New-York tribune., 1903-02-27

their influence is equally potent against the
cause Of Christianity and true civilization
In the hard and cruel life of the border. Win
its grim struggle against the forbidding forces
of wild nature and wilder men. there was rluch
20 pull the frontersInan down II ieft 10 NM Ii1
self. without moral teaching and moral sulu
ance. without any OF the influences that tend
toward the uplifting Of and the suooClns
Of the brute within him, sad would have peeil
his, and therefore our. fate From TINS Iaue
have been largely rescued by the fact that
together with the rest of the pioneers went the
pioneer preachers: and all honor be given TO tne m
Methodists for the great proportion or eheSe
pioneer preachers which they furnished.
These preachers were Of the stamp of old peter
Csrtwrisht-nen who suffered and oVercame
every hardship in common with their flock. ana
who in addition tanned the wild and fierce Spirits
OF their fellow pioneers. 1t was not q TASK lltac
ccUld have been accomplished by men desirous
10 live in the soft places OF the earth and 10 Win
easily life's journey. They had to possess tiie
spirit Of the martyrs: but not OF martyrs WY
could merely suffer, not Of martyrs who couid
oppose only passive endurance to wrong
The pioneer preachers warred against ihs
forces of spiritual evil with the same merry zea!
and energy that they and their fellows shoMeu
had in them the heroic spirit me spiIlt ina
scori,s If il must be purchased by failure
10 do duty. the spirit that courts risk ana a me
Of hard enGeavor If the goal TO be reacheu Is
really worth attaining.
GREAT DEBT DUE THEM.
Great is our debt TO these men and scant the
patience we need show toward their critics
At times they seemed hard and narrow to those
whose training and surroundings had saved
them from SIMILAR temptations; ana they nave
been criticised. all men. whether missionaries,
soldiers, explorers or frontier settlers, are
criticised when they go forth TO do the rougn
work that must inevitably be done by those who
act the first harbinsers. the first heralds. OF
civilization in the worlds dark places
X is easy for those who stay at home in COM
Fort. who never have TO see humanity in the
raw, or TO strive against the dreadful naked
forces which appear clothed. hidden and sub
Iued in civilized life-it is easy for such to
criticise the who. I'm rough fashion. and
amid grim surroundings, make ready the way
for the higher life that is TO come after~ird:
hut let US all remember that the untempted and
the effortiess should he cautious in passing too
leav judgment upon their brethren who may
snow hardness who may be guilty of shortcom-
ings. but who nevertheless 90 the great deeds
by which mankind advances
These pioneers of Methodism had the strong
militant virtues which go TO the accomplish
r'ent Of such great deeds. Now and then they
betraEed the SHORTCOMINGS naturai 10 men s}i ~
their type; but their shortcomings seem sillaii
indeed when we place beside them the magnl-
nude OF the work they achieved.
And now, friends, in celebrating the wonder
ful growth of Methodism. in rejoicing at the
good il has done the country and TO mankiIld,
/ need hardly ask a body like this remember
that the greatness Of the fathers becomes TO
The children a shameful thing il they use II only
as an excuse for inaction instead of as spur
10 effort 70. noble aims. | speak 10 you not
only as Aethodists-I speak 10 you as American
citizens. The pioneer days are over. We now
ALI Of us form parts Of great CIVILIZED natoh;
with a complex industrial and social life and
infinite possibilities both for good and for evil
The instruments with which. and the surround
ings in which. work have changed I'M
IneaSurab biv from what they were in the days
when the rough backwoods preachers mnistefed
10 the moral and spiritual needs oi thelT Toush
hackwoods congregations.
SPIRIT THAT MUST LIVE.
15ut IL We are to succeed. the spirit in which
DO our work must be the same as the spirit
in which they did theirs. These men drove
e ward AM fought their way upward TO sue
cess because their sense Of duty was in fhelT
hearts in the very marrow OF thelr en- poLts 60 -
not with them something TO be CONSIDERED
as a mere adjunct 10 their theology, standing
separate and apart from their daily life Ihey
had il with them week days as wen as SuH-
siavs They di6 not divorce the spiritual from
the secular. They did not have one KIND OF
conscience for ono side Of their lives and an
Well, if We are to succeed as nation we must
have The same spirit in US. We must be apso-
lutely practical of course, and must face 1acIs
they are. The pioneer preachers OF Met@nou @
ssrn could not have held their own fer q Tort
might If they had shown an intense practi-
rality of spirit, If they had not possesseo I'M, Ile
broadest and deepest sympathy for. and under-
standing OF, their fellow men,. But in aooiton
the hard. practical common sense neeaeu ps
each of rs in life, must have lift toward
Iof- things or we shall be lost individually, and
collectively a nation.
for either the man the nation that asplres 70
do great deeds. In the century opening the pay
Of the infinitely far reaching forces and tefdeI-
cies which go to make up our social system
bids fair to be flercer in its activity thah
In fle
This century the of high and hne moral
sense show themselves weakllngs: II tneH
Jossess only that cloistereG virtue which shrlhhs
Shuddering from contact with the Ia" ia1'S
actual life, i they dare not go down into the
flurly- -burly where the men OF might cohleIlu
Tor tho mastery. if they stand aside from The
pressure and conflict; then surely as the sun
rises and sets all of great material progress
ali the multiplication OF the physical agencies
which tend for our comfort and enjoyment VIII
90 ro- rarJeht and our civilization will become
q brutal sham and mockery. If we are 10 GO
as / believe we shall and will do, If We are
70 advance in broad humanity. ID klnollhess, ~ ~
the spirit of brotherhood exactly as we advance
sn our. conquest over the hidden forces OF mature
81 must be b. developing strength III virtue Elio
,-irt,1e In strength. by breeding ana training
,ue,, who shall be both good and strong, botn
Gentle and yaliant-lnen who scorn WrongdolnS
- T-ho AZ tf1A same time have both the cour-
age and the strength TO strive nightly for the
right. - ,,
Wesley said he did not intend to leave all the
GOOD tunes 10 the service OF the devil ife ac-
f,,p-5 "a ieaye the stronger manlier qualities
20 fa ayailed Of only in the interest OF eNil-
rl,,e Church he founded has throughout i'S caieei
- a r,7n-rh for the poor we'll as for the
-fch and has known no distinction OF PsTS%ohs- %
IT has been church whose members, IL !. 'toG rue
% H.. teachings Of its founder, have sought lor
no prea+4r privilege than TO spend and be spent
in the interest of the higher NE VINO % %iIdNo
.agiGed themselves. not shirking roush duty
l,;,t on u4lu, rtaking it and carrying IL 10 d SUI
t-eSFfui conclusion -
I como here tonight to greet you and TO pay
my tribute 10 your past because you have de-
served we'll Of mankind, because you nav
str4ven with strength and courage 10 bring
nearer the day when peace and justice Sfiaii
obtain among the peoples Of the earth
At the end of his address the President was
heartily appiauded. and he rose ard bowed his
acknowledgements. While hymn was being
sung h. left the hall Captain Schmttberger
again was at the door. This time the President
eiopped and stepped to side. He grasped
Captain Schmittbergers hand shook it. spoke