Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-05-31
DECORATION-sERvI TODAY.
$50. .3uU9 ET@1 llVNQuA
Procession, Speeches. &e.
FOR THE DECORATION EXERCISE,
PROCESSION, Sc


A. s. MARrSER, Chief Marshal.
The procession formed at IL o oclock, A. NJ,
in front of the Court House and the line OF
march was up Gay to Union, thence to
Crooked, thence to Asylum, and thence out
Broad street TO the cemetery.
ORDER OF EXERCISES AT THE GROUNDS.
Music by Band -.
Prayer by Rev. j. r. Eatls.
Music by Glee Club
Poem by c. d. McGufey, ESQ.
Music.
Address by Major A. II. Pettbone.
Music.
Address by Hon. George Andrews.
Music
Decoration of Graves.
Benediction.
The following address was delivered by Judge
Geo Andrews, of this city,
ADDRESS OF HON GEO. ANDREWS.
Moralists are apt to discourse much and sad
y OF the dire ealamities Of war, and TO question
the right of nations and of individuals to en-
| gage in it. And We are told, and believe that
in the coming time there shall be peace over all
the broad earth, and that the nations, their
Weapons refashoned to peaceful uses, shall
And yet, as the world now is and alway has
been, war, with all its fell train of evils, is
| necessity for the race and could not have been
| spared. The history of all the past ages is q
history of wars and of little else; but these
wars were tho storms appointed to clear the
moral atmosphere, and in the course of ages, to
make the race Of men more honest virtuous
and brave, and more fit for the coming millen-
| lum OF peace From all the terrible records of
| the past, not one page of blood could our race
| afford to spare for the path of its future per-
fection lies along this way of suffering and woe
And still, in the midst of the tears that fall
| over the woes that war brings in the midst of
the sighs that COUP for the longdelayed mil
| enium, in spite Of the teaching of Christianity
Sd S;Stias fS PmmoI and the efforts q peace
| to the cry of battle. To all-the gentle as well
as the ferce-the name of soldier rings in the
ear with n music and thrill that belong to
no other word, 1t is a word that embodies our
highest ideals of courage, patriotism and self
sacrifice. 1t comes to the ear with q suggestion
of old romance, and of deeds done in ages past
and told and sung by deathless tongues Is is
word furnishing to poetry and oratory in all
ages their grandest themes and their most glo-
rious imagery; and though the profession is
one of blood it is the soldier who stands select
ed by inspiration rs the fittest type and emblem
ot the Christian inhis struggle with the powers
Among the thousand strings that in the hu-
man heart Yibrate to all carths tones of love
and pride and passion, is one that is tuned
only to the t[pIepst note, that rings loud and
sounds of battle. 1t is part of our God-given
nature that no education can eradicate.
The inStinctiye recognition Of acts o.. gene
rosity and solfsadrifce is one whiehlies at the
basis of this sentiment The human mind car
not withhold its appreciation of labor done, or
suffering voluntarily endured for another
good. And the love and courage. that prompt
one to yield up life itself for tho welfare or
safety of another, is instinetivey felt to be the
highest exhibition of human unselfshness
The soldier of fortune, the mere mercenary ad-
venturer, who puts his life at risk for pay or
plumber alone, may extort the respect which
a an1nrannn Nrha
other virtues the individual may lack. But the
patriot soldier who for his country alone lays
down his life, represents to us human disin-
terestedness in its most godlilSe form.
We weep for the friends who pass away from
our side, and leave gaps. in our homes and
hearts, which ever after ring hollow and sad
keldeserted ansions: wemourn for the states
men and patriots who die in civil life and
whose loss, it often seems, could not be re-
paired. But when the patriot soldier dies for
his country, we contemplate % life laid down |
for oth er lives and q deeper thrilltouches the
heart and mngles with its grief Sorrow walls |
in all the funeral music of earth but in the SOL
diers requiem sounds strain caught from the |
advent song of angels, and lovetriumphant over |
death -rings-out amid the sobeing chords of |
it's law of 'Godrs providence that all true
good in this world shall come through la |
Dor, suffering and trial. And it is also true |
that very large. proportion of our choicest |
tolls and suferings ofothers. All that is richest
and holiest in our nature grows up under the |
operation of this principle. From the love and
selt-denial that guard our infancy TO the cares
that bless the dying bed, love ministers at every
step. Blessings constantly come to us through
the Vcarious suferings of others, and human
history and experience become a prophecy and
an illustration of divine redemption.
All material wealth represents the amount of
labor expended in its production, and all our
blessings and privileges are the representatives
in our minds of the toll, the suffering the love,
human OF divine, thus have been wrought into
them. ........
This is the great central idea of Christianity,
and for two thousand years il has furnished the
motives which have moved the world. The |
great thought was cast in the human mind,
sunk in selfshnesS and heathenish debasement,
that One of infinite majesty and purity had
come toour midst and tOled and died, volun-
tary sacrifice for the sin and wretchednrss of /
earth. That thought came, midst the darkness |
and corruption Of heathenism, like the first |
beam of the primal morn. Like the spirit of |
God, il moved on the face of the great deep,
and light, and order, and life and bloom came |
forth from the darkness and chaos tH'
AS with individuals, so. with nations and |
national privileges, blessings, and liberties are
priced and guarded according to their cost !
What American has ever lived who did not
love his country better, and prize her liberties
more highly for the memories Of revolutionary