Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-06-04

.Soidiers N tAc Grand iymy and Friends
II is natural for the human race to set
apart certain days for special observance
Families have their birthdays, wedding ami
vor>arics, and death days which are kept with
feelings Of peculiar JOY or sorrow. Religions
celebrate their holidays or holy days with
imposing rites and ceremonies. Nations too
have their festal- days 10 mark the great
events Of their history, and kindle il the
hearts Of their people the fire Of patriotism.
The I'D OF February and the ith Of July are
observed from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific,
from Lake Superior to the Gulf Of Mexico.
| but it Is safe to say that on neither of these
| days are the feelings Of the American people
more deeply touched than by the sad and i'm
| pressive services OF Decoration-day. On this
| day the graves of those who fell on land or
| sea, in the late war, are strewn with flowers
| by the grateful hands of those who survive
their death. and ind solemn JOY in honoring
their memory. The heroic deeds of the civ
| il strife are so fresh and vivid in your minds
| that II cannot be necessary to recall the past,
| but with the fieeting years the purpose of a
| national observance may be forgotten, its
! spirit be lost while the form survives. and
| therefore it is important to consider the mean
| ing Of this day and the way il should be Gel
ebrated. What does the day stand for; Why
have We left our shops and homes TO gather
in this place:
These services arc to honor a Patriotism as
| pure and exalted "a the world has known. A
| patriotism not aroused by ignorance, preju-
| dice, or superstition not enlisted TO forge
| the fetters of tyranny, OF 10 bolster fraud and
| corruption; but called forth by the love Of
| liberty and justice, to preserve our free inst-
tutions for this generation, and for the I'M
born ,aillions who shall dwell in this land
! Not less do We wish to honor the Heroisn
| of our martyr-dead. 1t may be true, as the
| poet says that,
! IAN men are possible heroes: every age
| Heroic IN proportions
| bat there are many degrees Of merit, and
many orders of heroism. The courage of our
heroes sprang not from brutal force 1t was
not the courage Of desperation or blind rage
but that lofty courage born of love and loyal
/ ty to the hottest things They fought not
like ancient champions to show their strength
| aud daring not like the adventurous knight
! engaged in senseless wars but in the service
Of God and humanity they feared neither
| danger nor death.
The day is a memorial of Sacrifice. Some
assert that this virtue exists only in name.
Every action they hold is selfish, prompted
| by the thought of some present or future
good to the actor. Such a theory may seem
plausible in peace, but it broke down utterly
in our last war. When the rebel guns were
fired at Fort Sumter the whole North was
aroused. Greed and selfshness were forgot,
ten, patriotism glowed in every face, and the
welfare Of the country became the all-aLsorb.
ing theme. Nor did it end in words and ex.
element. 1t led to prompt aud earnest &C.
ton. Men forsook their pleasures ambitions
and endearments. Lovers parted from their
sweethearts, husbands from their wives faith
ers from their children, to suffer the priya-
tiOns of camp or fleet, to sicken and perhaps
die in a strange land. There were exceptions,
l know. Dishonesty aud cowardice, fraud
aud treachery were found in army and navy
but far above these lowered that patriotisIl
and sacrifice which shrank from no suffering
viii the self-sacrihce Of the faithful nurses
ever be forgotten In every hospital they
ministered TO the sick and suffering, and ten.
derby cared for the dying heroes Who can
tell the pain relieved, the precious lives saved
10y their tireless care To many a suffering
soldier they we're as angels of God and theil
devotion and tenderness are worthy of all
praise. But sacrifice was not limited 10 hos
pitAl, camp or WAr-ship, for great as was thu