Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-27
SPOKE TO METH )O|STS
President RooseVelt's Tribute
to John Wesley.
HISTORY OF CHURCH
EARLY RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT IN
THE COLONIES.
Part Played by the Followers of
Wesley in the New
Country.

President Roosevelt was the chief speak
err last night at a great mass meeting at
Carnegie Hall, in New York city, held ito
do honor to the character and labors OF
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism,
scholar, missionary. phianthropist, preach
er, gentleman" The meeting was held I'M
der the auspices of the New York thank Of
fering commission, which has had charge
of the local work of the twentieth century
thank offering fund of $2O,000,00O 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 Presi-
dent Roosevelt at his right. and on the
platform were Bishop c. D. Foss, Bishop
Walden bishop Goodsell, E. NJ Willis,
Bishop E. g. Andrews DR.. James r. Day,
Bishop C. Fl. Fowler, ]. Edgar Leaycraft,
the Rev. DR.. e. S. Triple, executive secre-
tary of the New York thank offering COM
mission the Rev. DR.. j. w. tombstone, pas
the Rev. DR.. A ID. Leonard, secretary of
the Methodist Missionary Society," and the
Rev. DIR. j. B. Remensnyder of the Luth-
eran Church.
Mike Cronin Heard Him Speak.
The hall was crowded to the doors and
hundreds were unable to gain admission.
President Roosevelt reached the hall, es-
corted by detachment Of mounted police,
at $50 pm. AS he alighted from his car
:iage he was hailed by young man who
vas struggling in the crowd and whom the
police were trying to- force back. I'm
Mike Cronin, Mr.. President and 1 want to
hear you speak" he shouted. President
Roosevelt instantly recognized him as the
driver who drove him on the last stage of
his journey to North Creek to take the
train for Buffalo, after being notified of the
death of President Mckiniey
Delighted to see you,' replied the Pres
ident. who, addressing the police, said:
Let that man pass" Grasping Cronins
hand, he led him into the hall, and saw
that he had seat near him on the plat
form. After the meeting the President in
troduced Cronin to the members of his
party. and told them the story of his furi-
Gus night drive along the Adirondack roads
TO catch the train.
Cheers and handclapping announced the
arrival of President Roosevelt who ad-
Vanced from the rear of the platform ac-
companied by the presiding officer of the
meeting, Mr. Bovine. When he had reach
ed the front of the stage the President
bowed slightly, and then walked over to
ing desk.
When Mr.. Bovine introduced President
roosevelt the audience rose to greet him
President Roosevelt spoke follows:
The Presidents Address.
Mr.. Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen:
am glad to have the chance of address
Ing this representative body of the great
church which Wesley founded, on the oc-
casion of the commemoration of the two
hundredth anniversary of his birth.
America, moreover, has a peculiar pro-
prietary claim on Wesley's memory for
1t is on our continent that the Metho-
dist Church has received its greatest devel-
opment. In the days of our colonial life
Methodism was not on the whole a great
factor in the religious and social life of the
people. The Congregat were SUI
preme throughout most of New England :;
the Episcopalians on the seaboard from
New York southwark; while the Presby-
terrain congregations We're most numerous
along what was then the entire western
frontier; and the Quaker, Catholic and
Dutch Reformed churches each had devel-
opments 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
Today my theme is purely Methodism.
As Pioneers.
Since the days of the revolution not only
has the Methodist Church increased greatly
In the old communities of the thirteen orig
inal states, but 1t has played peculiar and