The Albany Pastorate—1895-1910 [excerpt]

     In 1901, the whole nation was profoundly stirred by the assassination of President McKinley. The people everywhere followed with intense anxiety the effort to save the life of our chief magistrate. When, at length, the President’s death was announced, on a Friday, the churches of Albany united in arranging a memorial service for Sunday evening. An orator worthy of the solemn occasion was desired. The minds of all turned to one man entitled by his life-long patriotism and fearless pleas for civic righteousness, to speak with authority, and he was invited to prepare the memorial address. Deeply moved by the bereavement of the nation, Dr. Mears arose, after a sleepless night, at three A. M., on the tolling of the bells announcing the President’s death, and, before his usual breakfast hour, had composed the address which he gave by invitation on the following Sabbath at the union service of eight churches of the city. He led the great audience to serious thought by proclaiming boldly that the crime was our own because of our remissness in duty. He said: “What is the use of our praying for our rulers while we leave assassins free to do their deadly work? Do any say that God has done this? But God is not an assassin, nor does he appoint assassins. Don’t let any warped and twisted faith, so-called, lead you to imagine that God is the author of this diabolical crime. We have no such God. The crime is our own. We [192][193] have heard the ravings of these defiers of God and man and let them rave on.”
     Seldom has this nation proffered so united a petition as was sent to the throne of mercy for the life of President McKinley during the days that his life hung in the balance, and when the great decision came and death claimed him, the faith of many was shaken. Then did Dr. Mears, ever mindful of the needs of his flock, choose for his theme the question, “Had we a right to expect the recovery of the President?” He declared that prayers for the recovery of the President were right, but that God worked by law. Human skill depends upon working with nature. So God himself usually works along the lines He Himself has marked out in the creation of man. He pointed out that men had the right to hope for recovery, trusting to such knowledge as the surgeons possessed at the time, but added: “Had those men of science known that gangrene from poison, or from depleted vitality, or what not, was around the entire course of the bullet, there would not have been one ray of hope in any heart in the whole nation.”
     In such manner, like a watchman on a tower, or an interpreter of the ways of God with man, Dr. Mears scanned the movements that stirred the nation and taught from them God’s justice and mercy.