The Van Buren press., 1897-09-04
CHRISTIAN MOTHERS.
How the Mothers Of President MeKin.
ley and Senators James K. Jones
and James II. Berry Mould.
ed Their Lives.
From the Little Rock Gazette.

fteN. n. II. W ilutTs, VI nOl 6Eflukss
who. In his prime. was one of the most
eloquent divines In the M. E. church,
South. Physical infrmities, added TO
old age, have caused him to retire from
the active ministry. At one time Mr..
Withers practiced law and held the
position of circuit judge. Notwith
standing his physical ailments the mind
of Mr.. Wsthers Is unimpaired and his
pen flows as smoothly as 1t did during
reconstruction, when 1t WAS welded in
behalf of the people of the state as
editor of paper at Clarksyille. =
Editor Gazette.
Our great country offers every desir-
able opportunity for ambitious youth.
Just few years ago William Mckinley
was only little Billy Mckinley. small
boy undistinguishable in mass Of
school boys bending to their daily tasks
or sporting on the play grounds. But
ambition to succeed must be directed
on right lines. Behind little Billy was
a mother. have no knowledge of her
character further than gain from a
single remark made by her on the plat
form while she witnessed the inaugura
tion of her son to the highest Office in the
world. A reporter asked If she were
not proud of her distinguished son. She
answered: Yes, I am thankful for
such a good son, but I would prefer
that he should be Methodist bishop. "
That heart tells the whole story of
President McKinley's training. With
sueh a hand to lead the ambition of
youth it is not apt to fail of distinction
If endowed with good intellect. OF
course this intelligent matron knew no
Methodist preacher could vault into our
episcopacy by single bound. 1t re-
quires long years of faithful service in
the ranks of self sacrificing labor to
secure that degree of public confidence.
But this noble Christian lady would
gladly exchange her sons brilliant
congressional career for theh umbler but
far more useful life of the successful
Methodist itinerant Such mothers are
the glory of our country.
As 1 looked to her great son on that
inaugural day, on whom 1000, 900
Americans had fixed their anxious eyes,
and all governments looked and massed,
asking how his administration is to
affect the general interest, saw behind
him a still greater soul blazing with the
holy light that is rapidly leading all
nations to the union of refined civiliz
alton, and that greater soul was the
most motherly face that gave us truly
Christian president-the power behind
the throne.
Mr.. Mckinley had more of divine
reverence in his inaugural than any that
has yet been delivered, really the first
truly Christian address-Mr. Cleveland
next.
Christianity is not losing its power I;
on the other hand it is steadily gaining
A study of the religious character of our
statesmen will furnish pointer. A
known sceptic cannot now be elected to
any important Office. Formerly it was
not so. The making public of his un-
belief took Col. Ingersoll out of public
life, and gave him perpetual political
burial.
The two Arkansas senators were
moulded by the hands of Christian
mothers. Senator James X. Jones has
been a member of the Methodist church
nearly all his life. He is truly great
and is now filling as large place in the
public eye as can be found outside of
the presidency. AS senator he stands
with the first. AS the head of the
Democratic party he stands pre-
eminent. During the late campaign he
encountered difficulties no predecessor
had ever met new and startling condi-
tions confronted him. He was com
PEELED to re- organize his party to save it
from oblivion. The wealth of the
whole world was against him, organ :
lied and directed by the brightest
intellects of America and Europe.
Nearly all the great metropolitan
journals were against him. Railway
trusts and trusts of every kind were
against him. All that money and
intellect could do was arrayed in
hostility to him. The great Democratic
administration, with its vast influence
and hordes of dependents, was openly
antagonistic. Nearly all the old leaders
of his party deserted him. His forces
were new, young and unskillful Only
the plain, honest people stood with
him. Yet with all these great diff
culties Jones kept cool head, scorned
all trickery and mean advantages,
never made hasty act, an unsteady
step nor single mistake. / watched
him closely-studied all his moves, and
do now say, without hesitation, that
never did general ON field of blood or
of politics show more and better
generalship. His Blucher, the presi-
dent. who came late, at indianapolis,
unlike the great German of Waterloo.
joined the enemy instead of his natural
allies, and SO reversed the result. But
the next Blucher will be no masquerade.
Jones will know his friends in the next
battle, and they are now veterans.
Considering the extremely narrow
margin in several states the defeat was
anything but Waterloo, and Senator
James X. Jones stands forth in the