The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-14
Jonas Longs Sons
SlGiNeGONNGlN,NlHiOiGlON
= HER POINT OF VIEW =.
1MNN! \. MM&

WYE ARE a volatile people, not
wv quite as much so, perhaps, as
the French, but today we
feel volatile enough. one week ago
most of us felt, as if somcbdy had
died in our own homes. For awhile,
at least, it seemed to our stunned
senses as if the universe reClcd. Many
realized for the first time what a ca
pacity they had for pain produced by
| circumstances which touched only
outside the rim of their immediate
personality.
one man said earnestly last Friday
night: II haven't prayed in forty
years, but I've prayed this night for
William Mckinley to be spared" \
woman exclaimed, in a voice broken
with sobs: Il saw my two boys go
20 war, and my heart rebcllcd, even if
il was for their country they went,
but | would gladly send them this day
if they could fight for the presidents
life at the risk of their own"
Thus it was that irrespective Of
party or prejudice, grief and anxiety
clOudcd every face, Perhaps some
times we need something TO arrest us
in our wild rush, our occupation with
tritlcS, and with a heavy hand grip
ping our hearts, make us conscious
that We have not grown so worldly.
SO hardened, that We cannot feel and
suffer, and, standing still for once,
drown our selfish aims in sorrow for a
public calamity, but surely we did not
need the sacrifice of the strongest,
Dravest, purcSt man in our land.
There has been peculiar wave of
emotion sweeping over this country of
OARS during the week just past. In
some respects. while the religious feel
ing was uppermOst as never perhaps
before in 50 vast a number of hearts,
in another there was almost "A reVcr-
sion 20 PI;lH sentiment, \ study Of
these prevailing conditions during this
brief period would present many points
of psychological interest. After the
first shock of hopeless lcthargy was
succeeded by the pain which usually
follows numbncss, the first impulse
of those who had a GOd-and more
people have prayed more in these
seven days than have been accus-
tomd to pray in all their livcs-after
that first Stupor of horror, those who
had a God prayed TO Him often with
half frantic insistcnCc, But there were
others some who had never prayed
since they said that little tender prayer
at their LiCther'S knee. and who had
found no Shrines to their liking in the
wide earth TO them came at first the
desperate feeling which in the for
gotten ages led men 10 find deity in
every phase Of nature, in the storm,
the sun, the sea and the peaceful
feds. If they could these unhappy
oncS- because of the calamity threat
ening the nation-thcy, like Jason in
his perilous quest for the Golden
Fleece, would have bcsicgod the oracle
hidden in some ancient oak, If by thus
doing they could wrcst from it the
pledge or the prophecy of hope amid
tan gloom,
secrets OF divination, promises
drawn from occult science, the power
ol charms fetishes and droam-lore
have been evoked to lift the veil from
the future and in some mystic way
transmutc the clouds OF Fastening
death into the gold Of life-and thus.
too, in an age of enlightenment like
ours and in the land frcest on earth
from superstition.
Faith-curists have sent forth their
good thoughts. Men whose speech
held no holy words, save in basphemy,
have uuconsciously cried "God save
him!" Little children have added to
their brief petitiOns-"and please, dear
Father, make our President get we'll"
Others who long ago, one dark day,
lost faith in Divine Ruler, and in
anything beyond the grave, unknow-
ingly drifted back to the spot where
they had once stood in their spiritual
life and whispered Heaven, spare him
IN his country"