The Washington times., 1901-09-20
THREE CONGREGATIONS UNITE.
A Joint Service Held by n baptist
and Two Presbyterian Churches.

AT Wesley Chapel Church the congre-
cations of the f Street Baptist Church,
Assembly Presbyterian Church and the
Central Presbyterian Church Joined in
the memorial services held there yester-
day morning The pastors of the several
churches. the Rev. Ers- ]. J. Muir,
George r Wilson and A. n. PitZer, with
the Rev j. f. Heisse, conducted the SER
vices American flags ertwined with
black crepe were draped over the plat
form in the lecture room of the church
In which the exercises were conducted.
The services were opened by DIR. Heisse,
who announced the hymn, My Jesus as
Thou Wilt" which was sung in unison ps
the congregation. The departed Presi-
dent, a short period before his death, IN
formed the pastor of Foundry M T.
Church. that this was one of his faVorlte
HYMNS. and that the last verse had al
ways given him great comfort. This verse
is as follows:
MY Jesus. as Thou wilt
All shall be well for me,
Each changing: future scene
! gladly trust with Thee,
Straight to my home above
| travel calmly on
And sing in life or death,
Ny Lord, Thy will be done.
Prayer was offered by Dr. Wilson and
Nearer, My God. TO Thee" was sung by
the congrC cation. Lessons from Cor
inthians. chapter 10, and l Thessalonians,
chapter S, were then read by DR.. Muir.
Death. where is thy sting; o grave
where is thy victory" was read out
resonantly and with impressive effect
The Wesley Chapel quartet.e, consist
ing of Mrs Charles B. Bayly, So
prano; Mrs. d. Olin Leech, contralto;
Roland Rodrick, basso, and Harrington
Barker. tenor, sang Lead, Kindly Light.
DIR. Muir, the first speaker. said: Good
ness is greatness. God is great. But God is
great because he is good. Godlike souls
share in that greatness, and we can there
fore say William Mckinley was great be-
cause he was good. He dignitied his high
office by his goodness, and this particu-
'larly endeared him to his countrymen.
Goodness is eternal. 1t is the only thing
that abides. and it is the late President s
goodness that will ever enshrine him
among the immortals of the ages.
His name and influence will be perpet-
uated through all time, and as a lesson of
the hour, we can learn that, however
humble of place or work, we too, can par
ticipate in that greatness by being good.
Would that the people could learn the ne
cessity for personal and practical right
eousness, for then national righteousness
will be surely attained
There's a Wilderness in Gods mercy
Like the Wilderness of the sea- was the
hymn announced by DR.. Heisse. After
the singing of this hymn DIR. Wilson de-
livered a brief sermon.
II believe" said he, that the greatness
Of h
manliness and the great simplicity of his
character. 1t is great loss for man to
part with simplicity. God has said 'Ye
cannot come unto Me unless ye be as lit
tie children That childlikeness of char
acter is the grandeur of eternal great
ness.
What benedictiop of The great man
IL was that his mother lived with him un-
til he was President. And j am sure when
all is known, it will be found that he
never lost the reverence for his aged par
ents. His perfect devotion through thirty
years of marital life, for the wife with
whom we all now so deeply sympathize,
is but another proof of the childlkeness
of William MoKinley's character.
Dr. Wilson closed his sermon with the
statement that the greatest act OF Presi-
dent McKinley's life was the cementlng
for all time of the sections Of the great
American nation.
Mrs. Bayly sang as a solo Some Time
We IL 1nOeTSIdElu.
DR.. Pitzer delivered q discourse on the
character of the President. He spoke as
Southerper and for the Southern
churches. DR.. Pitzer is an ex-Confederate
soldier and n Democrat.
For the past five years, said he, al
the great searchlights of the world have
been turned on William Mckinley The
light has been searching and vivid. Yet
today, with all the people of the land
and of the world looking on the secrets of
this mans heart, we all say, Well done,
thou good and faithful servant
What / have to say say as one of a
different denomination, of different sec
tion. of different views. yet | give him
great love, the love of all my heart" ;"
DIR. Pitzer referred to Governor Tylers
conversation with the President when the
latter signified that it was his dearest
wish to dissipate all sectional difference.
- Thy will he done, what d proclama-
ton of the almightiness of God has gone
over the entire world continued DR..
Pitzer These words have gone out into
thousands and tens of thousands in all
lands.
Just now another comes. The king is
dead long live the king And what is
the first thing he says? He asks the ma
tion to come together today and pray.
What a spectacle, A dying President dy-
ing in the Lord, the new President invok-
ing God.
Il have seen many impressive events
in the history of our country. but / have
never seen anything to equal the events
of the past few days. A whole nation,
East. West South. and North, have
united in mourning the death of this great
and good man.
IT is Gods way; His will be done :"
The services We're concluded with a fer
vent prayer by DR.. Pitzer.
uopE TTuTNG AMTn nARRNESS