The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-09-26

sort they were, what the interior
nature of the man was, what were his
affinities. We're they with the good,
the true, the noble? What his rela-
tion to the infinite Lord of the uni
verse and to the compassionate Saw
our of mankind; what his fitness for
that great hereafter to which he had
passed?
"And such great questions come to
us with moment, even in the hour
when we gather around the bier Of
those whom we profoundly respect
and eulogize and whom we tenderly
love. In the years to come the days
and the months that lie Immediately
before US will give full utterance as
to the high craftsmanship and great
| achievements Of the illustrious man
whom we mourn today. We shall
not touch them today. The nation
already has broken out in it's grief
and poured its tears, and is still pour
ing them, over the loss of beloved
man. 1t is we'll.
PRAISE FOR THE DEAD.
"But we ask this morning what
sort this mansis, so that we may per-
haps, knowing the moral and spirit
ual life that is past, be able to shape
the notwithstanding future. l think
we must concede that nature and
training and-reverently be it said
the inspiration of the Almighty con-
spired to conform a man admirable in
his moral temper and aims We none
of us can doubt, think, that even by
nature he was cminently gifted. The
kindly, calm and equitable tempera-
ment, the kindly and generous heart,
the love of justice and right and the
tendency toward faith and loyalty to
unseen powers and authorities-the
things must have been, with him from
his childhood, from his infancy; but
upon them supervened the training
for which he was always tenderly
thankful, of which this great nation
; from sea to sea continually has taken
note.
cit was a humble home in which he
| was born. Narrow conditions were
around him; but faith in God had lift
ed that lowly roof. according to the
statement of some great writer, up to
the very heavens and permitted it's
occupants to behold the things eter-
nal, immortal and divine! and he
came under that training. 1t is a
beautiful thing that the end of his
life he bent reverently before that
mother whose example and teaching
| and prayer had so fashioned his mind
and all his aims.
RELIGIOUS MAN.
! The school came but briefly, and
then came to him the church with a
ministration of power. He accepted
the truth which it taught. He be-
lieyed in God and in Jesus Christ,
through whom God was revealed. He
accepted the divine law of the Scrip
ture; he based his hope on Jesus
Christ, the appointed and only re-
deemer of men; and the church, be-
ginning its operation upon his char
acter at an early period of his life.
continued even to its close to mold
him. He waited attentivsly upon its
ministrations. He gladly partook
with his brethren of the symbols OF
mysterious passion and redeeming
love of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
was helpful in all of those benei-
cences and activities; and from the
church, to the close of his life, he re-
ceived inspirations that lifted him
above much of the trouble and weak
ness incident to our human nature.
Blessings be to God, may we say; in
the last and final hour they enabled
him confidently, tenderly, to say, 1T
is His will. not ours, that will be
done
| INCURRUPTIBLE INTEGRITY.
..Such influences gave to US William
Mckinley. And what was he? A
man of incurruptible personal and
political integrity. l suppose no one
ever attempted to approach him in
the way of bribe; and we remember,
with great felicitation at this time for
such an example TO ourselves, that
when great financial difficulties and
perils encompassed him he deter
mined to deliver all he possessed to
his creditors, that there should be no
challenge of his perfect honesty in
the matter. A man of immaculate
purity, shall we say? No stain was
upon his escutcheon; no syllable OF
suspicion that ever heard was yhis-
pered against his character. He
walked in perfect and noble self-con-
troll.
| HE BELIEVED IN MEN.
| Beyond that this man had some
how wrought in him-I suppose upon
the foundations of very happily con-
structed nature-a great and gener-
Gus love for his fellow-msn. He be-
lievsd in men. He had himself been
brought up among the common peo'
pie. He knew theff labors, struggles,
necessities. He loved them; sut
think beyond that it was the ch. -ch
and its teachings concerning the
fatherhood of God and universal
brotherhood of man that he was in.
debted for that habit of kindness, fol-
that generosity of spirit that wa:
wrought into his very substance. and
became him SO that, though he was o.
all men most courteous, no one evel
supposed bat that courtesy WAS from
the heart. It was spontaneous, unaf
fected, kindly, attractive in mos
eminent degree.
i What he was in the narrower cir
Gle of those to whom he WAS person
ally attached / think he was also il
the greatness of his comprehensive
; love toward the race of which he wa