The Alaska daily empire., 1919-01-08
CHURCH.

 The Associated Press account of President Wilsol visit to the birthplace of his mother and to the Go gregational church of which his grandfather, Rt Thomas Woodrow, was pastor, and the speech of at the church, sheds soft but strong liz on the wonderful man who is stirring Europe with presence and observations it has not been stirr in long time
 at the church, his address and the address to hi the Associated Press says:
 "I feel great pride, the pastor said in in part, that the great and honored leader of the American people should have left the company of Kings and set aside important functions travel to this border city, in which his mother born, to attend, humble worshiper, the church over which his grandfather once presided Such action reveals his character It is great spectacle for the world.
 MT President, two-thrds of your belongs here, as the words Thomas Woodrow were inscribed the church roll ninety eight years ago. From then until 1885 he taught the church the word of God. He gathered around him devoted band of peo- pie who learned to do righteously. Here his children, among them your sainted mother. learned to sing their hymns and to fear God
 Hence the peculiar qualification their church felt and expressed on your election to your high and honorable office. and which has deepened in the course of the eventful years of your Presidency
 "The Rev MT. Booth reveiwed the land ? sing of the Pilgrim fathers and the establish ment of religious liberties in America.
 "'These men, he said, laid the founda- tions for the great love of liberty and jus tice which has made the American people and which has found such practical expres- sion in so signaly helping to the great vic tory in the European struggle against oppres- sion and wrong. It is now further mani- festation of the same spirit which, in the providence of God, is leading the worlds conscienee in its groping after universal peace.
 "'Mr. President, our prayers for you ascend; love to you is given and praise of you sh all be sounded long we have breath.
 "'We all want to hear your voice Won't you say few words to us7'
 President Wilson hesitated moment and then answered 'Yes, sir, and walked to a place in front Of the choir.
 Address of the President
 "The President sak:
 "It is with unanected reluctance that inject myself into this service remember my grandfather very we'll and remembering him, I how he would not approve. I remember what he required of me and member the stern lesson of duty he spoke And I remember painfully about things he expected to know that did not know
 ." There has a change of times when laymen like myself are permitted to speak in congregation. There is another reason why Il reluctant speak.
 "'The feelings excited in me today really too intimate and too deep to permit z of public expression. The memories that have come of the mother who born here are very affecting. Her quiet character her sense of duty and her dislike of ostentation have come back to me with increasing force as these years of duty have accumulated
 "'Yet. perhaps it is appropriate that in a place of worship should acknow ledge my indebtedness to her and her remarkable father. because, after all what the world now is seeming to do is to return to the paths of duty. to turn from the savagery of interests to the dignity of the perforrhance of right.
 .s T believe as this war has drawn nations temporarily together in . combination of phy- deal force. we shall now be drawn together