Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-09-28
THE FUNERAL SERMON.
Rev. o. =. xranchestsr1 Beautiful Tribute
60 His Old Friend.

90 His Old Friend.
Rev. c. e. Manchester, who delivered
the funeral address. said In part;
THE cause of this universal mourn
Ing Is to be found in the man
himself. The inspired penman's pic
ture OF Jonathan, likening him unto
q beauty OF Israel could not c
more appropriately employed than
in chanting the lament Of our
fallen chieftain. II does no VIC
lence to human speech, nor is It full
some eulogy to speak thus Of him, Tor
who that has seen his stately bearing,
grace. manliness, demeanor, kindness
OF aspect, but gives assent to this de-
scrlption OF him. 1t was characteristic
of our beloved president that men met
him only to love him. They might In
deed differ with him, but In the pres
ence Of such dignity Of character and
grace OF manner none could fail TO love
the man. People conided In him. be-
lieved in him. 1t was said of Lincoln
that probably no man since the days
OF Washington was ever SO deeply i'm
bedded and enshrined in the hearts OF
the people, but 1t Is true Of Mckinley
In q larger sense. Industrial and So
cial conditions are such that he was,
even more than his predecessors. a
friend OF the hole people. 1t Is a glo-
rious thing to be able to say in this
presence. with our illustrious dead be-
fore us, that he never betrayed the con-
fdence Of his countrymen. Not for per-
sonal or political pre-eminence would
he mar the beauty of his soul. He kept
It clean and white before God and man,
his hands %unsullied by brides. He vas
sincere. plain, honest. just, benevolent,
kind. He never disappointed those who
believed in him, but measured up to
every duty. met every responsibility In
life grandly, unhninchingly.
His Growing Attribute.
Not only was our president brave,
heroic and honest: he was as gallant
n knight as ever rode the lists for his
lady love In the days When knighthood
was In flower. 1t is but q few weeks
since the nation looked on with tear
dimmed eyes as II saw with what ten
der conjugal devotion he sat at the
bedside OF his beloved wife when all
feared n fatal illness was upon her. No
public clamor that he show himself to
the pOpulace, no demand OF social func-
lions was sufficient to draw the lover
from the bedside of his wife. lie
watched and waited while we all prayed
and she lived. This sweet, tender
story. all the world knows, and the
world knows his whole life had run in
this one groove OF love. Her smile was
more to him han the plaudits OF the
multitude and for her greeting his ac-
acknowledgements OF them must walt.
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 com
fort her. May his grace be greater than
her anguish. May the widows God be
her God"
Another beauty in the character OF
our president was that he was a Chris
tan. In the broadest and noblest sense
OF the word that was true. His con
ndence In God was strong and unwav-
ering. He had gained In early life a
personal knowledge OF Jesus which
guided him In the performance OF great
er duties vaster than had been the lot
of my other American president. lie
said Mt ono time while bearing his
heavy burdens, he could not discharge
the daily duties OF his life but for the
that he had faith In God. 1t was
perfectly consistent with his lifelong
convictions and his personal expert
ences that he should say as the first
moment after the assassination
Thy Kingdom come. Thy |
WIN be Done and hat he should de-
at last It's Gods way; His WiD
be Done
Crime stasgers Belief.
MY friends and countrymen, with
what language shall ! attempt to give
expression TO the deep horror OF u
-.I. -. $40 SNa0T ~ tho n nf ht4
death. When we consider the magni-
tude OF the crime that has plunged the
country and the world into unutterable
grief, we are not surprised that n ma
t~ionality after another has FASTENED to
repudlate the dreadful act. This gentle
spirit was suddenly smitten by the
cruel hand OF an assassin while In the
very act Of extending generous greeting
to one who approached him under the
sacred guise of friendship. Could his
ssailant have realized how awful was
the act he was about TO perform, how
utterly heartless the deed, methlnks he
would have stayed his hand ut the very
of II.
I'm all the coming years men VIII
seek in vain to fathom the enormity OF
hat crime. Had this man who fell
a despot, II tyrant. an oppressor,
insane frenzy TO rid the world OF him
might have sought excuse: but II was
he peoples friend who fell when VIII
lam Mckinley received his fatal
wound.
"In the midst OF our sorrow we have
much TO console us. He lived to see his
nation greater than ever before. All
sectional lines are blotted out. There is
10 south, no north, no east. no west.
saw the beginning OF our
life. Lincoln passed through
he night Of our history and saw its
lawn. Mckinley beheld the country In
he splendor OF noon. Truly he died in
he fullness OF his fame. With Paul, he
say, and with equal t~ruthfulness.
am now ready to be offered