Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-06
FIRST ANNIVERSARY
MCKINLEY WAS SHOT A YEAR
AGO TODAY.
Services May Be Held Next Sunday In
Commemoration Of the Martyred
Presidents Death.

| United States were no less Saddened than
startled when the news flashed across the
| wires to all parts of the country that VIII
| liam Mckinley, President of the United
| States, was shot down at the pan-Ameri-
| can exposition by the bullet of a dastardly
| assassin. The news was shocking and
| poignant in a like degree to the inhabi-
tants of both hamlet and city, and the grief
! of the people at the Presidents misfortune
/ was mingled with Indignation against the
| lawless maniac that committed the deed.
| In Washington, where President McKin-
| ley had spent so many of the later years
| of his life in the affairs of the people, and
where he was sincerely loved, the report of
! the shooting first told in The Stars extras
was received with almost stunning effect
| The people watched eagerly for the buile-
| tins announcing the Presidents condition
| from hour to hour, and the streets were
| filled with an excited and anxious throng
| from early morning until late at night.
When favorable prospects of his recovery
| were announced the anxious tension of the
| citizens relaxed and only JOY was ex-
pressed in the hope Of his surviving the
cowardly deed.
In the city today, and especially In off,
cial circles, men have reminded one an
other of the anniversary of the nations
cent grief, and that the people have by no
| means forgotten the martyred President
was manifestly evident in the expressions
Anniversary Of His Death.
The first anniversary of President McKin-
ley's death will occur next Sunday, Septem-
Der IA. On account Of the anniversary fall
ing on Sunday it is thought most appro-
pirate that any commemoration services of
the nations sorrow be held in the churches
of the city A reporter for The Evening Star.
| on interviewing a number of the leading
ministers of the city today, learned that
while perhaps the various churches will
hold no special commemorative service for
| the late President. yet the pastors announce
| their intention of making special mention
of the occasion in appropriate manner, and
at least portion of their sermons on the
14th of this month will be devoted to spe
cial reference to President Mckinley, his
clean, pure habits Of life, the value of his
public services and the melancholy circum-
stances surrounding his premature death.
large number of the pastors of local
churches are still out of the city their
vacations and so no concerted action has
as yet been taken by the churches to make
the observance universal in Washington.
The exercises, therefore, will likely be pure
| ly voluntary on the part of the individual
pastors. Several prominent clergymen eX-
pressed the opinion that 1t would be fitting
| and appropriate to hold a general public OBJ
servance in some large edifice in the city,
the services to be participated in by repre-
sentative ministers throughout the District.
Rev. DR.. BristoIs Views.
Rev. DR.. Frank Bristol Of Metropolitan
M. E. Church. who was President McKin-
leys pastor in Washington, has just
turned to the city after absence of two
months. When seen by Star reporter to-
day, he said that Metropolitan Church was
arranging to observe the anniversary of
Mr. McKinley's death with appropriate
services. The special service will be held
Sunday morning, September a. at IL
o'clock, and Dr. Bristol will deliver the
commemorative address special pro-
gram of music will also be rendered by the
choir.
In commenting on a public observance OF
the occasion here DR.. Bristol said:
Il think public meeting, participated in
by Washington clergymen. would be a very
appropriate ceremony. 1 am sure the local
ministers will be glad to take part in such
service. first noticed that Buffalo was
preparing to observe the late Presidents
death with special services, and later that
Philadelphia was taking a similar course
1 understand that Baltimore, and perhaps
Chicago. and nearly all the large cities will
ffttingly observe the anniversary of the ma
tons recent sorrow. The peoplc seem to
expect that the churches will observe the
event, and a number of Washington resi-
dents have asked me as to the probability
of special services on that day. 1 believe
If the anniversary is universally observed
this year it will likely become a permanent
institution in this country.
THE more honor noble men by
concentrating their lives and services in
a public manner. the more we educate the
youth OF this country to higher standards
of life. We pay very little attention to
American patriots as 1t is. and ought
to praise them more. We ought to stop
abusing them while they alive and
honor them when they are dead. II we
ever had a man. a character worthy Of
emulation by the youth, that man was
William Mckinley. To my mind he was
the purest character in American politics:
great and good man, and a patriot in the
fullest sense of that word. 1 think we
ought to hold up our American patriots of
our own day in the churches with as great
praise as we hold up the patriots of old
such as Morses. David and Abraham"
Within the past year three services COM
memorative of the martyred President
have already been held at the Metropolitan
Church. The first was held at the time of
President McKinley's funeral when Bishop
Warren and DR.. Crawford delivered the
addresses. DR.. Bristol being abroad at the
time. Upon DR.. Bristors return from Eu-
rope another special service was held, at
which he delivered the address. The last
public service in honor of the late Presf-
dent was held early in July, when Senator
Fairbanks. Representatives Grosvenor and
Tayler and DR.. Bristol participated in the
exercises at the church attending the I'M
Yelling Of a tablet to the memory of Presf-
dent Mckinley.