St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-09-18
Memorial Service.
The Addresses at the Union Meeting
Sunday Night.

sunday Night
As soon as the news of the Presidents
death was received the St. Johnsbury
nastors held meeting and arranged for
a union memorial service to be held at
the North church Sunday night. The
church was crowded on this occasion
and the service in its solemnity and
patriotic utterances was one never to be
orgotten by the 600 or more who were
present.
The pulpit and organ loft were most
appropriately draped with bunting and
flags, trimmed with Grape, and directly
in front of the pulpit were two flags
crossed. The organist, Miss Margaret
Gorham, rendered most appropriate
selections and the choir sang as the
anthem, selections from Dudley Bucks
Midnight Mass" The male quartette
sang Mrs. Stoves beautiful hymn,
"Still, still with Thee" In the absence
of the regular altos, Mrs. H. w. Brooks
and Mrs. A. M. Mcneil sang and W. R.
Danley of Philadelphia took P. F Hazen's
place in the quartette.
After brief invocation by Rev. E. NJ.
Chapman, and the anthem, the Scriptures
were read by Rev. Mr.. Duston. He chose
David's lament over the death of Saul
and Jonathan as found in the first chap
ter of Second Samuel. Rev. A. c. Hussey
followed with prayer and the addresses
of the evening were given by Rev. G. W.
Hunt, Rev. DR.. Edward T. Fairbanks and
Rev. DR.. Pickells.
REV. MR.. HUNTS ADDRESS.
My FELLOW CITIZENS:
Not from my own choice do stand here
to address you on this occasion. l feel
more like sitting quietly in some retired
nook, with bowed head.
A common sorrow fills our hearts to.
night and causes them to flow in one
swelling wave OF kindred grief.
All true souls in our land are drawn
together in the mystic affinities OF woe.
We all are welded in the unity of tears,
and without regard to party affliation
or ancestry speak one language.
1t seems not very long ago when in
mind some of us sat at the bier OF Lin
coin. and then little later at the bier of
Garfield, both having been slain by an
assassin. And now eer a single genera
ton has passed away since the pure
minded Garfield was slain again the
nation is Mortified. Their beloved chief
magistrate, William Mckinley, while ex.
tending his right hand OF good will, as
he supposed to brother, is assassinated
by the treacherous fend, and tonight
lies in the cold embrace of death
1t is not for me to speak Of the excel
lence and worth of President Mckinley.
To another, who shall follow me has
that duty been assigned.
| have been asked to draw some les
sons from this terrible event, which may
be of profit to US all. We have again
been reminded of the presence in this land
of class of people who claim to believe
that the present order Of civil govern
ment is all wrong. and who seek to de-
stroy, in defiance of all law and order.
The assassination of our President,
boastfuly cried, II have done my duty,
am an anarchist"
1t is not surprising that a universal
horror Of the deed was breathed through
the closed lips Of the afflicted freemen,
or that maledctions fierce and loud are
being poured upon the head of him who
dared to strike down the Lords an
nointed.
1t is not surprising that all should feel
the need of the erection of greater safe
guards about our nation, in the way
of more stringent laws regarding the
abuse of freedom OF speech and the re-
striction of the tide of immigration into
this country. We are all, think, agreed
concerning the necessity Of these things.
But the sickness of the nation which
made possible present conditions cannot
be cured by legislative enactment. No
wonder that people are asking, Howl it
possible in this land ofliberty tor anarchy
to find breeding place? How is it pos
sible in this, the treest land on the earth
for anarchy to survive the influence OF
our institutions?
To answer these questions intelligently
we must be willing to study without
prejudice the drift OF our national life. 1t
hardly seems the time and place to say
some things. which we feel should be said.
Still, when a better time than now;
when everybody must see that something
must be wrong somewhere to make pos
sible such dastardly deed in this free
land. / have not the time tonight to 60
into particulars at length regarding
what believe to be largely at the bottom
of our present social disorders.
Back in ancient history we read of
one whose name was Lot, and that he
pitched his tent towards Sodom. He
had the privilege OF choosing the we'll
watered plain of the Jordan, or the up
land. He could pitch his tent toward
Sodom or Canaan. He chose the Jordan
plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
But he soon saw his well-watered plain
overrun by savage hordes, he himself a
prisoner, and his goods carried away as
trophies of war.
In pitching his tent toward Sodom he
made possible for him to suffer from the
evils the Sodomites brought upon them
selves, and furnished IAN invitation for
the heather hordes to seek to further
enrich themselves. He found that we'll
watered plain did not atone for bad
neighbors.
1t may seem to some of you not right
eous judgment to say that our nation
has pitched its tent toward Sodom, but
think that as Lot of old chose the we'll
watered plain of the Jordan with only an
eye to his own enrichment and with