Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-11-25
The Gettysburg SolemnitIes


and imposing. Although the crowd
attendance numbered its tens of tho
sands, there was little cheering or 9th
demonstrations that usnaly charaet.ri;
the proceedings Of such vast asssmbl
ges. All seemed to partake of the Sc
emnity arising from the circum stance
which called them together.
The procession was grand. 1t wa
composed of the military and civil dil
nitaries of the land, with committee
from different religious bodies and del,
| cations from charitable societies wit
appropriate music.
The proceedings at the stand were e1
ceedingly interesting. After the pei
torrance of an original dirge, compose,
by Mr.. Bergefeld, of Philadelphia, TO
the occasion, Rev. T. H. Stockton wa,
introduced and offered up the following
prayer, which We copy in full as mode
OF that species of eloquence:
PRAYER BY REV. t. H. STOCKTON.
Oh God, our Father, for the sake ot
Thy Son, our Saviour, inspire us with
Thy Spirit, and sanctify US to the right
fulillment of the duties of this occasion.
We come to dedicate this new historic
centre as National Cemetery. If all
departments of the one Government
which Thou hast ordained over our I'm
lon, and of the many Governments which
Thou hast subordinated to the Union. he
here represented-f all classes, relations
and Interests of our blended brotherhood
and people stand seyerally and thorough
" apparent in Thy presence, we trust it
is because Tbou hast called us; that Tby
blessings awaitus, and that Thy designs
may be embodied in the practical result
OF the incalculable and imperishable
good. -,
And sowith the Holy Apostle and with
the church, of all lands and ages we
unite IN the ascription, BLESSED be God,
even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
the Father of mercies, and the God of
all comfort-who comforteth us in all
our tribulations, that we may be able to
comfort them which are in any trouble.
by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God" '31alr =
In emulation of all angels. in fellow
ship with all saints. and in symnathp
TItn Y HI AL, all sufferers; in remembrance of
my works, IN reverence of Thy ways,
ana ana IN accordance with Thy word. we
tions, Thy creative glory, Thy redeeming
grace, Thy providential goodness, and
the progressively richer and fairer devel,
opments of Thy supreme, universal and
everlasting administration. 10
In behalf of all humanity, whose ideal
is Divine-whose first memory is Thy i'm
age lost, and whose last hope is Thy inn
age restored; and especially in behalf of
our own nation, whose history has been
SO favored-whose position is so peerles
whose mission is so sublime, and whose
futurei is so oattractive-wet thank Thee for
the unspeakable patience of Thy compass
sion, and for the exceeding greatness of
Thy loving kindness.
The contemplation of Eden, Calvary
and Heaven--of Christ in the Garden,
on the Cross, and on the Throne-nay,
more, of Christ as coming again in all
subduing Power and Glory, we gratefully
prolong our homage.
By this altar of sacrifice, and on this
field of deliverance-on this mount Of
salvation-within the fiery and bloody
line of these munitions of rocks, looking
back to the dark days of fear and tremb
ling, andato the rapture of relief that
came after, we multiply our thanksgiv
ings, and confess our obligations to re
new and perfet our personal and socia
conservation to Thy service and glory.
Oh had it not been for God For, 10
our enemies, they come unresisted-mul
titudinous, mighty, flushed with victor,
and sure of success. They exulted oil
our mountains-they reveled in our val
leys-they feasted-they rested-the!
slept-they awaked-they grew stronger
prouder and bolder every day.
They spread abroad; they concentrate
here. They looked beyond this horizon
to stores of wealth, to the haunts of pleas
ure and to the seats of power in our capi
tai and chief cities. They prepared to cas-
the chain of slavery around the form o
freedom, and to bind life and death tc
gether forever. Their premature trump
was the mockery of God and man; on
behind tnese- -nansd d-eu was theirs Bu
march of a smaller but still pursuln
host. Onward they hurried, day an
night. for their country and their Goo
foot-sore, wayworn, hungry, thirsty, fam
but not in heart-they came to da'
all, to bear all, and to do all that is pc
sible to heroes. FtxuI 81
I At first they met the blast on the plai
J and bent before it ike the trees; b
then, led by thy hand to these hills, tn
( took their stand on these rocks and
NAMED as firm and as immovable
they. In vain were they assaulted. !
- art, all violence, all desperation tailed
dislodge them. Bafied, bruised a
broken, their enemies recolled, retil
4 and disappeared. eg,r s.
4 Glory for this rescue! But oh,
slain In the freshness and fulness
~l their Young and manly life-with s
~ sweet memories of father and mot
brother and sister, wife and childl
maiden and friends; from the coasts
=. meath the Eastern star, from the sh'
- of Northern lakes aud rivers, from
flowers of Western prairies, from
homes of the midway and the boz
- they came here to die for us and
W mankind. ),
Alas how little we can do for tn
- We come with the humility OF pr'
~ with the pathetic eloquence OF yenel
wisdom, with the tender beauty OF
- trv with the plaintive harmony OF n
a with the honest tribute OF our
Magistrate, and with all this homo
attendance J; but our best hope is II
blessing, oh Lord our God Bless !
our Father-bless the bereaved, WI
absent or present-bIess our sicI
wounded soldiers and sailors-ble
our rulers and people-bless our