The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-09-19
Christian People of Kenosha Gather in
The Churches to Express Sorrow
of the Nations Calamity.
PASTORS PAY LOYAL TRIBUTE.
Many Church Congregations Mingle Their
Voices in Singing Nearer. MY God TO
Thee"-Churches Pay Homage.

"Nearer, My God, to Thee" the
last conscious words of dying Presi-
dent were chanted by fully 5000
Christian people of Kenosha, who
gathered in the churches yesterday to
attend the memorial services held as
tribute of respect to the memory of
President Mckinley. It was gather
ing of sorrow throughout the city and
seldom have so many people assembled
in the churches to ask the help of the
Divine Ruler of the universe. There
was no recognition of church or creed
for both Catholics and Protestants
kne1t in prayer and sent up a humble
petition for the repose of the soul of
the President.
The sorrow of the people of the city
was never more apparent. The
churches were draped with the symbols
of mourning and the religious services
seemed to have greater interest than
ever before. In many of the churches
the chancels were completely hidden
by the great festoons of black. while
were hung in CONSPICUOUS places behind
the altar.
Many of the churches have already
arranged for the holding of memorial
services later in the week.
At the Baptist church a service will
be held on Wednesday evening, while
the members of the Episcopal church
will hold a special service of prayer on
next Thursday evening.
Notwithstanding these special SER
vices the ministers in all the churches
called attention to the calamity which
had fallen upon the country, and many
loving tributes were paid to President
Mckinley as a man and as states
man.
At the Congregational church the
memorial service was held in the eve
ming and many members of the
Grand Army of the Republic occupied
seats in the front part of the house.
The chorus choir rendered specially
appropriate music. During the service
the choir led the congregation in sing
ing ''Nearer, My.God, to Thee" and
many of the members of the congre-
cation were moved to tears. Rev.
Rob1ee took his sermon from the
assassination of the President and in
a beautiful manner he paid d tribute of
respect and love to the nations dead.
In speaking OF the President he con-
sidered every phase of mis- many sided
life. He saw him as a boy on the
the battlefield, as a lawyer, as a states
man in the esha11s of Congress, as a
President of the greatest nation in the
world, and lastly as a man. Mr..
Rob1ee touched at length on the man
hood of President Mckinley and found
in him the highest type of American
character. Reared among the 1ow1y,
Rev. Rob1ee showed how the Christian
manhood of ! President Mckinley had
been developed Through years of ex-
peri ence. He spoke of his tender and
never failing love for his wife, and
how this trait had been brought out in
his last sad days on earth. In closing
Rev. Rob1ee pointed the lesson from
the life of Americas most honored
son. 1t was simply a lesson of what
might be accomplished by Christian
manhood.
AT the morning and evening services
of Park avenue M. E. church the edi-
fee was thronged with people bent on
attesting their love for the martyred
President. The church altar was
banked with ferns and clinging vines,
4 IF y
were heavily draped, President Nc
Kin1ey's portrait shining out from a
bank of white and purple flowers.
At the morning service Rev. S. w.
Naylor spoke on "Una1terable Quiet
ude." Referring to the National grief
the speaker said that in our own sorrow
every heart should find the source of
comfort and strength and peace in that
God and Father of love whom Presi-
dent Mckinley had reverently wor-
shipped fromahis youth. His life was
one of dignity, of honor, of ca1mness,
of peace amid tumu1t. The peaceful
ness and trustfu1ness of his life found
final rest in the triumphant expression
s'Not our will, but His, be done"
In the evening a service of song
opened the exercises. President Nc
Kin1ey's favor e hymns, "Abide With
Me- aud ''Nearct Ny Home, wee
fceling1y sung by the Arion quartet
Miss Ruoa1s' solos ''Some Day, Some
Time and ''Some Day Well Under
stand,'' were sung with stirring pa
thos. Rev. Nay1or spoke from the
text, "Know Ye Not That Prince Of
Israel and Great Man Hath Fallen
This Day and All the PEG