The Newtown bee., 1901-09-20
LITCHFIELD COUNTY.
WASHINGTON.

A very impressive service was held in the Congregational church on Sun day afternoon in memory of our mar tyred President. All the denOmina- tlons in the town were gathered in the church and Rev H. E. Turner led the services. Senator Platt made the address and very tOuchingly referred to the life and character of the dead President. In part he said: "There are times when the only expression possible is in prayer, supplication, mourning hymns and anthems of faith. Such time comes to us now, a day of breaking hearts and.mourning souls; a day when a great shadow has fallen upon us all! It is not the language of extravaganza to say that there was never wiser, better or. nobler Presi-. dent, or it is not the language of ex- travagance to say he was great, good and loyable and as such he. was Presi dent of this great and glorious free country. All men will join in paying tribute to his strength, greatness and wisdom. We have mourned our dead Presidents in the past. Our hearts have been knitted together. Never in the history-of this land was there such sorrow and grief, and also such feel ing of shame and disgrace. He was great and good and lovable and these constitute the highest character which man can reach. Never before in the history of this country was a President called upon to face such new problems and new conditions as he has been called upon to face. He met them all with clear judgement. Time and again has this impressed itself upon my mind. Washington es- tablished this country, Lincoln saved it and William Mckinley has raised it to it's rightful place among the nations of the world. Our country is now recognized as the leading nation of the world and this is due to William Mckinley. These last few terrible days have revealed to the whole peo- pie the Christian character of William Mckinley. Those who have been near him in critical times and felt some thing of this yet failed to appreciate how Christ like this President of ours Swas. Two incidents have occurred so recently to illustrate this. Our Saw four in the garden of Gethsemane used those touching words, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.' As President Me- Kinley lay dying he said, "lt is Gods way, His will not ours be done.'' On the cross when the Saviour was lifted by hatred and vengeance he said, "Fa- thes, forgive them, they know not what they do." There in that hour of excitement, when vengeance was in all mems hearts, when stricken down, William Mckinley said, "Let no man hurt him." He didn't mean that he should be exempt from the law, but that he should be left to the law. We are told that the ruling passion is strong in death, and that then the character will show forth. The dying words of great men are eagerly looked for. Such hope and resignation are expressed in the dying words of Will liam Mckinley. He was not only great and good but he was lovable. I never knew more lOvable man. In all his nature he was just and kind and lovable to the last degree. He was emphatically the servant of the people. Noman was too high, no man was too humble for him to respect and love. His patriotism meant not only love of his country but he believed in the equal rights of the people be- fore the law. No one ever spoke to him without feeling this, yet all this without show or Ostentation. His re- gard for all men came from the heart. In large sense he fulfilled the Scrip ture injunction "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Never for moment was the care of his invalid wife off his mind. History produces only few such men. When such a man, such d ruler is taken away from us by the hand of an assassin, no wonder our heads are bowed. The bullet aimed at him was aimed at our government. It was aimed at you and at noe and at the nation as well. It struck down the President. It has not struck down the nation. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. We are stronger to-day than when Lincoln and Garfield were murdered. Men are beginning to see that it is the govern ment of the country that makes them all they are or all they would be. It is time for sorrow, grief and prayer. The President was man of faith. We should all have faith-faith in our institutions, our country and it's des- tiny. We will find in the future that our richest legacy is the memory of our martyred Presidents. The words of Washington in his farewell address marked an epoch in history. As the years wear away the farewell words of William Mckinley mark the epoch of our future progress. If there were nothing beyond this life then we should be hopeless and helpless in- deed. Death is swallowed up in vic tory. 70 Death where is thy sting? 0, Grave, where is thy victory?' No, our President Mckinley is not dead. He will live and be greater and more lovable. His memory will be preserv- ed as the greatest legacy to this peo- pie.
 "Thcre is no death. What seems so is transi-
 tiOn,
 This life of mortal breath is but the suburb of
 the life elysian,