Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-01-20
Reception. Continued

sASSSf&sS" SSuSssNV0
creeds we rejoice in the fact that
they each and all have one common
purpose in view-that is, to assist
fallen humanity, to accept the plan
OF salvation, to be finally saved from
the wrath Of a Creator who hates
sin.
Permit me TO say to you, Reverend
| Williams, that in the execution OF
your bidden duties, you will find in
this city a class of citizens whose
sympathies are with the church, and
upon whom the church draws liberal
| ly for financial assistance and for an
| Increase OF its membership; that in
| dispensable element directs me to
welcome you among US and promises
| to continue to do in the future, as in
the past, all in its power to assist
you ana those who have called you
| for the advancement of the church
and the cause it represents.
We welcome you, Reverend Sir, to
our city and we welcome you to meet
US in our homes, where you'll find
! our people Industrious, frugal, pro-
gressiye, and making strides toward
/ education. wealth and the ownership
of property.
! We know it is your mission to de
clare to the world that God is love,
and from whom no evil can come,
/ but from whom all blessings come.
These truths were distinctively
/ taught by Jesus Christ and impress
| siyely taught by his lice sacrifice
and death on Mount Calvary. But
/ these truths went into temporary
eclipse in the dark ages. Martin
. 1
| family, because OF the marked COM
/ batiyeness of his nature. Calvin
failed to rise to correct vision OF
them, or else he would not have
taught a partial manifestation OF Di-
vine grace, nor would he have con
sented to the burning of Seryitus
| Few persons in ancient and modern
I times seem TO have risen to the alti.
tude OF ChrisJs conception of the doc.
trine of love for mankind" and TO
have given TO II a Capernician rela-
ton TO the whole system of creation,
/ revelation and providence.
I We welcome you because it is your
mission TO declare and publish to the
world the rational and scripural
truths that GOD Is MAN. and in him
/ dwells the trinity of love. wisdom
and power. There need henceforth
be no doubt as to the purposes OF
I this Divine being; for He has re
| yealed Himself in nature. He has
/ proven that He is philanthropic to
man by His unselhshness and self
sacrifice. This is the grandest. ten
derest and most inspiring though,
I that the world has vet received.
We welcome you because it is
| your duty TO make known TO the
J ha 1faff l,-
conversation. the fact that man is
an immortal spirit in human form
that death is mere transition with
out the essential loss of fuller and
distinctive consciousness. that the
1 spiritual realm is infinitely more real
and perfect than the natural: and
that the crowning end of all divine
operations in creation, Redemption
and Providence is to transform the
human race into an harmonious, bliss
ful and heavenly society, whose con
stitution is Love to God and Man.
These truths relative to mans fu-
ture are the noblest. most inspiring,
and consoliug that human imagina-
tion has ever conceived or the heart
has ever cherished.
Again, we welcome you, Reverend
I Williams. because you are the custo-
dian of measure of our rights. Men
| who can govern themselves are the
best fitted to govern others. You.
having learned that lesson, can assist
materially in placing the race in the
! front rank of best citizenship where
! the race will bear its share of gov
ernmental burdens, and enjoy all the
I privileges incident to victorious and
triumphant country.
You are aware that suffering forms
large part of our inheritance in
this country; il is therefore your duty
to teach MS tolerance and forbear-
ance for nothing permanently good
has ever come to any people who had
not the endurance to struggle and
wait to conquer.
In God must be our profound trust
for the future; with faith in the pos
sibilities of the race we must main
tain race pride, must exhibit exalted
! Christianity. and at the same time
must appeal to the American people
for justice and liberty; and then
await the fulfillment of His promises
with hope. for as writer has said.
There is Hope everywhere, for it's
the only universal history:
That right forever on the scaffold.
Wrong forever on the throne.
But the scaffold sways the future,
And behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow.
Keeping watch above His own"
Then with hope for better and
brighter future for the race, and with
your kindly assistance. the citizens,