Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-16
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Honor the Memory Of the Late
President Mckinley.
AT SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Yesterday Was First Anniversary Of
Death of the Martyred President
Large Congregation of Worshippers
Presens-The Sermon.
fFrom Mondays Dany.]
Yesterday was the first anniversary
of the death of President Mckinley
and memorial service was held at
the Second Congregational church.
The church was crowded with the
numbers of people who had gathered
to do honor to the memory of the
martyred president Several selec-
tons We're rendered by the choir and
the song that was sung at
the funeral of the depart
ed president, 'The Beautiful
Isle of Somewhere" was rendered in
pathetic manner by Mrs. d. d. Da-
vies. The services were most impress.
sive and the memorial sermon deliver
ed by the pastor, Rev. d. d. Davies,
was listened to with the closest atten-
ton by the worshippers present. Rev
Davies spoke as follows:
"A year ago a great calamity forced
us as nation into the gaze of nations
and we became the cynosure of the
worlds attention. Genuine sorrow fill
ed all Christendom, and when he was
laid to rest, over the whole nation for
five minutes hush in the hum of bus
mess was made. Our days of mourn
ing opened fountains of deepest sym
D9fhv and cnrpo ne CIV ,,ob1o,f ,,o4;a,,
al qualities found expression. Stand
ing as We do now, in calm and I'M
impassioned spirit, may we not make
short survey of certain evils which
resulted in the assassination of our
beloved President Mckinley.
He fell differently to Lincoln, who
was near the close of the greatest
civil strife of history; and of Garfield,
who was in the midst of political tur-
MOL and excitement All was quiet
and peaceful. In the midst of delight
full scenes of prosperity and good will.
Preferred the hand as cS' friendship,
then shot down by cowardly assas-
sin. We speak of law and say that
this will stamp out crime, does it? No.
And is anarchy an exception, will law
stamp it out?
Make Up of Nation.
Before surveying some elements of
President McKinley's character and
greatness, we will view some of the
causes making such crime as his as
sassination possible. Look at the
make up Of this nation A mixed null
titude, heterogeneous mass, possess
ing every phase of temperament. ev-
cry station, rich and poor, aristocrat
and plebeian. OF every grade, virtu.
GUS and wicked, a heterogeneous peo-
pie. A nation enjoying true success,
possessing internal as well as exter-
nal strength, must have some cohe-
sive force. What is the best cohesive
force of any nation? Not numbers or
what Of China? Not culture, or what
of ancient Greece? Not form of gov
eminent or what of France? The
most potent force is the social fibre
that lives in a nations religion. In
proportion as the grip of religious
truth and principles are firm upon the
national conscience and convictions is
a nations greatness. Cromwell knew
this, Emperor William of Germany
recognizes this.
Christian Nations Are Miehtiest.
ut is no accident that the Christian
nations. are the mightiest nations of
today. When this consciousness and
conviction fails, then corruption and
disintegration must follow. National
conscience, national honor must be
preserved. A nation that repudiates
God can no more live and prosper than
a nation that repudiates its contracts
and promises. What faith, belief or
God has a large portion of this hetero-
geneous mass, poured upon thege
shores, brought with them This
brings us face to face with the fact
that the assassination of President
Mckinley has uncovered the result of
ripened altruism Anarchy is but the
deadly fruit of which altruism is the
deadly root. Follow out its logic, it is
concise. No God, therefore no author
ity, no authority therefore no account
ability, no accountability therefore no
punishment. No punishment, there
fore no law. Law is a restraint and
restraint is tyranny, and tyranny must
be overthrown. In its entire scheme
anarchy has no place for restraint,
and conscience is given no place. The
free love and free beer, and with these
it strikes at the very foundations of
home, church and state.
Violates Law With Crime.
Eyes, see how consistent it is, il
violates law with crime, and then cries
for the protection of the law from the
consequences of it's crimes Make one
of it's advocates rich and Immediately
he will demand the protection of the
law which he seeks to destroy. Who
has ever seen a godly anarchist, q
Christianlike assassin? What was the
God of johann Most, Emma Goldman
Chicago Reds?' This brings us agar
to another fact which this assassina-
ton reveals with increasing fullness
viz.-the lack of appreciation, value OF
sacredness of life-life is cheap, so il
appears. See our murders and sui
cides. Then there are the horrible
lynchings,- lawless imitation o.
lawlessness.' Why these lynchings
because they say, Of the laws delay
the defeat of justice to screening OF
influential and wealthy frop, +bo;,