Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-17
Services at the Center Church.

At the Center church Professor Wilston
Walker spoke as follows regarding the late
President:
Though fitting consideration will he paid =,
on another occasion, to the great national ca
latnity which shadows our meeting th- morn
ing. the event is so central in all our thoughts
that it seems hardly possible to refrain from
some expression Of our common sorrow.
That president of the United States should
he removed by death from the discharge OF
his momentous duties at any time would be a
matter of serious national concern; but that
the nation should be deprived of its official
head bv the bullet of an assassin for the third
time within little more than 80 years, is cause
not merely for grief, but for the earnest con-
sideration of all who have our national wei
fare at heart. The possibility of such deed
Is that which has east the life of our honored
president presses home upon Us all the duty
OF 20 supporting those to whom we have
committed authority, Of so maintaining re-
spect for law and order, and OF 80 deyi>ing
suitable legislation that the president who has
SO recently died shall be the last to be taken
from us by the act Of an enemy Of our institu
ti0ns. The horror Of the deed reveals to Us
anew the seriousness OF the problems which
political and social agitatiOns foreign to our
American life have thrust upon Us. and the
obligation of using all our efforts, As we may
several. have opportunity, to maintain and
extend to all those within our borders the
conception OF law abiding American citizen
ship.
But the thoughts that ill all our mind, this
morning are less those OF the future and
its duties, important and sure TO demand con-
sideration as they are. as of the present loss |
which our country has sustained. Happily. |
no crisis faces us. As when Lincoln was shot |
down. The ship of state sails on far smooth. |
er water than then. But we miss the helms.
man nono the less. In his years Of service |
President Mckinley has grown with the in
crea>ng burdens which his strong shoulders
" ere ca He'd to bear. Away, keenlv appre-
cative of the will of the common people
that great American political sentiment to
which President Lincoln loved to appeal-he
has shown himself increasingly a leader Of
public opinion and wise director of public
affairs. He has surrounded himself with
skilled counsellors. He has aided with con-
,picuous tact and with success far greater
han that OF any president before him. in
hitting the various sections of our land and
n oblitcrating the chasms left by the Civil
War. He has conducted the country safely
through the struggle with Spain. and has
lone his utmost 10 secure an honorable adj
ustment OF the consequent and perpleXing
problems which have arisen in the Orient.
t has been his privilege to have q share in
he two most important features OF the Amer
can life OF the last 40 vears-the Civil War
md the new epoch OF national out-reae hing.
Ie helped to keep the nation one when
threatened by rebellion, and led it with pru
ence as il takes more influential place
mong the states of the world. And in all
his high service 10 the country he has re-
NAMED the simple kindly. approachable, pa
lent man. tender and considerate in the rela'
ions of the home, looking up to God with
teadfast faith, and living the clean handed,
iod fearing life before his fellow-men. Not
+ the mighty mold OF Washington or Lin
oln, for God gives such giants to a nation
ut seldom, he was beloved and useful as few
residents have been. His death gives him a I
ornament place among those whom our a
Ountry holds in honor as its representative Il
,aders. {
In common grief we bow before the will a
( God in our deep sense of national loss. We :
lourn the man no less than the statesman; !
nd our sorrow and submission can have no s
tier expression than the last words which t
anne from bis lips before his strong. manly =
hristan spirit left his wounded body, ut is
DDS way. His will be done" ,