Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-02

simply in the birth Of sentiment but ripen into
the full frutage OF rich and generous action.
Fourth-we admire men and women who prac-
ticed these virtues OF which have been speaking
They appeal to the heroic in all hearts. Admira-
ton is we'll aspiration after these qualities Ia bet
teri but realization OF them In practical expert
ence and life Ia best Of all. Do we not AZ men
need these quaties2 DO not our sons need them7
Does not our country, its prosperity and perma-
nency demand sons and daughters richly endowed
with these qualltes2 This brings us to the famil-
lar words Of the martyr president at the dedica-
ton Of Gettysburg cemetery: Four-score and
seven years ago our fathers brought forth on
this continent n new nation, conceived In liberty
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are
| created equal. Now we engaged In great
civil war, testing whether that nation-or any
nation 10 conceived and 30 dedcated--can long
| endure We are met on a great battlefield OF
that war, we are met TO dedicate portion Of II
rs the final resting place Of those who have given
their lives that that nation might live. II Ia al
together fitting and proper that we shoud do this.
But, In n larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we
| cannot consecrate, we cannot haow this ground
The brave men living and dead who struggled
here, have consecrated IL, far above our power TO
add or to detract The world will very little note
nor long remember what we say here, but II can
never forget what they did here It Is for us, the
living, rather TO be dedicated here TO the unfin-
ished work that they have thus far 20 nobly
carried on It Is rather for us TO be here dedi-
Gated to the great task remaining before us that
from these honored dead we take increased devo-
ton to that cause for which they here gave the
last full measure OF devotion; that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in
vain; that the nation shall, under God, have a
new birth OF freedom and that government Of
the people, by the people, for the people, shall not
perish from the earth"
The people OF these states nobly responded to
this appeal till the close Of the war. We have
learned since then that "peace has its victories
not less than wal" and 1t may be doubted whether
the loyal and liberty-lovng people have achieved
all or even the majority OF these victories. 1t is
equally true that peace has Its pers not less than
war, perils for the people and for the republic
true life to-day demands as noble qualities Of
hand and heart, and II we look with keen spir-
itua insight, 1t appeals to the heroic element in
our nature with not less force than when the ma
ton was rent by civil war. Considerations Of our
own highest good, that OF friends, family, coun-
try and humanity warn Of these perils and exhort
us to heed the call to true manhood. Some OF the
pers that threaten us with ruin are, love Of ease,
pleasure money self-indugence Of appetite,
passion, lust, and the making of the enjoyment
Of material good the end Of life. Men seek
positions Of trust for purely selfish ends-the
highest in business or the state for what can be
made out Of them, not the good that can be done
In them With this sefishness as a controlling
motive and spirit, soon moral courage disappears,
integrity crumbles, virtue is lost. A lofty ideal
Of the mental, moral and possibilities Of man is
not developed, or cherished as a supreme passion,
and gradually the life OF man becomes worldly
selfish british.
Under the empire, when Rome had conquered
the world, it became the highest aim Of the noble
senators, the mighty generals, the citizens and
soldiers, 10 enjoy the conquered world, and soon
the world conquered them When man attempts
to content himself with material enjoyment he
has entered on decline. The nobler virtues OF
his nature are passing away. Government OF
the people, by the people, for the people cannot
long survive the loss of the heroic qualities which
men most admire In he soldier" There are pub
lic social and moral evils existing in all our COM
munities to-day, eating out the very heart Of true
life, simply because so many who should be lead
ers are wanting in the moral courage that should
check restrain and crush them. The warning OF
to-day is this, Beware OF the perils Of peacer'
The exhortation is this Cultivate not less in
times Of peace than in war the heroic virtues in
our children and our own lives and characters.
Peace, too, demands finer type Of the heroic
When we consider the tendency Of the times, the
shock Of the last presidential election, we can
hardly look to the conflict OF the present year
xpith unffa hav fait In
the general integrity and good sense OF the people
Of this country we believe in a God that cares
for humanity, and we say with Iongfeow at the
launching OF the ship;
Thou too. sail on. o ship OF statei
Sail on, o Union, strong and greati
| Humanity, with all its fears,
| With all the hopes Of future years,
| Ia hanging breathess thy fatei
| We know what master laid thy keel,
| What workRen wrought thy ribs Of steel,
| who made each mast, and sail, and rope
| What anyls rang, what hammers beat,
| In what forge, and what a heat,
| Were shaped the anchors OF thy hope.
Fear not each sudden sound and shock;
| lis Of the wave. and not the rock;
| IT'S but the tapping Of the sail,
| And not a rent made by the gale
| In spite OF rock aud tempest's roar,
| In spite OF false lights the shore.
| Sail on, fear to breast the seal
| Our hearts our hopes are all with thee
| Our hearts, our hopes prayers, tears,
| Our faith triumphant DER our fears,
| All, all with thee-are all with teel
At the conclusion of Mr.. Fellows address, the
quartette sang "To Thee, o Country" The dox-
ology by the band, in which the audience joined
closed the formal observance OF the day.
The memorial day sermon was delivered before
Brooks post, Grand Army Of the Republic on
Sunday, the 30th, in Christ Church. by Rev. How.
and +. Hill, rector. The chancel was decorated
with the "star-spangled banner" and state flag
The post occupied front seats. The service was
as usual, except the hymns, Onward, Christian
soldiers" and " God bless our Native Land, the
last Of which was sung very warmly by the whole
congregation, which was very large one. The
sermon was 1.-THE way OF Peace" on tie text
Romans xii 10, "Be kindly affectioned one to
another with brotherly love; in honor preferring
one another" The differences of men were dis
cussed in religious, political and other opinions
and the essential idea was that the principle OF
kindliness and love should be observed in all the
relations of life, by reason Of the common brother
hood OF man, by virtue Of creation and redemp-
ton. To this end, modesty and moderate self
esteem was urged as a settled principle and on
the basis Of Christian faith, not for expedent
causes or for personal peace and comfort. The
sermon abounded in many military illusions and
concluded with an appeal to all present, an
appeal OF peculiar fitness to the soldiers TO exercise
moderation in all the heats OF the coming pres
idential campaign to avoid bitter controversy and
fierce exctements The trial Of four years ago,
its coseness etc, and the acquiescence In the
! suits OF the electoral commission was alluded 10
as possible OF repetition this time, also showing
the need OF peace-loving, loyal spirit for the
, welfare OF the country. The speaker did not
speak as partisan or politician. but rs a Chris
tan minister, and concluded with two quotations
from Lincoln, which he characterized ms brave
, words, true words Christian words, and as almost
, paraphrasng the words of St Paul on charity in
: l. Corinthians Kill with which he closed. The
sermon was not written. 1t may be best char
acterized as "words fifty spoken" and was
peculiarly opportune just rs we are entering
upon heated presidential campaign We cannot
be too often reminded that we are citizens Of the
United States, as well as Republicans and Demo-
crats and that we owe paramount allegiance to
our country before party.
IN WEST ToPsHAM
Decoration day was observed here in setting a
I cedar hedge around the cemetery. and 1t Is pro-
posed to bring a stream OF water and put in q
I fountain about the center OF the lot.
,