Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-09-19
mere TO pay their last tribute of respect
and love to the memory of the dead
| n, a cyi Strato

over the remains of the late President
Mckinley were simple and beautiful
They were of the form prescribed IN the
Methodist church. Two hymns, pray
er, an address and a benediction COM
prised all of it, yet the impression left
at the end was of perfection. The peo'
pie were slow in gathering. Among the
first corners were the army officers.
General Randolph, chairman OF artlI'
lery, in charge of the military arrange
| ments at the capitol, was first among
those and soon afterwards came General
Gillespie, chief of engineers, and Gen.
eral Fitzhugh Lee. Soon the number
of officers became too great to dlstln'
guish between them and the rotunda
began to light up with the flashes OF
gold lace and gilt buttons and flashing
sword scabbards, scattered through the
the soberly dressed crowd of civilians.
Before 10 o'clock the latter had assem-
bled in such numbers as TO fill the great
er part of the seating space not reserved
for the persons in the funeral procession
| who were to enter the rotunda.
| Just at 10 o'clock Admiral Dewey
made his appearance, accompanied by
General Otis, General Davis and Gem
eral Ruggles He glanced over the
|
| tion at the eastern entrance, where he
was joined by the other members OF the
| guard of honor. Mrs Hobart with her
son and Mrs. Russell Alger, escorted
| by Colonel Hecker, also entered during
this time of waiting. The clergymen
and the choir, the latter from the Met
ropolitan NJ E. church, which Mr.. Nc
| Kinley attended, filed in and were seated
at the head Of the catafalque. AT lO:4O
o'clock the cabinet entered and were
seated to the south of the platform, and
then to the strains of ''Nearer My God
to Thee" by the Marine band on the
side of the casket it was borne into the
rotunda.
General Gillespie and Colonel Bing.
ham led the way and every one arose.
The guard of honor on either side sepa-
, rated and the Casket was placed gently
upon the catafalque.
Hanna With Family Party.
Next came members of the family of
the deceased, Abner Mckinley leading.
! They were seated near the head of the
casket. Mrs. Mckinley was not present.
Senator Hanna was with the family
party. Next the diplomatic corps en-
tered, all in full court regalia, and were
| seated to the south.
| Former President Cleveland, with
| General Wilson, his escort, sat in the
first row. Lastly came President Roose-
velt, escorted by Captain Oowles and
| preceded by Mr.. Oortelyou, secretary to
the president. He was given a seat at
the end of the row occupied by the cab
| met, just south of the casket. Mr..
Roosevelt's face seemed set and he ap-
peared to be restraining his emotions
with difficulty.
When the noise occasioned by seating
the late Comers had ceased, hush fell
upon the people and then the choir soft.
ly sang, LEAD, Kindly Light" Bishop
| NeWman's divine anthem, while every
one stood in reverence.
Every one stood in reverence. At the
conclusion of the hymn Rev. DR.. Henry
r. Naylor, presiding elder of the Wash
ington district Methodist Episcopal
church, delivered the invocation while
the distinguished company listened
with bowed heads.
The Prayer.
80 Lord God, our Heavenly Father,
a bereaved nation cometh to Thee in
| deep sorrow.
To whom can we go in such an hour
as this but unto Thee2
Thou only art able to comfort and
support the afflicted.
Death strikes down the tallest and
best of men and consequent changes are
continually occurring among nations
and communities. But we have been
taught that Thou art the same yester-
day, today and forever; that with Thee
there is no variableness nor the least
shadow of turning. So in the midst Of
our grief we turn TO Thee for help.
1--WE thank Thee, 0 Lord, that years
ago Thou didst give to this nation a
man whose loss we mourn today.
"We thank Thee for the pure and un-
selfish life he was enabled to live in the
midst of so eventful an experience. We
thank Thee for the faithful and distin-
guished services which he was enabled
to render to Thee, to our country and to
the world.
"We bless Thee for such a lawmaker,
for such a governor, for such a presi-
dent, for such husband, for such
Christian example and for such friend.
"But, 0 Lord, we deplore our loss to-
day; sincerely implore Thy sanctifying
bened1ction. We pray Thee for that
dear one that has been walking by his
side through the years, sharing and par
taking of his sorrows and joys Give to
her all needed sustenance and the COM
fort her stricken heart so greatly Graves.
And under the shadow of this great ca.
lamity may she learn as never before
the fatherhood of God and the match.
less character of His sustaining grace.
"And 0, Lord, we sincerely pray for
him upon whom the mantle of presi-
Dental authority has so suddenly and
unexpectedly fallen. Help him to walk
worthily in the high vocation whereunto
he has been called. He needs Thy
| guiding hand and Thy inspiring spirit
continually. May he always present to
| the nation and to the world divinely
| illumined judgment, brave heart and
an unsullied character is our prayer.
| 0 Lord, for the official family, those
men who affirmed with thy servant, the
president, in the administration of the
affairs of the government, guide them
in all their deliberations to the nations
welfare and the glory of God
''And now, 0 Lord, we humbly pray
for Thy blessing and consolation to
come to all the people of our land and
nation. Forgive our past short COM
ings. our sins of omission as well as our
sins of commission.
''Help us to make the golden rule the
standard of our lives that we may DO
unto others as we would have them do
unto us, and thus become indeed peo-
pie whose God is the Lord.
"These things we humbly ask in the
name of Him who taught us when we
pray to say
"Our Father, Which art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom
come; Thy will be done on earth as it is
in Heaven; give US this day our daily
bread and forgive us our trespasses as
we forgive them that trespass against
US. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the
kingdom and the power and the glory,
forever and ever, amenP'
| AS the pastor ceased. the voices of the
choir swelled forth and the rich, pure
soprano notes of Mrs. Thomas Q. Noyes
led the hymn, 'Some Time Wen I'm
derstand. "
The music was remarkably effective