The Washington times., 1901-09-20
tyred President. He was followed by pr.

| tyred President He was followed by DR..
| w. H. Crawford, who said:
Il need not tell you that the American
| people are assembled today to pay tribute
| to the life and character of a great and
| good man. Claiming said at the burial
OF Edmund Burke that there was one
event in the world, Burke is dead. The
American people. standing today in the
shaoow of a great affliction say: There
IS one event in the world. William Nc
kinney IL dead The mystery is profound
| marvel ct the unde erstanGing-
1T was Abrah.p Lincoln Tho bowed
first 10 the blow Of tn assassin. Twenty
ytaTs later il Tas GaTfield Today II IS
our beloved President. William Mckin-
ley 1t seems but Yesterday that he left
home. smiling and happy. All! in fact 10
many OF us it seems rather like ages since
We last saw his face in life. That speech
at Buffalo shall rank with Washington 5
| Farewell Address. 1t seemed that the
acme Of achievement had been reached,
and all was happiness and gladness at the
moment.
Then in a single instant the American
people had feeling as though the shad-
ow OF falling night had settled about
them. There came for a brief moment
feeling of hope and then the flag hung at
half-mast. That Saturday came, and then
that Sunday. In the churches of all de-
nominations, Hebrew and Gentle alike
services of deepest sorrow were held.
Never before had so many people gath
stinctively to the house of God. We nave
come now to the last day.
William Mckinley was true patriot.
No one who has ever heard HIM pro
nounce that word patriotism, could forget
it Patriotism was to him no narrow al
legiance to petty party. II was to him
the abiding interest in the welfare of his
country His was the patriotism of the
mon who fought at Lexington, who
starved at Valley Forge. who died on the
battlelields that the Independence of the
United States might be gained.
His was the patriotism of the men VINO
framed the Constitution, and fought to
maintain it. at home and abroad. HIS
was the patriotism of peace, as Weii as
of war. 1t was the patriotism and love
of country which is good government,
happiness and ccntentment. Above every
ballot box he would have written, In
telligence, Conscience, independence.
Such a patriotism we can never forget.
When we recognize that divine reign
of liberty, protected by law. we seen in
it the object of his everlasting search.
When the great imprint which has been
left upon political parties and leaders is
understood, l have no hesitation in say
ing that the impression left by William
Mckinley will be realized as great. He
stood for good government for laws for
the benefit of our commerce As a young
Congressman from Stark County, Ohio. he
was in the front rank. fighting for what
he believed TO be right, and which he
thought would mean prosperity.
He was man of the people, coming
from lowly ranks. He never when raised
tC the highest position in the land, forgot
his old friends. He was forever the
friend of the man who needed help.
Il remember the last occasion upon
which l saw him. 1t was when there was
a great crisis in the affairs Of state. He
sat that morning in his pew, a devout
and when the time came for
the congregation to partake of the sacra-
ment, he came forward, walking with firm
step. and took from my hand the cup
the emblem of the Lords
blood. / said to myself then. Thank God
that such man is President He was
one of Gods noblemen.
What did he say when he calmly sur
veyed the assassin whose mortal bullet has
taken him from us? He said, Let no one
harm him. That sentence viii do more
for the cause of law and order than any
other speech in the next fifty years.
BY the common consent of the whole |
American people he will be placed in
never-dying grandeur in the hall of fame. !
do not mean that Hall of Fame upon the (
banks of the Hudson, but that greater |
md more enduring hall, endowed by the |
American people for the nations mighty !
good
Dr. Crawford concluded his address in |
he most profound silence His voice fell /
o whisper as he added his last tribute. |
lut the words were clearly audible I
throughout the edifice. His own eyes !
we're filled with tears which rolled down 1
lis checks, while sobs shook the great I
audience, paying its last tribute to the
ionored and revered dead.
Then the well-known words OF the dox-
'logy burst forth with mighty acclaim
md fille0 the church. The great gather
ng rose 10 its feet as the words swelled
orth in powerful volume. The Rev. j. E.
Gilbert, Secretary of the American So
iety of Religious Education, pronounced
he benedicrioE, and the service was
ndHd