Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-27
MEMORIAL SERVICES.
Sermon by Rev. G. r. Penney-Suffering
for PrInciple-Interesting Exercises.


evening, the large church being crowded. The
exercises proceeded according to the following
programme: Voluntary on the organ; anthem
Scripture readings by Rev. Z. A. Quits; patriotic
hymn, read by Mr.. Curtis; prayer by Rev. MIR.
/ Ecob; response by the choir, The Lords
Prayer; Scripture readings, by Rev. Mr.. Ster-
ling hymn, read by Rev S. l.. b. Chase sermon
by Rev. Mr.. Penney; chant; prayer by Rev, Mr..
| Whitney; congreg atonal singing; benedicton
pronounced by Rev. Mr.. Ecob. The singing, by
"a select choir, with Mrs. Fannie Milliken as go
prado, was beautiful and impressive Members
of Setn Williams Post, Capt. Blanchard command
er, occupied seats in the body of the house. They
were in the uniform of the Post, and turned out
| to the number Of about fifty.
| The Memorial Sermon was preached by Rev.
| G. +. Penney, pastor Of the Free Baptist church
| The text was III John x 1852, ''Ye know moth
| ing at ALL nor consider that 1t Is expedient for us
| that one man should die for the PEOPLE, and that
| the whole nation perish not. Aud this spoke he
| not of himself, but being high priest be prophe-
sled that Jesus should die for that nation; and not
for that nation only, but that a,so he shou i'd gath
| er together IN one nation the children OF God
| that were scattered abroad" This IS record of
| one of those where bad men find it difficult
| to know what to do with good men. II this
| Christ, the Jews reasoned, is permitted free
speech and liberty OF person, he will dhuse b IS
pestentiaj doctrine up and down the earth. Suf-
ieiing Is part OF Coo moral government in this
| world-the suffering of one man for another, and
| OF one people for another, is great moral prlnci-
pie.
| lst-Suftrng is warning of danger. W hile
10 some respects the nervous system is appointed
for emotion, for inteection, it Is appointed to be
a sentinel and signal Tue whole physical Or
ganism is susceptible to the very first approach of
| danger. And Instantly feels PAIN. This is the
lowest form of duty that suffering performs
| 2d-Sutierlng is penalty OF evil, as well as q
| warning against it, When a man does wrong
| and suffers for ii, he becomes an unconscious ex
| FOUNDER to Others of the meaning of the suffering
consequent upon improper conduct. The pains
resulII Dg from intoxicating are temperance lee
| ture. The troubles that come from violations of
Gods moral law, teach virtue, more or less, TAX
| ing suffering for their text
| 3D. Suffering is employed by Divine Wisdom
| as an element in education, particularly in polti-
| cal economy, that form which belongs to the thrift
| and life of the indlvi citizen. If ing pro-
duces the secular virtues, every mans suffering is
| means of grace TO some other man. The fear Of
| want makes men industrious and frugal. Fear
| whispers in the ear Of Reason, "It you do not
| work, winter will surprise you, and find you with
| no fuel for your fire. no loaf for your table, no
rsment for your body, aud no covering for your
| bed. 1t is because a man is afraid of suffering
| that he works. If man wants TO know what beg
| garly results come from bad courses, take him
|
| such courses. They preach lessons. Public sem
| timent is in favor of III rails in secular affairs.
| There are men who think that by their cunning
they can evade Gods wisdom but cause and ef
feet will always stand over against each other.
| 4th-But suffering has higher range aud acts
| as awitnes. OF Invisible truth. These are dim and
distant to most men, and faith in their reality is
inspired by the sublime manifestation OF suffering
| 1t is instinct OF the world that suffering meas
ures the value Of nythng for which it is endured.
NJ, Hmm ff.4rf .ara thlu IN
| he did not believe to have some vslue. How much
| a man will suffer for the sake oil money, ambition,
for a friend, the value he places GU these
| things. What man will suffer for those he loves,
| measures how much he loves, and the depth of
Divine element OF love in him. What men will do
| and suffer, then, tor moral principles, measures
their estimation Of the value OF those principles.
God has. from the beginning, employed these
| means TO reveal to the word the reality and
grandeur of moral truths. Suffering has liluni-
mated and illustrated justice, purity, moral senti-
ment. He cited the OF Barron, the noble
cashier OF the Dexter bank, TO illustrate the ie-
ality of the virtue of suffering for principle There
| is more OF disnterested benevolence among me n
than we are accustomed to think there s-just as
| there is more gold in a mans soil than he thinks
there IL, when IL it is filed with yellow particles
and he does not know what they are.
Consider the effect upon others OF the testimony
| borne by martyrs and contessors. When a
man for the sake of principle gives up everything
else, he judges that which he gives up. A man
because OF his belief in Christ, may at times be
| called upon to sacrifice rything else. He is
| brought before the tribunal and tried. Property
| and all things else, may be taken away, but he
remains true to his principles. 1t is q tremendous
| sermon he is preaching. He is brought to the
great test of martyrdom and looking upon it,
men who before never had moral sense, say, awe
| never TIL now had suct an impression OF the re-
atty of the things that that man was looking at"
| There is no time when truth grows so fast as
when men will stand and suffer for it.
Ard who can help perceivIng, IN view of these
things, that there is truth in the doctrine of vca-
rlous suffering Material monuments and slruc-
lures crumble back to dust; but whenever q man,
| woman, child has stood for truth and human
ny, and liberty and love and equity and fidelity
and purity and justice, an imperisbabe record
has been msue. The history of such souls is lore
that does not need to be printed. 1t makes its
own wings and feet and travels on the painless
| All f. ON generation to generation.
| This theme is significant of the events of the
coming week, which will recall the hour of our
country's danger, as the graves of our nations
dead, shIined IN holy memory, shall be crowned
| with the sweet flowers of May. 1t is just seven
Teen years since the beginning of The strife. Ter
| ror, trcschery and dsmay every hand, it was
indeed dark day for the nation. The nation
| stood IN silent bewlldermeEt; the ship of State
was waIlowng in the trough of the sea- the waves
making clean breach over her. The experience
just before the war taught us lesson which it is
| wei foI this nation to remember-that peace has
| ile rs Wtil tnal Tue nOIfOrs OF
peace may sometimes find a blessed relief in war.
| Men of all parties and faiths responded to the
| Presidents Cali for volunteers soldiers sprang
forth from every hamlet and home. One Call al
| ter another was made, aud the ranks were kept
| constantly filed. How many never returned
Some died in the gloomy hospital from foul mals-
ria fostering wounds; some, unmatched and
unattended, iami,hed and died in the dire prison
pen, from neg ect and starvstion some fell on
the dead line" seeking breath Of pure air or a
ray of Gods sunlight some fell on the field of
battle facing the toe while the cla,hing of arms,
the groans of the wounded, the teri fc
means of the dying war horse, the wh-tling
ball and the cannon's roar sounded the
requiem to their departing spnlts. On!
the sacrifices made! Oh the suiferings ex
perenced! Oh the agonles endured for coun
tiy and humanity On what sanctifying of life
Tor the nations veal! Never did soldier fight
for nobler end, bleed for giander idea, or die
for better cause. All honor 10 the brave me u
who saved republic and liberated race. Three
Eund ed thousand soldiers graves inploie 10
preserve IDvioate what they purchased at the
| price of suffering and blood
| The comrades Of the Post are repre- entatves
of the graf army gathered out of every century,
| who have been willing to suffer for the mainte-
nance OF principles dearer than life. Every man
Il