Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-14
eThe Soldier Dead.

New Haven GrayS for the decOratlon or the
 graves of their dead comrades, and the sol
 emn service was carried out in manner that
 reflected credit upon all concerned. At an early hour yesterday morning the donations
 of flowers began to arrive at the armory, and
 at 9 o'clock the floral gifts had accumulated to an extent larger than on any previous oc-
 casion Most beautiful boquets, wreaths and crosses were provided from every quarter of the city, some of them marked for graves of departed friends, while others were intended for general distribution. The donations were not confined to the city alone, but from Will liam Bull, of Milford, came boquets and wreaths, while from Westville was sent near ly wagon load of choice flowers, among them being beautiful boquet from MT. Austin; crosses and wreaths from Captain J. H. Wilkins; cross and basket of flowers grave three handsome boquets from ex- ! Mayor Lewis; an elegant floral shield from ! friends in Hartford, and many others.
 The excellent Howe band, of Bridgeport, Robinson leader, arrived on the morning | train, and in the afternoon served the con- pany on their march to the cemeteries, dis coursing some of their choicest selections | At 1O15 o'clock the company, under com 1 mand of Captain Arnold, numbering fifty 1 rank and file, the uniformed veterans, under 1 command of Major s. E. Merwin, and the l ununiformed veterans, commanded by Cap ! tain F. D. Sloat, marched to the Third Con | eregational church and listened to a sermon ! by the Rev Dr. Dennen. The church was ! filled, the seats in the galleries and body of | the church all being occupied. Seats were 1 reserved for the Grays in the center of the church On the church communion table was an elegant floral display.
 The services opened with an organ volun- tary, followed by singing Praise God, from whom all blessings flow" An invocation by l the pastor followed. Then came responsive
 readings, the selection being the 72d Psalm. The choir followed with an anthem, '"We praise Thee, o God" which was very finely { rendered For the Scripture lesson pr. Dennen read the 21st chapter of Revelations. After other interesting introductory exer- cises Dr. Dennen gave as the basis of his re- marks the words found in Hebrews, 2d chap ter, 10th verse: ''For it became Him for l whom are all things and by whom are all things, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering" He spoke in substance as follows: My theme is our Captain In the commander lies the strength and efficiency of an army. Why is Christ our captain here? He is here | to bring many sons to glory and take them | with banners and hallelujahs to His Fathers l home He is here to save lost world to i'm mortality All about us are sinners, men ir ! arms against God and men in treason against I the law of God Christ is here to win men l in rebellion and save them from treason, and | bring them to dwell in that city of which have read Christ did not send out army to conquer the world. No he disrobes | himself and stands and shivers in the raw winds of the world and opens his recruiting office right in the enemy's camp. He pitched I his tent and flung out his banner with ! this inscription of gold upon it: "Come unto me and I will give you rest. , Single handed and alone he set to work to pull down the kingdom of Satan, while 1e gions of angels waited his command. There | is something here of soldierly admiration fo1 l every true soldier heart Say, friends, will | you enlist, if not already enrolled, and take \ service under Him It was great honor tc | enlist under the battalions of Caesar. The world has had its great captains. but where I is there one like our great captain, the great ! est and most glorious man on which the SUI ever sheen. Couple with this man tht Deity itself and we look upon him with awe
 and wonder.
 Once in an age God produces man whC Aroves to be real genius in science, in states | nAsnship or religion But Christ-He comes \ He epitomizes not man, but God himself | He descends to earth and in that lonely inn Il \ Bethlehem He is born and then is proclaimed
 "Peace on earth, good will to men," Jesu alone founded his empire on love, and mil l lions to-day who have never seen Him would I Il ..lzJ | raising the minds of men that they become insensible to worldly things, and would di, for Him. The Captain of our salvation, hkt l many other great military leaders, is made I perfect through suffering. Every other grea military man has become perfect through frs l being defeated. It is the self-made man tc
 whom the crowd bows, and to whom | they give their loud huzzas. Oul Captain was born in a stable, gradua tee 1 from carpenters shop, and he leads the | world to glory and honor to-day He received ! nothing by way of culture except what ht gathered up himself. He won a name fol
 himself. He not only wears a captains uni | form, but He wears an open, manly heart be- | heath it. He put the last enemy under His l feet. He rides at the front in the face ot l battle and cries, Follow Me; I will lead you l to the end" 7" What confidence He inspires | the battle is half won before it is begun. He triumphed by the mighty struggle in the gar den. They buried Him in the sepulchre placed guard over His body, but an angel l rolled away the stone and he rose triumphant
 His power could not be stayed, and, while in fidelity attacks Him to-day, His cause moves | forward down the ages. His little company 1 has grown to many millions; His tent is pitched in many lands and His banner fiutters l in every breeze under the whole heavens He will never suffer defeat until he has con- l quered the whole world. Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory. Up from every l cline and every land from workshop, from
 church and State, and from bat | tle-held have gone an innumerable 1 throng, sweeping through the gates,
 washed by the blood of the Lamb. l You, soldiers, are our welcome guests to-day Let me call your attention to the Great Cap tain, and l call upon you to enlist in the ser vice of the greatest leader the world has ever I seen. While you save the States and country | you may also march under the banner of the
 King of Kings. The most soldierly of al l soldiers is the great soldier of Jesus Christ
 Finish your course as your comrades have fin | 1shed their course, and when death musters | you out of service you will be received in the
 army of heaven, and then the fallen and brave ones will stand in your ranks And l when the final roll-call is made may you all be | able to answer-Here! Here!
 The sermon of Dr. Dennen was listened tc l with deep interest by the large congregation ln attendance. The exercises closed with 8 hymn and the benediction.
 The companies returned to the armory on the conclusion of the services at the church ! and were dismissed until 2 o'clock
 Promptly at o'clock the actives and vet
 erans marched from the armory, each mem, Der bearing a beautiful bouquet or wreath, | and preceded by the Howe band of Bridge. port marched to the City cemetery on Grove l street. Arriving at the cemetery the compa-
 nies passed through the various avenues and decorated the graves l marked with 8 small American flag
 on which the name of ssGrays'' was in
 scribed. The following graves were deco | rated at this cemetery Capt Edward S.
 Lines Capt. Charles Bostwick, Capt. P. S. Galpin, Capt. E. s. Hitchcock Capt Dennis
 Kimberley, Lieut.. Col. Henry C. Merwin,
 Capt. Elijah Thompson, Private E. Leroy
 Wilcox, Private w. M. Anderson, Capt. Ray
 mond White, Corporal Henry E. Peck, Major
 B. Walter Osborn, Private William H. Shep-
 ard, Lieut.. Charles W. Cornwall, Priva e Edward Cornwall, Capt. Jedediah Chapman,
 Lieut.. Charles P. Brown, Capt. Benjamin
 Prescott, Capt. Charles Nicoll, Capt John H. Coley, Private Wells Davis, Col George I. Whiting, Col Noah Farnham, Col Nelson A. Hotchkiss.