The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-06-11
From Forney's Press of June 4th. ]
The Deathless Dead.

Over the bodies of its hest and most faith
ful-the good, the brave, the true-it ded
icated itself to the completion of their un
finish word.
1t is a grand and solemn annual servic,
this Of orrs-the nations ltany-varyin!
everywhere according to taste and culture
and means and creed and Tradition anC
tongue, but everywhere the outpouring O
full aud grateful hearts the offering o.
honest aud reverntial hands. The hjrtieH
is now and for all time to come the most
glorious May day of our land ; grander in
its traditions, bob!er in its teachings, more
sacred and touching in its impressions than
that beautiful and familiar one whose pref
! ty floral celebration we inherit from Eng
land and from childhood.
Great is the lessen aud high the service
of this Memorial mnistration. Well does
it deserve all the state and solemnly which
religious rite Or ceremonial pomp can throw
around it. IN every Northern State, aud
we trust in many Southern one, loving
hands strewcd fragrant flowers on the graves
| OF those who died that we might live. In
every country churchyard they lie, the men
who ventured death for the ideas of the
Republic, and'eound it. Their graves are
perputual lesson for all time, an ever
flaming alter. Our children must learn
from generation to generation that these
mel who died not as other men die, bu.
grander and better. They reliuquished
lite, not when, worn and cmaciated, it was
leaving them, or when existence itself had
become harder lot. They gave it up free
ly and voluntarily,in the freshness of youth,
III the bloom of strength--an Offering, and
for what? All that is the lesson. Let
it be learned with reverence aud gratitude
aud devotion as long as the years shall roll.
We trust that before the shades of the
thirtieth deepeued into night the grave of
every Union soldier in pennsy ylvania, how
eyer lOwl y or unknown, was garlanded with
the coDSecratcG wcdItII nuu .~',~~ 'ue
Commonwealth. No Community can do
too much-nO tribute Of respect or CRATE
full thoughtiulness can not be too great.
The graves we garland lie all around US
The men we have revered, whose names
and deeds illustrate the Commonwealth,
we honor with joy and love, aud it should
be source of sacred pleasure that we may
thus worship at their tombs; but the SER
vice of the 30tn of May is not only a
special tribute to CIR friends, but, wider
and broader and more cathOlic-a memo
rial oblivan over the ashes Of all our heroes.
Our flowers fell for the great armies of the
patriotic dead for the scrried sleepers in
Arlington for the yawning trenches en-
circliug Richmond-for the unhealed fur
turrows Of Chchamauga and Stone River
for the one hundred thousand who fell by
the wayside of the West-fOr the countless
and unuumbered thousands who steep aiar
off under loving skies, without a reverent
hand to tend or hot tear to fall upon the
bare prayerless graves. For all-for all
the faithful and undyins dead is the offer
ing of flowers this day--for the sleepers.
under the gaunt, creakng pines of Virgin
ia-for the legions who lie unshrouded,
unknown, uncoffined, where none can come
to weep or worship-in the ghastly trench
es--on battle plaines-in tangled wood
in levered swamp-in the dismal Gol9oth-
as into which emptied Libby, and Auder-
sonville, and Belle Isle.
1t is the inscrutable decree of God that
only through blood shall there be life
Not right, not an idea is worth having
that men will not die for, OF have not died
for. Civil political, and religious liberty
have advanced so farther successive lines
only through the frey gates Of battle. What
ever may be the golden future; the better
promise of brighter days, this has been the
law of the p4st-the law of Almighty God
written with the finger OF History.
1t is this unreasonable Law which we
DOW humby recognize, and the sevice of
its last fulflment that We honor The
peaceful sleeepers in their honored graves
they died that we might live.
This they have done for us who slumber here,
Awake alive, though now so dumbly sleeping;
Spreading the board, but tasting not its cheer,
Sowing, but never reaping;
Building, but never sitting in the shade,
Of the strong mansion they have made
Speaking their word oflife with mighty tongue
But hearing net the echo, millioned voiced,
Of brothers who reioieed,