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Show CLEVELAND AXD RELIGION. Gratified by tbe Prayers of tbe Pious, But HatingfEyerytliinir ' Like Hypocrisy. Washington Letter to Pittsburg Leader. "A very large per cent, of the people throughout the country seem to be bent on . evangelizing President Cleveland," observed one of the Chief Executive's most intimate friends to-day. "Mr. Cleveland was telling me the other day that he sometimes thought there was an impression in the minds of too many good folks that he presented a rare opportunity for the missionaries. I asked him why he thought so and he laughingly replied : 'Oh, if , the advice -given me was concentrated con-centrated on Africa, it would civilize and Christianize that whole wild and wicked and dark country.' I had to laugh, for there was so much seriousness serious-ness and yet dry humor in it all. Cleveland Cleve-land realizes, as he is reminded so often and eo forcibly, that in a certain way he sets an example to the world, but it worries him a little, I can see, to be told by hundreds of people, sometimes in one week, that he ought to let his light shine, etc. He believes that these peo ple must think he is very wicked, or else that he is the spiritual guardian of fifty million of people. Speaking of this point he said to me : 'A President or King or other high and national officer should recognize the Bupreme power in every act. A man or woman should never get so exalted ex-alted as to fail to do this. Now, few public men have as little opportunity to disseminate dissemi-nate personal views as I have. If I were ever so anxious to make people believe I was the embodiment of goodness, it would be up-hill work to create that impression, im-pression, for a President cannot cry his wares from the housetops. If this advice about being a Christian and all that, coming in every form and from every direction, is for my own guidance, very well. If it is to change the general course of my public career, it is ill given. One thing I am bound shall never be made the charge that I was a hypocrite. I like Christians; they are the salt of the earth. A hypocrite, to my mind, is the basest of sinners." "The President must be a little annoyed by these importunities, is he. not?" I asked. "Not in the least. On the contrary, con-trary, he is gratified for the interest shown in him, if it is respectfully shown. He doesn't seem to comprehend the fact that all Presidents have had to withstand the ordeal. The letters he receives are not the only evidence given him of a desire de-sire that he shall be a moral man. You would be surprised how many Christian people breathe an audible prayer for him, however, when they grasp his hand,and it all has a very perceptible effect upon Mr. Cleveland, for he said he didn't think any j man or woman with sense and a heart could fail to be affected bv the nravers of an earnest people, when he or she knew they were so constantly delivered. 'It is something like love in its physical effect,' said Mr. Cleveland one day. 'Now, if one is very earnestly and sincerely loved that affection is sure, if kept up and demonstrated, dem-onstrated, to have its way, unless the suitor is absolutely offensive. The mere fact that so much confidence and affection is persistently bestowed will touch a heart of stone. So the intense in-tense .interest shown by so many in a man's spiritual welfare must eventually touch him, if he thinks. And the man or woman who cannot be reached by the prayers of a nation is a strange being indeed.'" in-deed.'" "In his private life do you think the President observes any standard of Christianity?" "Yes, he does. In all my intercourse with him I do not remember to have heard him say anything improper. He sometimes becomes very much perplexed, but he doesn't swear about it. Mr. Cleveland believes that honor between man-and man is the foundation of Christianity; that unless one tells the truth and pays his dues he can lay no claim to morality." |