Gilpin observer., 1901-09-26

as It saw with what tender conjugal de-
votion he sat at the bedside of his be-
loved wife. when all feared that fatal
Illness was upon her. No public clamor
that he might show himself to the popu-
lace. no demand of a 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
or love. 1t was strong arm that she
leaned upon and 1t never failed her. Her
smile was more to him than the plaudits
of the multitude and for her greeting his
acknowledgements of them must wait.
After receiving the fatal wound his first
thought was that the terrible news rnlght
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. Anoth-
er beauty in the character of our Presi-
dent, that a 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 a storm where others
We're driven before the wind and tossed
He believed in the fatherhood of God and
In his sovereignty. His faith in the gos-
pei of Christ was deep and abiding. He
mad no patience with any other theme
of pulpit discourse. Christ and him cru
cihed" was to his mind the only panacea
for the worlds disorders. He believed 1t
to be the supreme duty of the Christian
minister to preach the word. He said:
I'VE do not look for great business men
in the pulpit but for great preachers"
Ever n 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 it to be the highest vocation in
life. 1t was not, however, his mothers
faith that made him Christian. lie had
gained in early life a personal knowledge
of Jesus which guided him in the per-
formance 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 he
could not discharge the daily duties OF
his life but for the fact that he had
faith in God. William Mckinley believed
in prayer, in the beauty OF it, in the
potency of II. Its language was not I'M
familiar to him, and his public addresses
not infrequently cvince the fact. 1t was
perfectly consistent with his lifelong
convictions and his personal experiences
that he should say as the first critical
moment after the assassination APP
preached, THY Kingdom come; thy will
be done" and that he should declare at
the last, at Is Gods way; his will be
done" He lived grandly; it was fitting
that he should die grandly. And now
that the majesty of death has touched
and Gained him we find that in his su-
preme moment he was still a con4ueror.
Lessons from the Sad Event.
Let us turn now to a brief considera-
tion of some of the lessons that we are
to learn from this sad event. The hrst
one that will occur to all Is the old,
old lesson that lin the midst of life We
are in death" MAN goeth forth to his
work and to his labor until the evening"
He feeth as 1t were shadow and never
continueth in one stay" our President
went forth In the fullness 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 a day
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 trapplngs of wealth
and distinction of rank and power. l be-
seech yAu. seek him who said: II am the
resurrection and the lifel he that bcliev-
eth in me. though he We're dead. yet shaIf
he live. and whosoever liveth and .bS-
iievcth in me shall never die. Therc Is
but one Savior for the sick and the weary.
/ entreat you, find him, ns our brother
found him. But our last words must be
spoken. Little more than four years ago
we bade him goodbye "a he went to as
sumo the great responsibilities to which
the nation had called him. HIS last words
as he left us were. Nothing could give
me greater pleasure than this farewell
gree ng-this evidence OF your friend
ship and sympathy. your good will. and,
| am sure. the prayers OF all the people
with whom / have lived so long and
whose confidence and esteem are dearer
to me than any other earthly honors. To
all OF us the future Is as n sealed book,
but II can. by official act or adminls-
tration or utternnce, in any degree add
to the prosperity and unity of our be-
loved country and the advancement and
weil-being of our splendid citizenship,
Will devote the best and most unselfish
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
my home now-and, 1 trust, my homo
hereafter, so long as l live" We hoped
with him that when his work was done.
freed from the burdens of his great Of
flee, crowned with the affections OF "A hap
py 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 lfe's struggle. that the people
might look and weep over so sad n home
coming. But II was n triumphal march.
How vast the procession. The nation roso
and stood with uncovered head. The peo-
pie of the land nre chief mourners. Tho
nations OF the earth weep with them.
But. o, what victory. l do not ask you
In the heat of public address. but In tho
calm moments of mature reflection. what
other man ever had such high honors be-
slowed upon him, and by so many people7
What pageant has cqualcd this that we
look upon tonlght2 We gave him TO tho
nation only little more than four years
ago. He went out with the light OF tho
morning upon his brow, but with his task
set. and the purpose to complete It, We
take him back a mighty conqueror.