The Washington times., 1901-09-20
HIS MANHOOD EuLoGIzED.
An Eloquent Memorial Sermon mt
st. Marks Lutheran Chcrch.

An Eloquent Memorial Sermon mt
st. Marks Lutheran Chrrch.
Special memorial services at st. Marks
Lutheran Church were conducted by Rev.
John c. Bowers. The exercises opened
with prayer by the pastor. who feeiingly
invoked divine blessing upon the widow
of the martyred President. Mr.. Cornelius
Ekhart, President of the Church Council
read the proclamation issued by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. naming Thursday a
day of prayer The congregation sang
Nearer, My God. to Thee Tn. Rev. Dr.
Bowers then delivered the memorial ad-
dress. bis subject being. How Sickness,
Suffering and Death Reveal the Soul
in part, he said:
There are times when II is not only en-
inently proper but helpful to pause In
the career of life. to mark not only the
progress of things. but to reflect upon
| the character of the departed and the
| acts Of Divine Providence Today we
are assembled in answer to the proclania-
tion of our President to join In this SOL
! emn service commemorating the life and
death of him who but few short days
ago was the beloved head OF our nation.
a deep gloom has been cast not only over
this congregation and city but over the
| whole world. The most intense sorrow
|
hour. A prince and mighty man has
been gathered to the land of his fathers,
and today is numbered with the great
congregation OF the dead
Some one has truly said that In re-
| iiSion a man is what he Is relatively. IL
| our departed President be tried by this
| rule there will rise before us all virtues
worthy of emulation. What tender Iega-
! cics has he left In the bosom of loving
people.
! He was an enviable attendant on the
means of grace. The religion of the man
who can wholly partially forsake the
assembling of Gods people must neces-
4 sarily, according 10 the minds of our
| Lord and the law of human experience,
be of very low as well as of a very
doubtful character. How many are there
who put themselves not TO the least
! Inconvenience to enjoy his presence
! and benediction? Our President had.
! evidently. but little faith and little place
/ in his life for death-bed repentance for
! only one with Christian life back of
him could die as he did. 1t was his life
that made his death so beautiful. for he
/ died as he lived 1t was his Christian
! faith that gave utteTance to that sublime
! hymn. Nearer. My God, to Thee which
death.
/ 1T was his Christian faith and life
| that makes the nation mourn today the
loss of personal friend a beloved broth
( er, one who was the stay and staff of a
great people. 1t was his Christian faith
/ that eunobled him TO shrink not from the
stroke which sunders so many ties at
| once.
! The purity of his motives the sincerity
| of his profession. made the influence of
his life a mighty power Men were con-
! character, have all confidence in Nc
| kinley, because / believe he Is a good
man. This was because his life was one
not only of principle, but practice. His
| creed was embodied in his magnificent
| character. That character was devoid OF
intolerance and bigotry. 1t was his life
| that makes his dying expressions great.
| Can We easily forget the manner In
he said goodbye to those dearest to him?
Often are We expected to bring gold for
brass. silver iron, brass for wood out
| of character, concealing that which the
public cenSures and bewails. But one
need have no embarrassment as he un-
| dertakes to estimate the character of our
| beloved President In him there was
nothing to conceal or hide Men knew
his character and loved him fTr II.
At the close of the pastors address, Mr.
Ekhart read an extract from speech de-
livered by President, then Governor Nc
Kinley. at Canton. Ohio. before church
convention Mr.. Ekhart. In closing his
| remarks, said:
Another and touching exhibition of his
deep-rooted Christianity was his plea for
mercy for the miserable wretch who
sought his life Surely this is akin to the
words of the Saviour when he said
| Father, forgive them, for they know not
| what they do
In the death of President Mckinley
the ration has lost one of. If not the best.
of her Presidents; one of the best and
most loyal of her subjects. The church
of which he was member cannot esti-
mate the loss sustained within her fold.
and last, but not least, that dear wife
who but a few weeks ago stood SO near
deaths portals, whom he SO faithfully and
deyotedly watched over and cared for,
and who all through their years OF mar
ried life saw only happiness and content
ment so far as their love for each other
was concerned by that dear wife an ire
parable loss Is sustained, which can only
be repaired when they meet above God
grant that we may all emulate the life OK
| William Mckinley and that when we come
to take leave OF this world be as ready as
he was to say 1t is Gods way. his viii
be DONE"