The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-09-27

as It saw with what tender conjugal de-
votlon he sat at the bedside OF ms De.
loved wife, when all feared that fatal
illness was upon her No public clnmor
that he might show himself to the popu-
lace, no demand OF social function was
sufficient to draw the lover from the bed
side of his wife. He watched and waited
while we all prayed-and she lived.
Tender Story of His Love.
This sweet and tender story all the
world knows, and the world knows that
his whole life had run In this one groove
OF love. 1t was n strong arm mat she
leaned upon and 1t never failed her' ier
smile was more to him than the piaudlts
of the multitude and for her greeting ms
acknowledgements of them must walt.
After receiving the fatal wound his nrst
thought was that the terrible news might
be broken gently to her May God In TINS
deep hour of sorrow comfort her. May
his grace be greater than her anguish
May the Widows God be her God. Anotn-
er beauty in the character OF our fresi-
dent, that was a chaplet of grace ABOUT
his neck, was that he was Christian;
In the broadcast, noblest sense OF the woIo
that was true. His confidence In GOD was
strong and unwavering. 1t held MN
steady In many a storm where others
were driven before the wind ana 'osseu;
He believed In the fatherhood of GOD ana
in his sovereignty His faith In the COS
pei of Christ was deep and abiding; ne
had. no patience with any other theme
of pulpit discourse. Christ and MIN cru
Gifted" was to his mind the only panacea
for the worlds disorders. He belieVeu IL
to be the supreme duty of the CHRISTIAN
minister to preach the word lie saiu'
I'VE do not look for great businessmen
in the pulpit, but for great preachers
Ever a True Christian.
1t is well known that his godly mother
had hoped for him that he would become
a minister of the gospel, and that she
believed 1t to be the highest vocation III
life. 1t was not, however, his mothers
faith that made him a Christian. he hau
gained in early life personal knowleuse
of Jesus which guided him in the per-
Torrance of greater duties and Vaster
than have been the lot of any other Am
erican President. He said at one time
while bearing heavy burdens, that ne
could not discharge the daily duties OF
his life but for the fact that he hao
faith in God. William Mckinley believed
in prayer, in the beauty of 1t, In the
potency of it. Its language was not I'M
familiar to him, and his public addresses
not infrequently evince the fact. IL was
perfectly consistent with his lifelong
CONVICTIONS anu HIS DclSOlldl tApNi'N'iNN''
that he should say as the first critical
moment after the assassination APP
preached. Thy Kingdom come; thy VIII
be done" and that he should declare at
the last, 1T is Gods way; MS VIII ne
done" He lived grandly; 1T was nttihs
that he should die grandly. And now
that the majesty of death has touched
and Gained him we find that In MS SUI
preme moment he was still a conqueror
Lessons from the Sad Event.
Let us turn now to brief consldera-
ton of some of the lessons that we are
to learn from this sad event. Inc hrst
one that will occur to us all Is the olu'
old lesson that "in the midst of life we
are in death" MAN goeth forth to MS
work and to his labor until the evening
HE feeth as it were shadow and never
continueth in one stay" Our President
went forth in the fulness of his strength,
in his manly beauty. and was suddenly
smitten by the hand that brought death
with it. None of us can tell what uay
may bring forth. Let us, therefore, re-
member that mo man liveth to himself
and none of us dieth to himself. May
each days close see each days duty done.
Another great lesson that we should heed
is the vanity of mere earthly greatness
In the presence of the dread messenger
how small are all the trappings of wealth
and distinction of rank and power. De-
seech you, seek him who said: Il am the
resurrection and the life; he that believ'
eth in me. though he were dead, yet snail
he live and whatsoever liveth and be-
iieveth in me shall never die" There is
but one Savior for the sick and the weary
entreat you, find him, as our brother
found him. But our last words must DC
spoken Little more than four years age
we babe him goodbye as he went to as
sumo the great responsibilities to whch
the nation had called him. His last words
as he left us were, Nothing could give
me greater pleasure than this farewell
gree ng-ths evidence of your friend
ship and sympathy, your good Will, ana,
am sure, the prayers of all the people
with whom l have lived so long and
whose confidence and esteem are deareI
to me than any other earthly honors. 10
all of us the future Is as sealed book,
but If / can, by official act or admins
tration or utterance, in any degree add
to the prosperity and unity of our be-
loved country and the advancement and
well-being of our splendid citizenship. /
will devote the best and most unseltsh
efforts of my life to that end. With this
thought uppermost in my mind, | reluc'
family take leave of my friends and neigh
bors, cherishing in my heart the sweetest
memories and thoughts of my old home
hereafter so long as l live" We hoped
with him that when his work was done,
freed from the burdens of his great Of
fee crowned with the affections of hap
DIV people, he might be permitted to close
his earthly life in the home he had loved
Sadness of the Homecoming.
He has, indeed, returned to us, but
how? Borne to the strains of Nearer,
My God, to Thee and placed where he
first began lifes struggle. that the people
might look and weep over so sad home
coming But it was a triumphal march.
How vast the procession. The nation rose
and stood with uncovered head. The peo-
pie of the land are chief mourners. The
nations of the earth weep with them
But, O. what a victory. l do not ask you
in the heat of public address, but in the
calm moments of mature reflection. what
other man ever had such high honors be-
slowed upon him, and by so many people?
What pageant has equaled this that we
look upon tonight? We gave him to the
nation only a little more than four years
ago He went out with the light of the
morning upon his brow, but with his task
set and the purpose to complete IT, we
take him back a mighty conqueror.
1.-The church yard where his children rest,
The quiet spot that suits him best;
There shall his grave be made
And there his bones be laid.
And there his countrymen shall come
Ii