Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-17
WELCOME CHRISTIAN HOSTS
Judge HolOsmb, Mayer MoOrsI and oitissn'
Vsics Public Sentiment
BIG CONVENTIONS AUsPICIoUs OPENING
Geae. Gus and Appreciative Responses
to the Generous Reception
Extended by the City
and state,


mat DN the homes ana the uTeSlQeS Is IOunu
that Christian fortitude and contentment,
coupled with intelligence and industry,
which lies at the very foundation of our
substructure of this great republic and
conduces to an orderly and wen regulated
form OF government. You will fad there
thrift, ~frugality, Industry and energy which
have brought a competency to them who
labor with well directed effort for the re-
wards of toll in this life.
Building for Future.
| would not that you should infer from
what has been said that our conception OF
the duties and responsibilities of life Is
confined alone to the material welfare or
lem of life and it's opportunities weigh
heavily on as, as on struggilng humanity
as well. Our ideas Of life and life's work,
our relation to the Divine Creator and the
tulhllment OF His purposes DO not permit Tai
view of broad acres, massive buildings ana
large productions of the necessaries Of life
being of the physical man. We have a
nobler and higher conception or mans
iigion, morality and knowledge are essen
tial to good government and have em-
bedded the sentiment in. the fundamental
law of the state. Especial pride is taken
in the educational system which has been
builded by the people of the state. We re-
1oice that opportunity is afforded to Its
5000 children of school age to acquire a
liberal education in the free institutions or
learning whose doors swing freely TO those
who avail themselves of this great prlVl-
We are proud of the p~rincely endowment
enjoyed by the common schools Of approxi-
mately SIS, 0O0,O 900. We point with pride to
an annual expenditure of near $5OO,VOO Tor
educational purposes, much OF which rs 70
for the instruction and preparation OF the
youth of the state in all these essential ele-
VISITS soG Of 6edtu noble %n and EIn IN IL @dN Citizen IS
ship, qualified to fully discharge the duties
deyolving on a self-governing people;
journ in our midst be of joy and pleasure
unalloyed and may the grand work you
are en seSsSt tn tn Pm 1onS O redouad I to the
glory of God and the upbuilding OF His
kingdom on earth.
Mayor Frank e. Moores, lntroGuced by c..
S. Payne as another evidence that Ne
braska can not only care for big conven-
tions, but produce big men," spoke for the
city, saying:
Mayor BIDS Them Welcome
1t gives me great pleasure to greet you
tonight and extend 10 you a hearty well
my inability to adequately give expression
to the height and depth, the length and the
breadth OF the welcome which Is IN the
members of this convention.
The people of our city have become deeply
the advancing preparations for the holding
of this great convention Of yours. the iarg-
est ever held in Omaha. We regret very
magnificent auditorium building which we
are constructing. When we invited. you a
year ago we failed to sufficiently take into
account the wonderful prosperity of the
country and the great demand for struc-
tural steel. AND SO, although our orders
were placed many months ago and our
| foundations competed in the early spring,
the steel has only just begun to arrive.
Accordingly. we have had to make the best
of the accommodations at hand and prepare
this building for the use of your conven-
ton. 20
religious organizations as this of yours
should hold their conventions In the great
Mississippi valley, for the foundations Of
these great states were laid upon the solid
rock OF religion and education.
When our lllustrious forefathers in 17S7
passed the memorable ordinance providing
northwest territory, they included in that
document these words: Religion, morality
and knowledge, being necessary to good
government and the happiness OF mankind,
schools and the means of education shall
forever be encouraged" That declaration
should be inscribed above the portal of
sity in this broad land and emblazoned
upon the escutcheon of every. American
| state, but above all, it should be indelibly
impressed upon the hearts of the American
people. AS westward the course OF empire
took it's way through the Northwest ter
| rltory and through our subsequently ac-
uuired territory, X established at every
/ hamlet and crossroad its churches and
Christian schools and in every section its
| forefathers was not written by religious
visionaries, but by statesmen whose obser-
yations and experinece had taught them
that no government, however well con-
sidered could hope for perpetuity, which
failed to recognize the great. economic
and overnment truth, that religion, NOR
ality and knowledge were necessary to good
government, and that of the three, religion
comes first.
In this material age there has been a
tendency to drift away from this truth ex-
dressed by ou- forefathers and many men
are found today who, while they encourage
education and morality insist that they
shall be divorced from religion. Our SUI
preme court at the Instance OF shortsighted
citizens has recently been compelled to de-
eide that the bible cannot be read in our
public schools, and the distinguished Jurist.
who bears TO you the greetings of the state
OF Nebraska, Judge Holcomb, sounded with
regret a note of alarm in his opinion In
that case which will be appreciated by
sectarian' but nevertheless it is founded
upon religion and religious principles and
any attack upon religion weakens the very
foundations OF our government and breeds
dlsrespect for law and authority.
The state of Nebraska stands first among
the states of the union for general In
Witeracy. May II also stand pre-eminent
among the states for that Christian reli-
gion and morality which are necessary tC
the development of the noblest character
and the highest citizenship.
Your convention with It's enthusiasm anC
fervcr will inspire us to still better and
higher things. / welcome you to the city
and to the best that It affords. If there Is
any desire on your part that Is not fully
satisfied you have but to ask and you shall
receive.
Ladies and gentlemen, I bid you welcome
to Omaha.
StiTl another echo of the welcome mote
came from Mrs. Jennie r, Burns. president
CT the Tri-Clty C. w. B. NJ, federation. who
said. in part:
Women Join the Chorus.
We welcome you most cordially. w
have looked forward to your visit as on
fraught with great good. We rejoice tina
the hour Is at hand when we can listei
to the truths you rave to present as In
spiration for us. We hope to draw from
your storehoIses Of knowledge that whicl
shall in future be a guide as well as an In
spiration to us. We trust that the years Z
come will bring results in which the worl'
servants we all are / bid you thrice wei
come.
There were cheers for President Breeder
when he was introduced TO say:
On behalf OF the delegations 10 this con
vention have the honor to respond to a
the gracious greetings. Our eyes have 10
a whole year been turned longingly towar
} this Mecca OF our hope, We nave read 10
weeks OF your preparation and now we ar
entering the realm of happy realization
We are prepared to endorse the verdict o
: the queen OF Sheba as to Solomon's glory