The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-16

Then the President turned and at the
same time advanced one step. He bowed
his head and looked down upon the man
whose burden and responsibility he had
taken up. Long he gazed. standing i'm
movable save for a twitching of the mus
cles of the chin he labored, with heavy
breath, to repress his emotion. AT last
he stepped back. Colonel Bingham, the
aid to the President, standing ten feet be-
low the foot of the casket at the side of
the loyal Cortelyou, glanced in the direc-
tion of the Rev. Charles Edward Locke, of
the Delaware-avenue Methodist Episcopal
Church, who was to conduct the service.
The pastor was at the door leading into
the hall, station whence his words could
be heard at the head of the stairs. The
signal was given and there welled out from
the hall the beautiful words of Lead.
Kindly Light" sung by a quartet 1t was
President McKinley's favorite hymn.
Every one within sound of the music knew
1t, and half of those in the room put their
faces in their hands to hide their tears.
Controller Dawes leaned against a book
case and wept. President Roosevelt seemed
to be swaying to and fro as If his footing
were insecure.
When the singing ended the clergyman
read from the words OF the fifteenth chap
ter of First Corinthians. All had risen
as he began and remained standing
throughout the remainder of the service
Again the voices rose with the words Of
Nearer my Cod to Thee" the very words
President Mckinley had repeated at in
tervals of consciousness during the day
of agony before he died
THE PREACHERS PRAYER.
As the music died away the pastor spoke
again: Let us pray" he said, and every
head fell upon its breast. He began his in
vocation with a stanza from a hymn sung
in the Methodist Church. His prayer was
as follows:
. % God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years TO come:
Our shelter from the stormy blast
And our eternal home
eve. Thy servants. humblv beseecb Thee
for manifestations of Thy favor as we come
into Thy presence. We laud and magnify,
| Thy holy name and praise Thee for ali Thv
goodness. Be merciful unto us and bless
US, as stricken with overwhelming sorrow,
We come TO Thee. Forgive us for our
doubts and fears and faltering faith: par
don all our sins ana shortcomings and help
us to say Thy will be done In this dark
night of grief abide with US till the dawn
! ing. Speak 10 our troubled souls O God
and give TO us in this hour of unutterable
/ =
enCe only can AFFORD.
I'VE thank Thee that Thou answerest the
! sobbng sigh of the heart and dost assure
| us that IL a man die he shall live again. We
/ praise Thee for Jesus Christ Thy Son Our
Savior and elder Brother; that He came TO
bring life and immortality to light and be-
| cause lie lives shall also live.
| I'VE thank Thee that death is victory
! that to die is gain Have mercy upon us
/ i'm this dispensation of Thy providence: we
| believe in Thee, we trust Thee our God of
! love. the same yesterday. to-day and for
ever.
I'VE thank Thee for the unsullied life of
| Thy servant. our martyred President
| whom Thou hast taken to his coronation
! and We pray for the final triumph of all the
/ divine principles of pure character and free
\ government for which he stood while he
| lived and which were baptized by his blood
/ in his death.
Hear our prayer for blessings of con-
/ ISOLATION upon all those who were assO-
I ciated with him in the administration of
! the affairs of the government especially
Vouchsafe Thy presence To Thy servant
/ who has been suddenly called to assume the
holy responsibility of our chief magis-
/ tratc.
20 God bless our dear Nation. and guide
| the ship OF state through stormy seas: helm
Thy people TO be brave TO fight the battles