roughness Is an
unavoidable part Of the doing of the deed
We need display but scaut patience with
those who. sitting in their
! homes. delight to exercise querulous and
censorious spirit Of judgment upon their
brethren who whatever their short comIngs.
are doing strong mems work they bring
| the light Of civilization into the worlds
dark places. The criticism OF those who live
SOFTLY, remote from the strife. is Of little
| value, but 1t would be difficult to overesti-
mate the value of the missionary work OF
| those who go out to share the hardship,
| and while sharing II to wage war against
the myriad forms of brutality. II Is such
! missionary work which prevents the pio-
neers from sinking perilously near the level
| of the savagery against which they con.
/ tend. Without II the conquest of this con-
tinent would have had little but an animal
| side. Without it the pioneers fierce and
| rude virtues and somber faults would have
| been left unlit by the flame of pure and
| loving aspiration. Without 1t the life OF this
country would have been q life of incou-
ceivably hard and barren materialism Be
cause Of 1t, deep beneath and through the
| national character there runs that power
| or firm adherence to lofty ideal upon
which the safety of the nation will ulti-
| mately depend. Honor. thrice honor to
those who for three generations. during the
! period of this peoples great expansion.
| have seen that the force OF the living trut
| expanded as the nation expanded. They
| bore the burden and heat of the day. they
| toiled obscurely and died unknown that we
| might come into glorious heritage. Let
| us prove the sincerity of our homage to
| their faith and their works by the way in
| which we manfully carry toward compile
| ton what under them was so well begun
Coming up here tonight l made up my
| mind to speak to you OF the manifesta-
| tions of the spirit Of national righteousness
of something that has taken place this day
| and of something that has happened within
| ten days. of the action Of this nation which
! eliminated In the creation today and in
| starting new republic on its course. That
| has represented four years work-blunder-
ings and shortcomings in the work. Of
| course, and there were men of little faith
who only saw the shortcomings and the
blunders-but ii represents work triumph
antly done. We have the right to feel
proud that we have kept every pledge to
the letter and established a new national
precedent. 1 don't remember another such
case-and / have looked for one with care
"a case whereas the result of such a war
the victorious nation has contented itself
! by starting a new nation. free, on the diff
ficult path of self-government.
More anarchy and ruin would have been
| before the island If we had been satisfied
with the victories of war and left it's peo-
| pie to shift for themselves. For four years
our representatives in the island have been
| representatives largely OF the army.
| sometimes hear the army attacked. Still
when great work is to be DONE in peace
or war; IL is good to have the army to de-
| pend upon. Our representatives worked
to build up the school system, TO establish
| sanitary measures, to preserve order. and
to prepare for the starting OF industries
that the new government might begin with
the chances In its favor. Now, as a nation.
we bid II godspeed, and we intend to see
ii has all the aid we can give IT, / trust
and believe our people in the national leg
islature will see to it shortly that they have
the advantage of entering into peculiarly
close relations with our economic system.
That Is one deed consummated today
Now for the other. Ten days ago an APP
palling calamity befell another portion OF
the West Indian Islands; territory belong
ing to two different nations: Islands not
under our flag; but their need was great
and this people saw the need and met it
as speedily as possible. Congress at once
appropriated large sums of money. They
were augmented by private gifts And,
| gentlemen, found, usual, the army and
navy the instruments through which the
work could be done. The minute I wanted
men who could drop the work they Were
engaged upon, assured that neither pesti-
lence nor volcano would make them swsrv,.
from their duty; men of incorruptible in
tegrity. / turned to the army and navy,
and we sent them to the stricken island
| am sure you all feel proud that ships
bearing the American flag should be among
the first. L think the very first. to take re-
lief to those overtaken by so appalling a
disaster.
1T is a fine thing to have at the opening
of this century such omens of righteous
| acting. of international brotherhood: omens
of the future. where a sense of duty to the
neighborhood will extend beyond national
lines. as the actions which eliminated in
the starting today of the free republic Of
Cuba on the paths of Independence and in
being first to reach out helping hand to
those overwhelmed by disaster without re-
legiance."