The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-18
AT THE TABERNACLE.
On Immense 1hrorg Of People Attended the
Memorial Service

An immense crowd of people thronged
the Baptist Tabernacle church Sunday
night to participate in memorial SER
vices. Not only was the church filled.
but also the Sunday school room, and
hundreds mad to be turned away for
want of room.
Rev. w. d. Hubbard, pastor of the
church, presided, announcing the speak
ers, the prayers and songs Among the
songs was Nearer, My God to Thee"
one of Mr.. McKinley's favorites
Prayers were offered by Mr.. N B.
Broughton, w. S. Primrose and Mr..
John t. Pullen. The speakers were Rev.
DR.. Eugene Daniel, pastor of the First
Presbyterian church; Rev. G. r. Adams
pastor of Central Methodist church, and
Rev. A. a. Butler, pastor of Fayette-
Vile Street Baptist church
DR.. Daniel spoke of Mr. Mckinley as
Christian gentleman and true and
devoted husband. He said that it was
matter of congratulation that he in
whose honor and memory this service
Is held, in Gods house and on Sabbath
night. lived and died an avowed di-
sciple of the Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
In addition to this general reputation,
there are two things exhibited in the
last week of his life which throw lustre
upon the depth and power of his hidden
religious experience. To these l but
briefly advert:
cd. In that awful moment when the
masked weapon sped it's fatal ball, when
JOY fled and terror sprang to birth, and
when the miserable author of all this
sorrow and confusion had been stricken
down and was then being hurried away
what calm words are these which fall
from Christian lips? Not syllable of
vengeance, not word of destruction,
but mild request for forbearance and
pity, probably the solitary utterance
of this kind heard in all the land. If
In all ages forgiveness of enemies has
been regarded as the hardest of Chris
tan duties and as furnishing the sever
est test of Christian grace, most nobly
and fully has this man measured up to
that exalted standard in this unstudied
and spontaneous plea for his murderers
welfare.
Cd. Again A test equally as severe
came in the shock of announcement that
death was at hand When the physician
said, You are very ILL.,, the patient an
swered, 1 realize it,; and all the fruit
OF lifelong struggle, and all the joy Of
present achievement, and all the hopes
and plans of future development then
trembled in suspense. Soon the issue
was decided. Death had won. Oh! it
is ever hard thing to bow to the de-
cree that hurls down the work of a
Lifetime and abruptly brings to an end
the JOY of opening usefulness and wild
ening of glory. But when this test is
also applied, we catch in submissive
whisper: 1T is Gods way His will be
done; and in broken song, Lead Kind
ly Light, Nearer, My God to Thee
The other aspect in which / am ex-
pected to refer to Mr.. Mckinley is that
which views him as a husband Upon
this tender relationship, l shall not
dwell. To lift the veil of domestic asso-
citation is a matter of such delicacy that
usually all men following the dictates
of good tastes, refrain. But sometimes
the ointment of holy welded love hath
fragrance so powerful and pervasive
that it fills all the air and is borne to
our delighted recognition on every
breeze. She who so long and SO worthi-
ly wore England's crown thus uncon-
spiciously eclipsed the queens glory be-
meath the glory that excelled, that of the
wife and mother. And now to America
has come the high honor of showing the
world the highest type of unselfish
welded devotion and of purity of mar
ried life, and of the sweetness of a
Christian home. And it speaks well for