The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-15

Rev. o. B. MilHgsn. pastor Of the. First
presbyterian Church. read one OF the hymns
larly fond-"Jesus, Lover of My Soul .-anu
it was sung by. the quartet. Rev. John NJ.
Hall, pastor of Trinity Lutheran ChurcH,
read a scriptural lesson, selecting poT-
Eion of the fifteenth chapter of Corinthians,
teaching of the resurrection.
On behalf of the Otfics rs Of the First Meth
odist Episcopal Church. Hon. Il. A. CASSIDY
former mayor of the city and one or the
directors of the church, read m moral ao
dress by the board of officials reciting brief
~ the life OF Mrs. Nancy Allison Mckinney
and her connection with the congregation.
Then Lead, Kindly Light" was sung.
DIR. MANCHESTER EULOGY.
The Rev. c. E. Manchester, who was a
comrade-in-arms of the President during
the war as a member of the famous Twen-
ty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and VINO
has been the pastor of the First NJ. E.
Church for several years, delivered a short
Grafton, in which he dwelt upon the char
acter Of the beloved departed, and spoke of
her as she was known by the neghbors
and friends in Canton. He said in part:
az mink the first feeling that comes to
us all to-day is one of personal bereave-
ment. She who has gone out from our
midst was a friend The Nation knows her
as the distinguished mother; we of the
home city knew her as one whose kindly
word and smile have been a cheer and
benediction to many a heart and home. For
her the long, long night has passed. The
morning breaks at last. But her place upon
this earth will be vacant forever. Hers is
an unspeakable gain, but ours is an unut-
terable loss.
1T is given only now and then to pill
grim to spend so many years upon the earth
and she wrought for herself place in life
that can never be filled by another. To go
out and In for nearly nine decades of years;
to see generations come and go; to see the
Kingdoms of earth rise and fall; to outlive
the companions of childhood and woman
hood, and still to live on. is to become
part of many lives. But the great comforts
OF the hour are those spiritual ones that
we have right to appropriate to ourselves
when we remember that above everything
else Mother Mckinley was a Christian
woman.
ut is not given to many to have such
ter, as crowned her whose going out from
among us we mourn to-day. If | were to
indulge in an analysis of her character l
think / would place first Of all her glorious
motherhood. The wisest man said of such
as her: The heart of her husband doeth
safely trust in her. She will do him good
Strength and honor are her clothing, and
she shall rejoice in time to come. She
openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in
her tongue is the law of kindness. She
looketh well to the ways of her household
and eateth not the bread of ideness. Her
children arise up and call her blessed. Give
own works praise her in the gates.
1t is worth all the care and trial and sor-
row to be worthy of such divine portraiture
as this, and she was worthy of it. Her
motherhood was the browning glory of her
days. She was. by divine right, the gentle
mistress Of her own house. Always tender
and true in her loving sympathies, self
poised and sturdy in her personal upright
ness she ruled like a queen over her own
home. The law of kindness was the law of
her life, Ind none knew her but to feel the
genial influence of her presence. She might
have been a proud mother but, | think, no
no one heard her say so. Her great. loving
heart throbbed with tenderness anxieties
for those whom the kind Father had given
her, and her children arise up and call her
blessed.
"Another characteristic of Mother Nc
Kinley was her unvarying Iheerfulness.
When her pastor suggested to her once
that the way must be growing brighter as
she advanced toward her heavenly home,
she replied that it had been bright all the
way. And yet there had been many and
years the path of widowhood. She laid away
her loved ones, one after another, but her
loving cheer was never abated. Undemon-
StrauVe and unobtruS1ve, yet she was well
known as one OF the disciples of Christ.
Until the infirmities of increasing years
made it impossible, she frequented the
prayer service, and when she could no long
er do that, kept her place in the morning
service on the Lords day, where her strong
to pastor and worshiper. Now, the end
crowns the work. She has come down to
her grave, like the well-ripened grain, ready
for the harvest. She grew old beautifully
because she walked with God.
She will be gone from US, but she will
remain. Blessed are the dead who die in
the Lord, for their works do follow them.
In moments of sorrow of weakness she
will be with us, and the influence of her
life will afford such strength earthly
communion could not give. One who filled
1T to the very brim, the measure of being,
as she did, needs no fulsome eulogy. Works
of charity live on beyond the doing, kind
ness brings the harvest of the sowing. Love
outliveS the past, the present and the
future. The highest need of praise that can
be given is that which the Savior gave to
the faithful woman, when he said, She
hath done what she could. A career that is
closed becomes firm possession-a COM
pleted power. The arch is imperfect until
the hand of death has fixed the keystone.
1t is the end of the journey that gives char
acter to the way, and now, life'S successful
journey ended she rests WE'LL
When the pastor had concluded his elo-
of which Mother" Mckinley was partcu-
larly fond-"Nearer, My God, to Thee
was announced by Rev. Roper, of the First
Baptist Church, and sung by the quartet.
The undertaken then removed the lid from
the casket and an opportunity was given
the vast congregation to look on the fea
lures of the dead mother. 1t past
o'clock when the casket was uncovered.
The rain, which had fallen almost unceas-
jngly all day, continued, but in spite of it
the long line of carriages to West Lawn
Cemetery was followed by hundreds of Pc
deStrianS.