The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-05-29
Decoration Dav.

we as people have no INSTITUTION 80 sac
red and so beautiful asthe eetetnony ofdecor-
ating the graves Of oGr dead heroes. True,
it cannot delight these brave men who sleep
to-day in their honOred graves, nor can il
bring consolation 10 wounded and bleeding
hearts, or restore the vacancies in stricken
and broken households. Yet IL has its COM
pehsations. Grief can be assuaged and a
desAee Of consolation be made possible even
to the mourner. The Spartan matron gforiel
in her sorrow when her son was brought
home upon hfs shield. He died, but that
her. She was bnored among women be-
cause she was the mother Of brave and
patriotic citizen. So it is with a thrill of
Joy, even though it be mixed with grief, that
the mourner for the soldier beholds whole
people rise up and strew his last resting
place with the first flowers OF springtime. 1t
is token that though passed FROM earth :
and therefore likely to be Forgotten save BY
few fond hearts, his memory is preserved
in a nations love and vGneration. Each
year as time rolls around but strengthens
this regard, which viii finally eliminate in
a hero worship as pure and inspiring as the
world has ever seen. 1t is the grand anni-
versarS Of the year to all friends of the sol
der, and let us see if we cannot celebrate
this year more appropriately and with more
unanimity than ever before. There is no
need that this expression of public regard
should excite softened feelings all aroUid,
North as well as South. A hero is Just the
same hero in whatever cause he dies, if he
has sacrafced his life in the defence of prin-
ciples which he believes to be right. If
were otherwise, the chaplet OF fame would
have to be snatched from the brow of many
an illustrious name. We can all honSr our
heroes, not so much for the cause TREY es-
poused ms because they laid down their lives
upon the shrine Of what they believed to be
duty. That sort Of deyotion ennobles almost
any man. Let then the Unionist adorn the
grave Of him who wore the blue, and the
Confederate deck with flowers the sod whteh
covers the wearer of the gray. In the pres
ence of death the great leveller, all animosi-
ties should cease, all psst differences be for
gotten. There is no warning in heavenj
where these disembodied spirits are now
dwelling in concord. Ifthey could speak to
us, it would be in words of peace and good
will. We have common interest in them
as they haye a common home, and there is
no humanity and no Christianity in squab-
bling to no purpose over their silent and
what out to be peaceful graves.
The following beautiful hymn for Deco
ration Day, dedicated to the Grand Army
of the Republic by ]. F. Lovringj ehapiain-
in chief, has been approved by the national
department, and will be used generally on
Decoration Day:
God Of the living and the dead,
We bow before Thy face;
Pleading Thy goodness and our need,
We supplicate Thy Grace.
AS in the day that once was ours,
In camp, in march, in field
Our strength was in Thy mighty arm,
Thy guardian loye our shield;
rs when the storm Of bsstle lowered
Our courage was in Thee,
And for one country and one flag,
We fought on land and sea;
As we have mourned with aching hearts,
The loss CT comrades brave,
And gather here to scatter flowers
Upon each cherished grave;
So muster back our dead that they
With us our ranks may fill,
And stand in glad fraternity,
Shoulder to shoulder still.
So give us faith in human rights,
In justice and in Thee,
That we may hold these once our foes
In christian charity.
So make each patriot soldiers grave,
A sacred shrine to be.
That high altar it may prove
OF stalwart loyalty.
Then when the great inspection day
/ Shall sound its bugle call;
May we in Heavens grand parade;
Give answer one and all.
The following is the programme for the
decoration services % be held in this Dor.
ough and Weissport, to-day Saturday.
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
l. Prayer BY Rev. E. ]. MILLER!
2 Singing, Lehighton Choir.
3. Grafton, Hon. W NJ. Rapsher.
4. Reading of the Decoration Day Poem by
Hon. j. q. Zern.
8. Singing by, the S. S. scholars.
AT 1880 p. m. the parade will form in
front of the Weissport School House, right
resting OF White street. aud proceed to She
Weissport cemetery.
ORDER OF PARADE.
i, /. Marshal and Aid.
2. Weissport Cornet Band.
8. Veterans flate war.
4. Lehigbton Cadets.
s. IIehighton COrnet Band.
Decorating Committee and Ladies.
7. Speakers.
8. Clergy.
O. Burgesses and Common Councils.
10. Citizens in carriages.
t After the ceremonies in Weissport, tht
procession will reform and proceed to lie.
highton cemetery and decorate the graves
D.. of their dead comrades.
, big Creek Items.
The Franklin Creamery Association
met at their usual place of Injecting on Thurs
}, day .e7ening of last we5k, the president Mr.
4. j. X! Rickert in the cksir. The secretary
e Mr.. Stephen Solt, read the minutes of las