The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-27

New York, Feb. 26-President
Roosevelt was the chief speaker to-
night at a great mass meeting at Car
nege Hall, held to do honor to the
character and labors of John Wesley,
the founder of Methodism, scholar,
missionary, philanthropist, preacher,
gentleman
The meeting was held under the au-
spices of the New York Thank Offer
ing Commission, which has had charge
of the local work of the Twentieth
Century Offering Fund of $2O,OOOO 900
that has been raised by the Methodists
throughout the country to celebrate
the advent of the twentieth century of
the Christian era.
Samuel w. Bovine presided, with
President Roosevelt at his right, and
on the platform were several bishops
and clergy. The hall was crowded to
the doors, and hundreds were unable
to gain admission. so.
President Roosevelt reached the. hall
escorted by a detachment of mounted
police at $3.50. AS he alighted from his
carriage he was hailed by young
man, who was struggling in the
crowd and whom the police were try
ing to force back.
I'm Mike Cronin, Mr.. President, and
/ want to hear you speak," he shouted.
President Roosevelt instantly recog-
nized him as the driver who drove
him on the last stage of his journey to
North Creek to take the train for Buff
falo, after being notified of the death
of President Mckinley.
Delighted to see you" replied the
President, who, addressing the police,
said, Let that man pass"
Cheers and handclapping announced
the arrival of President Roosevelt,
who bowed slightly.
Chairman. Bovine then announced
the hymn, BLOW Ye the Trumpet,
Blow" by Charles Wesley. Bishop
Cyrus D. Foss of Philadelphia then
led the meeting in prayer closing with
the Lords prayer, in which mighty
volume of voices joined. Mr.. Bovine
made a short address, in which he
said that Methodism is constantly
growing, except. possibly, in a few eff
fete cities on the Atlantic seaboard."
Mr. Bovine then introduced President
Roosevelt, the audience rising to
greet him. President Roosevelt spoke,
in part, as follows, and was attentive
ly listened to:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: l am glad to have the chance
of addressing this representative body
of the great church which Wesley
founded, on the occasion of the COM
memoration of the two hundredth an
niversary of his birth America, more
over, has a peculiar proprietary claim
OF Wesley's memory, for it is on our
continent that the Methodist Church
has received it's greatest development.
In the days of our Colonial life Meth
odism was not on the whole a great
factor. in the religious and social life
OF the people. The Congregationalists
were supreme throughout most of
New England; the Episcopalians on
the seaboard from New York south
ward; while the Presbyterian congre-
cations were most numerous along
what was then the entire western
frontier; and the Quaker, Catholic and
Dutch Reformed churches each had
developments in special places. The
great growth of the Methodist Church.
like the great growth of the Baptist
Church, began at about the time of
the Revolutionary War. To-day my
theme is purely Methodism.
Since the days of the Revolution not
only has the Methodist Church in
creased greatly in the old communi-
ties of the thirteen original states but
II has played a peculiar and prominent
part in the pioneer growth of our
country and has I'm consequence as
sumed a position of immense import
ance throughout the vast region west
of the Alleghenies which has been
added to our nation since the days
when the Continental Congress first
met.
These preachers were Of the stamp
OF old Peter Cartwright-men who suf-
Tered and overcame every hardship in
common with their flock, and who in
addition tanned the wild and fierce
spirits of their fellow pioneers. 1t was
not task that could have been ac-
complished by men DESTROYS to live in
the soft places of the earth and to
walk easily on lfe's journey. They
had to possess the spirit of the mar
tyrs; but not of martyrs who could
merely suffer, not of martyrs
who could oppose only pass
I've endurance to wrong. The
pioneer preachers warred against
the forces Of spiritual evil with the
same fiery zeal and energy that they
and their fellows showed in the con-
quest OF the rugged continent. They
had In them the heroic spirit. the spirit
that scorns ease IL IL must be pur-
chased by failure 20 do duty, the spirit
mat courts risk and life OF hard en-
aeavor IL the goal to be reached IL
really worth attaining. Great Is our
aeDt TO these men and scant the pa
tlenee We need show toward their crit