The Washington times., 1901-09-09
THE VOICE OF THE CHURCH
Fervent Pulpit DenunciatiOns of
Anarchistic Teachings.

GnrfeId's Former Pastor Pictures
the Villninous Attacks on -hree
Presidents, and Urges the Barring
out of Revolutionary Foreigners.
The Rev. Frederick d. Power, pastor
of the Vermont Avenue Christian Church,
preached to his congregation yesterday
upon the recent murderous attack upon
the life of the President. designating the
act a crime against the nation The
speaker took strong. ground against the
Anarchists in this country, declaring that
it is time that action should be taken
to restrain their teachers and to stop
their vaporings against law, peace, and
order. ~
Before beginning his sermon, the Rev.
Mr. Power announced to his congreGa-
tion that the service last night would be
a time for special prayer that God would
preserve the life of the President. He re-
minded the church that when President
Garfield lay wounded unto deatf the con-
gregation met daily for many weeks in
the chapel, which then occupied the place
upon which the church now stands, to
pray for the stricken Executive, Mr..
Power said that they would meet again
for like purpose. and that future meet
according 10 the condition of the Presi-
dent as reported from Buffalo
The pastor took for his text Chronicles,
ii 80 %: And the archers shot at King
Josiah, and the King said to his servants.
Have me away, for l am sore wound
ed This is not time said he, for
many words The whole world stood APP
palled in the presence of that cry which
emanated from Buffalo on Friday last. 1t
was the cry of one man, but a blow
against law and order: a blow struck at
the nation. There stood a gentle Christ
ian man kindly greeting the people and
ready to grasp the hand that struck him.
He had 10 mans enmity. and the bullet
of the assassin was aimed at society 1t
was a crime against the nation.
Three times within thirty-five years
this crime has been committed among US.
Sister nations have also suffered in like
manner. But in their forms of govern
ment we have sometimes felt that the eX-
planation was not difficult. Some one has
said that in Europe it has been difficult
for a tyrant to live to old age. But in our
land, where the people are supposed to
enjoy greater freedom than elsewhere, in
three instances has this sorrow come to
us. What does it mean?
Lincoln was the first martyr suddenly
cut down when ii seemed that he was Of
most use to the nation and the world.
He was a man of kindly heart with nc
personal enemies. Garfield, the next. was
a man of noble sympathies, scholarly at
tainments, a Christian man, and unusu-
ally beloved by the people. Mckinley,
the third to fall, is the most beloved Of
all. Entering upon the second term of his
Administration In the fun tide of national
progre SIS and prosperity, to which he had
given his best thought and effort, breath
ing sentiments of peace toward all ma
tions and slorying in their peace and
happints IS. ne is struck down an innocent
lamb for the slaughter 1t is monstrous
crime against the nation. Mckinley, the
man, Is the embodiment of righteousness
and justice. whose life and character are
above reproach, always considerate,
cheerful, kind. He was so back in the
days when l was Chaplain of the House
of Representatives and the increase OF
honors that have come to him has never
disturbed his amiable and generous ma
ture- Mckinley. perhaps more than all
our national rulers. has cemcnted the sec
tons of our country into integral national
life. His benevolence has been eXtenaed
tC all parties. We remember his brave
and conservative course with reference to
the Cuban war. NGnone can he e7inGitferent
at this crisis to the spirit of hopeTulness
in his last inaugural address, and the
good will expressed in his last public ut
terance az Buffalo, in which he spoke with
so much confidence Of the assurances he
felt of the continued happinsss and peace
with all our nefghbprs. s
There are certain lessons in this trage-
dy. Anarchism must be stamped out
There is no room for these foes TO law
and order in our land. Why should that
Of vii. o. paf af.T- n I 10
allowed to meet together and gloat and
glory over the attack upon the President 5
life? Why should the rattlesnake be al
lowed to exist in the city, the State, or
elsewhere to become a menace TO the ma
ton? Why should the sovereign State of
New Jersey permit the existence OF a
band Of people whose business II is to
assaSsinate and to commit murder? Why
should the writings and sayings of Emma
Goldman be allowed to circulate when
the ban is placed on other poisonous lit
erature? Why should meetings be allowed
in Chicago to jubilate over the fallen
President This is Christian land, a
land of churches. of law and order and
decency and there is no place for an
arChism here.
THE Anarchists claim that they have
the cause of the poor and the oppressed
at heart and yet they have murdered the
best rulers of the world. The President
of France, the Empress of Austria, King
Humbert, and President Mckinley are
among the best people and the best rulers
the nations of the world ever had.
This country was peopled by immi-
grants, and we have no more right to say
that others shall not come than those
had who were here when our fathers
came. But we have right to choose the
company we shall keep. We have right
to insist that tn. character of immigra-
ton shall not deteriorate. We have a
right to say to the murderer and the An
archist that we do not want them OF
late the disgruntled the discontented. and
the desperate have been coming to our
shores and we have a right to throw
back into the waves of the Atlantic, II
necessary. these elemepts of dlscord ana
danger We must protbct our own.
In closing his discourse the keV. Mr.
Power urged his hearers to cleave to mat
which is good and to cast away the eL p1u.
JJe said that good people were sometimes
wont to forget the presence aud power OF
sin in the world and that such Things as
this monstrous crime in Buffalo recall
the facts TO our minds He said it was a
warning cry to bring all Christians closer
to Christ in their efforts to rld the worlu
,f cir