Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-09-20

hand of an assassin, and that too,
while In the very act Of extending a
kind and generous greeting to one
who approached him under the sacred
guise of friendship.
could the assailant have realized
how awful was the act he was about
to perform, how utterly heartless the
deed, methinks he would have stayed
his hand at the very threshold of it.
In all the coming years, men will
seek in vain to fathom the enormity
of that crime.
Had this man who fell been des-
pot, tyrant, an oppressor, an in
sane frenzy to rid the world of him
might have sought excuse, but 1t was
the peoples friend who fell when
William Mckinley received the fatal
wound. Himself
A SON OF TOLL,
his sympathics were with the toiler.
No one who has seen the matchless
grace and perfect ease with which he
greeted such, can ever doubt that his
/ heart was in his open hand Every
heart-tbrob was for his countrymen.
That his life should be sacrificed at
such Il time, just when there was
abundant pcacc, when all the Amer
leans were rejoicing together, Is one
Of the inscrutable mysteries of Prov
idcncc. Like many others II must be
left for future revelations to explain.
In the midst Of our sorrow we have
much to console u.s. He lived to see
his Naticn greater than ever before.
All sectional lines are blotted out
| There Is not south, no north, no east,
no west. Washington saw the begin
ming of our National life. Lincoln
passed through the night of our his.
tory and saw the dawn. Mckinley be-
held his country in the splendor of
its noon. Truly he died in the full
ness of his fame. With Paul he could
say, and with equal truthfulness, I
am now ready to be offered The
work assigned him
HAD BEEN WELL DONE.
The Nation was at peace. We had
fairly entered upon an era of unpar-
alleled prosperity. Our revenues were
generous. Our standing among the
nations was secure. Our President
was safely enshrined in the affections
of II united people. 1t was not at
him that the fatal shot was fired, but
at the very life of the government.
His Offering was vicarious. 1t was
blood poured upon the altar of hui
man liberty. In view Of these things.
we are not surprised to hear, from
one who was present when this great
soul passed away, that he never be-
fore saw II death so peaceful, or dy-
ing man so crowned with grandeur.
Let us turn, now, to brief consid-
Grafton of some of the lessons that
we are to learn from This sad event.
"The first one that Will occur to us
all Is the old, old lesson that-'In the
midst of life we are in DEATH" MAN
goeth forth to his work and to his
labor until the evening" HE feeth
ms 1t We're shadow, and never CON
tinueth In one stay"
Our President went for tn in the
fulness of his strength, in his manly
beauty, and
WAS SUDDENLY SMITTEN
by the hand that brought death with
IT. None Of us can tell what II day
may bring forth. Let us, therefore,
remember that, mo man llveth to
himself, and none of us dlcth to him.
self" May each days close see each
days duty done.
Another great lesson that we
should heed Is the vanity of mere
earthly greatness In tho presence
OF the Dread Messenger how small
are all tho trappings OF wealth, and
distinctions OF rank and power. |
besecch you, seek Hin who said: II
am the resurrection and the life; he
that believeth in me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever
liveth and belleveth in me shah never
die There Is but one Saviour for
the slnsick and the weary. | entreat
you, find Him, as our brother found
Him.
But our last words must be spoken.
Little more than four years ago we
bade him good bye, as he went to as.
sumo the great responsibilities to
which tho nation had called him. His
last words as he left us were, "Noth-
Ing could give me greater pleasure
than this farewell greeting--thls evl
dence of your friendship and SYM
pathy' your good will, and, l am sure,