The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-06-05
DECORATION DAY.-We are pleased to

that the ceremonies attendant upon
the decoration of the graves of cur fallen
heroes were very appropriately observed in
.Stroudsburg on Friday last. The soldiers,
and citizens appeared to manifest a general
interest, and, Notwithstanding the rather
inclement weather, a large and imposing pro-
~ccssion proceeded to the several grave yards,
and performed their solemn tribute of Prospect
to the gallant dead. By special request we
herewith submit the address delivered ny the
Rev. j. +. Chaplain, of the Stroudsburg NJ
f. Church, at the Cemetery.
We are met to honor the dead VINO gave
| their lives in defence of our nation lie. III
is proper that we should do ~ ana trust we
shall do it properly.
There are things we must not do.
/. we must not so far forget the principles Of
n Genuine civilization and of true christianity
Which gives origin to it, as to dignity and emo
ble war. War Is a gigantic evil. 1t is wreck
and ruin. disaster and death. 1t springs from
unbolv passions and achieves the direst results.
Il is a relic of barbarism which the pacific and
benifccnt spirit of christianity will most Ger
tainly abolish. While the world was under
the domination of the military power of the
| hOnlin GsfIt1Ec anu war was ulSDlucU anu Si-
noblcd as a passport TO power and fame, the
modest but brave voice Of primitive christianity
did not fear to make itself heard on this terri
fc subject. "From whence came wars and
] fghtings among you? Came they not hence,
even of your lusts that war in your numbers
Jos. A: l. Our Lord told Peter, when that i'm
petnous disciple had drawn the sword in de-
fence Of the person and life ofhis Master, Put
up again thy sword into his place: for all they
lIl 1l --1 I'll H..
sword" Mat. 1852. And Isaiah, forseeing
the millennial days which are yet to come, pro-
phecied by the inspiration of God, ''They shall
beat their sword into plow-shares, and their
spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift
up sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more" lisa. 2:i. 1t would he a
r sad thing, if on Decoration Day or at any time
we should so far yield to PATRIOTIC impulse as
to lose 4 remembrance of the altitude which
christianity holds to war. Especially would il
be unfortunate n2w, after the successful resort
of this and a kindred nation TO friendly arbitra
! ton in a vexatious dispute which at any Other
I period of the worlds history would have led If
all probability to war; and while the obvious
advantages of this peaceful and christian meth
L cd of adjusting differences is commenting itsel
e Sc strongly to the common-sense and pecuniary
n interests of the nations, if not to their enligh
tened conscience, as to Justify the hope tina
the vast standing armies of European nations
will at no distant day be disbandcd and tina
another war between enlightened nations vii
D never again occur. We must not say Il wore
! against, but say all we can to help forward
contamination so devoutly to b desired. w,
say and do nothing to-day to dignifyand ennobl'
V war. War is as bad now as ever; it is wors,
than ever, because il is Il sin against greater
light than the world has ever had.
=. Nor must we violate thelaws of good fell
! lowship and of brotherly love toward that un
D happy part of our nation who gave occasion foI
, j the strife and bloodshed which have made
these graves, on which we come to spread flow
ers. We can show our respect and love for our
brethren who died for us, without estrangine
our hearts from the mistaken ones who slew
them and without erecting a barrier between Us
: and those who have different sentiments and
sympathies. Sectional strife should cease. 1t
should never have existed. 1t should termin-
2 ate at the earliest moment. If strife between
nations should cease, much more should strife
between different regiments of the same nation
be abolished. This is a new departure of a
genuine abolitionism. The aim ofold abolition
| ism, which now by the grace and mercy and
b~ountiful blessing of God has been achieved,
was the extirpation Of the only cause of malig-
nant sectional strife-slavery the aim of this
new place of Abolitionism, towhich every prin-
| cip}e of true religion, of sound national policy
and Of individual interest binds us, is the cxtir-
patton of the strife itself. In the best sense.
Let Us clasp hands over the bloody eliasm.'
Better still, let us so thoroughly renounce see
tionalism a TO have no chasm. There should
be none. There Is no proper reason why this
nation of ours should not be one in feeling and
in national aim and sentiment as it is one in
fact and in constitutional law. The moral
bond of our undeS pissed and unreluctant, but
cordial, full-hearted, generous brotherlv affec-
ton should bind US indissolubly into the high
est and purest type of national unity. As the
geography of the country by the bonds Of
mountain chains and rivers makes US one in
liberty; as the unity of our language. OF our
social and business customs, of our laws, ofour
history and traditions and of our religion
makes us one in all the elements of n true
nationality; and as the decision Of the God of
battles has been given on the field of blood, in
the last resort TO which the nation was reluc-
family compelled by the blow of its foe. that
this nation is one; it must be the province of
the christianity of the laws of a common Saw.
Jour to cement all hearts into an evergrowing
eyeness that Will know no termination. Let
this be our aim and work to-day.
But there are some things We must do.
/. We must recognize the righteousness of the
cause in which these men whom we to-day
honor lost their lives. War is ALWAYS an evil.
The war against the national life was caiseless
and Ubiquitous. But who will say that the war
in defence of our national existence was cause
less and iniquitous ? Would it be wrong for Won
to repel the man who was endeavoring to burn
down your house and seeking to desolate your
home? Would it not be your duty to restrain
him with all your might? Would you be guilt
less II you tamely submitted and interposed no
opposition? Would not ~inaction in such an is
sue be a crime? And what less than the desola-
ton OF home, OF country, of constitutional law.
the heritage of our revolutionary ancestors. the
hope OF the world, of institutions worth more
even than the precious lives which were sacri-
feed in their successful defence-was involved
IN the national cause? Was the nation tapelv
to submit when its life was assailed and consen;
to die without a struggle? Was it to have less
than the instinct of a brute and put forth no ef-
tortto|ard selfpreseryation? Did the law either
Of God or OF man demand such cowardly. i'm
beetle, suicidal p~assivity ? When the torch was
about 10 be put to the colossal and beautiful
temple of Liberty, BY those who confessedly
fought for slavery. maxine If NV tba;r our a.