The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-20
AT MERIDIAN-STREET CHURCH.


Long before II o'clock yesterday morning,
which was the hour fixed for the memorial
services over President Mckinley in Ne
ridian-street Methodist Episcopal Church,
people began crowding into the ediice. and
it was only with difficulty that the ushers
were able to keep vacant the seats re-
served for the officers and members OF the
Sovereign Grand Lodge OF odd Fellows who
accepted the invitation OF the citizens COM
mittee TO attend the meeting. As the repre-
sentatives of the great secret society pro-
ceeded slowly up the aisles of the church
at fifteen minutes past IL the organist
played a dirge soft and low and the audi
ence by a common impulse rose and stood
with the odd Fellows a moment In &C
acknowledgement of the mournful object of the
gathering.
Charles W. Smith presided over the meet
ing. and with him on the pulpit platform
sat the Rev. DR.. Thomas \. Goodwin. a
leading Methodist divine retired from active
ministerial work; Augustus, l. Mason and
Prof. w. I'll. De Motto, OF the Institute for
the Education of the Deaf and Dumb in this
Chairman Smith inaugurated the services
with brief remarks. saying. My friends,
we are met in response to the call of our
own hearts and the proclamation OF the
President 10 pay respect 10 the memory of
the late President Mckinley. The exercises
of the hour Will be optned by the singing
of hymn No. 124.'
All the verses of the hymn, which was
Nearer. my God, To Thee, one of MIR. Nc
kinley faVorltes, were sung by the choir
and congregation with great depth of feel
ing, after which the Invocation was pro
nounced By DR.. Goodwin, as follows:
THE INVOCATION.
Almighty God, we thank Thee that I'm
Thy word and in our personal experience
we are taught that, though Thou art a God
that rules ON high and all the earth sur
veys, Thou are our Father and our Love.
We come TO Thee as to a father in this the
hour of our sorrow. and we would reuen,-
Der that nothing but that which comes
from love comes upon US, Thy people.
W thank Thee for the provisions which
Thou hast made for US. We thank Thee for
the prOVidences that have been over rs
and even in this the hour of our bereav1,
ment we would remember that it is Gods
way, let His VIII be done. Give Us faith.
too, in the abiding presence of that God
with us in that Nation Thou hast led So
long. Thou hast made us a great peopIe.
Thou art enabling us 10 carry the great
truths of our system into other parts, and
the nations OF the earth have been blessed
through us. We pray that Thy blessings
may be upon Us as a people.
I'VE humbly confess before Thee our sins
and shortcomings. not the least of which
has been the nurture and protection Of an
archy in our midst. Forgive US this, and
lead Us henCefOrth 10 discharge the right
duty in regard 10 this great crime cloud
feel that II is not only those who slay but
those that are in authority. Pardon the
anarchism that Is nurtured IN our very
midst. not in the lodges OF Anarchists, but
in the public places.
Give US that wisdom as a people that
will enable Us TO demand of those in au-
thority that they shall suppress crime.
' whether 1t Is agreeable to them or not. We