The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-09-25
Ut Is GODS WAY"

man nature, death, whom the poet of
Rome two thousand years ago said
knocked at the palace gate as he did
at the cottage door, death, who has
cut the strings of high policy and as
easily left a small family destitute, has
stricken the head of our Republic.
Death has not come to him when vast
ed by disease and worn by the cares of
State. II has struck him in the very
zenith of his powers. 1t has come to
him from no natural cause, it has come
from a foul blow generated by a foul
brood. President Mckinley has died a
martyr to the cause of liberty and or
der as opposed to the cause of Ii
cense, disorder and the flthiest and
Vilest of moral pollution.
Hope-We had hope when the last
steamer arrived. We feared, but we
hoped. The President seemed to be
progressing to recovery, and then his
failure came swifter and swifter and
finally death claimed him for his own,
and the name of William Mckinley be-
came emblazoned in the historical BAN
ner of his country as few names are
-emblazoned on the banner of any coun-
try. ..' ...r r...
Who can read dry eyed the last
scenes at that iliustrious bed side. 1t
is true that the death of each individu-
al may be sad, and narrowing, but
each individual belongs only to himself
and an inffnitesimal circle. The death
bed of the President while it belonged
in part to his family, belonged yet
more to the nation. There is no lack
OF respect or delicacy in lifting the cur
tain around the late Presidents death
bed, and letting the people see and
know. 1t was the death-be of the
peoples hope, the death bed of the man
who had but a few short months be-
fore been chosen a second time to guide
the fortunes of a mighty nation.
The simplicity, the tenderness of that
death-bed scene must go to all hearts.
The stricken wife is brought to him,
she clasps his hand, the hand that
years ago clasped hers in wedlock. and
which had SO sturdily fenced her life
from carking care and from every
breath of unhappiness as far as
lay in its power. William McKin-
ley was a devoted husband To
those who know and appreciate
the beauty of love in old age, no
more touching picture can be drawn
than of that of the stricken president
passing to the life to come, and his
wife who must, alas, soon join him,
clasped hand in hand, without the pow
-er of speech but utterin soul thoughts
10 one another in the failing and feeble
clasp. ':'
Impressive scene! True type of
that home life and purity of living of
which William Mckinley was the eX-
ponent! Thirty years had these two
journeyed through the vale of life, every
honor that the husband had won was
laid at the wifes feet, the two had
buried their hopes of offspring in the
graves of two little daughters, and
now was the end a rally, feeble smile
of recognition, a few moments with
hands clasped for the last time on
earth, and then the two are parted till
they meet again in the glory of re- /
generated life, eternal, where there /
shall be no sorrow. and where all is
peace, perfect peace.
The Christian spirit of the late Presi-
dent was manifested in his last return
to consciousness. When in the full tide
of his great intellectual power he ad-
dressed his fellow citizens in Buffalo.
laying out the policy which he felt and
was certain could carry his beloved
to the highest pinnacle of
greatness, his mind was occupied with
patriotic schemes and plans. When the
bullet had stricken him
down, and he realized that the end had
come, his mind turned to God. Others {
would carry on the glorious plans he !
had instituted, others would follow the s
paths which he had shown and would {
reach the heights he had dreamed of, t
but as far as he individually was con- /
cerned his work was done, cut off even c
m the midst of the most brilliant and t
engrossing work, he accepted the will t
If the Almighty. He never challenged
he right, he never considered whether
such an end to such a career was just n
,r unjust, he bowed to the Lords will. Il
n his last few moments of conscious h
less he murmured the words of a +
lynn, always regarded as beautiful, a
,ut now to be embalmed in every true t
American heart, t
Nearer, my God, to Thee, Il
Nearer to Thee! h
Fen though it be a cross >.
That raiseth one;
Still, all my song shall be-
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer TO Thee a
And then followed his last words 1T il
S Gods way. His viii be DONE" Noble O
leath words, grand words, grand in d
heir simplicity, in their faith and in in