The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-09-19

ana man. ana MS nanQS were unSulIed Dy
bribeg. His eyes looked right on, and his
eyelids looked straight before him. He was
sincere plain and honest just, benevolent and
kind He never disappointed those who be-
iieved in him. but measured up to every duty
and met every responsibility in life grandly
and unlinchingly
Not only was our president brave heroic
and honest; he was as gallant knight as
ever rode the lists for his lady love in the
days when knighthood was in flower. 1t is
but a few weeks since the nation looked on
with tear-dimmed eyes as it saw with what
tender conjugal devotion he sat at the bed
side of his beloved WIFE, when all feared that
a fatal illness was upon her. No public clamor
that he might show himself to the populace,
no demand Of social function was sufficient
to draw the lover from the bedside Of his
wife He watched and waited while we all
prayed-and she lived. 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 strong arm that
she leaned upon, and it never failed her. Her
smile was more to him than the plaudits Of
the multitude, and for her greeting his ac
acknowledgements of them must wait. After
receiving the fatal wound, his first thought
was that the terrible news might be broken
gently to her. May God in this deep hour of
sorrow comfort her. May his grace be greater
than her anguish. May the widows God be
her God.
Christian In the Broadest Sense.
Another beauty, in the character of our
president, that was 9 chaplet of grace about
his neck was that he was a Christian In
the broadest noblest sense of the word that
was true. His confidence in God was strong
and unwavering. 1t held him steady in many
storm where others were driven before the
wind and tossed. He believed in the father
hood of God and in his sovereignty. His
faith in the gospel of Christ was deep md
abiding. He had 10 patience with any other
theme Of pulpit discourse Christ and him
cruciied" was to his mind the only panacea
for the worlds disorders. He believed it to
be the supreme duty Of the Christian minis
ter to preach the word. He said: 1--WE do not
look for great business men to preach from
the pulpit, but for great preachers
1t is well known that his godly mother had
hoped for him that he would become a min
lister of the gospel and that she believed it to
be the highest vocation in life. 1t was not,
however his mothers faith that made him a
Christian. He had gained in early life a
personal knowledge of Jesus which guided
him in the performance of greater duties and
vaster than have been the lot of any other
American president. He said at one time,
while bearing heavy burdens, that he could
not discharge the daily duties Of his life but
LOT LlS I2CI LQ&C ne udQ ldlln Ill dOu.
William Mckinley believed in prayer, in the
beauty Of it, in the potency Of it, It's
language was not unfamiliar to him and his
public addresses not infrequently evince the
fact. It was perfectly consistent with his life
long convictions and his personal expert
ences that he should say, as the first critical
moment after the assassination approached,
"Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,'', and
that he should declare at the last, 1T is Gods
way: His will be done"
Lived and Died Grand1y.
He lived grandly; it was fitting that he
should die grandly And now that the
majesty Of death has touched and calmed him,
we find that in his supreme moment he was
still conqueror.
MY friends and countrymen, with what
language shall attempt to give expression
to the deep horror Of our souls as 1 speak of
the cause of his death2 When we consider
the magnitude of the crime that has plunged
the country and the world into unutterable
grief, we are not surprised that one nation
ality after another has fastened to repudiate
the dreadful act This gentle spirit, who
hated no one, to whom every man was
brother was suddenly smitten by the cruel
hand of an assassin and that, too, while
in the very act of extending a kind and
gracious greeting to one who approached him
under the sacred guise Of friendship Could
the assailant have realized how awful was
the act he was about to perform, how utterly
heartless the deed, methinks he would have
stayed his hand at the very threshold Of it.
In all the coming years men will seek in
vain to fathom the enormlty Of that crime.
Had this man who fell been despot,
tyrant, an oppressor. an insane frenzy to rid
the world Of him might have sought excuse,
but 1t was the peoples friend who fell when
William Mckinley received the fatal wound.
Himself a son Of toll, his sympathies were
with the toiler. No one who has seen the
matchless grace and perfect ease with which
he greeted such, can ever doubt that his
heart was In his open hand. Every heart
throb was for his countrymen. THAI his life
should be sacrificed at such a time, Just
when there was abundant peace, when all the
Americans were rejoicing together, is one of
the inscrutable mysteries Of providence. Like
many others. it must be left for future revela-
tions to explain.
Much to Console.
In the midst of our sorrow we have much to
console us. He lived to see his nation great
er than ever before All sectional lines are
blotted out There is no south, no north, no
east no west. Washington saw the beginning