Connecticut western news., 1882-06-14

preserver; to the evil l am perpetual threat \ and terror. His might does not make right ! but preserves the right I am glad to say our country has maintained in practice this ! theory of the soldier in the most part. But there is one glaring exoeption-the Indians | They have been the victims of her soldery. l But we began with the true idea of the soldier. Against injustice and oppression she first l fought. Liberty was her soldiers battle cry So in the last that sad, that dreadful civil war. An, it brings crowdlng back (this Me- morial Day) the memories of the days of my early boyhood I lived then, and had been born in ono of the 'border States" You saw here only one side of the picture we saw
 both. You knew only one set of convictions
 we knew two. One brother hurried from home to join the federal forces another to
 cast his litr his fortunes, his all with the Confectionery. Men do not do that unless they l think there is cause. And you who were | the blue learned to respect the wearers of | gray, and to forgive them because you knew | by the way they fought and died that they | were not in heart traitors but only trus to
 their faith, false though it was. And there
 fore, too, you would bury beneanth one sod
 both friend and foe, because both died for their convictions
 Yes, in that war, bitter, awful as it was, not
 brutal conquest, not reprsal, not injustice was . and country. So we decorate their graves
 to-day the blue beside the gray. Our first
 war and our last then were the outcome of pure and lofty sentiments, however mistaken
 the sentiments certainly were in part. You must then, If you preserve the traditions of lyour country, be sctuated by this higher
 idea of your calling. You must stand ready
 to rejoice in peace, but as ready for war
 against treason, injustice or wrong l know !, of no better way to guarantee peace and SC
 cure uprightness among men as they are or that your work and calling and mine run side by side, and we must work hand in hand for
 general good. I must warn men Of duty and
 against wrong-doing; you must compel those who refuse to heed warning 10 obey the right though unwillingly So much for the agree.
 ment and sympathy between us as concerns
 our general aims and motives. But there are some particulars in which we come as near oI s even nearer together Let us specify one ol
 two If there are any qualities the soldier must have or acquire they gre these: obedi d ence, sef-denlal, courage. It is au old saying t that n man must learn to obey before he is fit
 10 command. So obedience is the first lessor
 of the soldier and the first qualification of al k officer also Where were order, where disci . pin, where the power to keep men in place shoulder to shoulder, rank on rank, unles
 obedience 10 commands were absolute n, e army, no ordered battle. no modern warfar e is possible without it. So of self denial. Wh n would choose the field and tent instead o
 ones home, who the homesickuess for loca
 surroundings and persons, who the hardshi n and toll and danger? Very few would lk >, them long. Only sense of duty can keep on,
 up under such trials in timc of war Yes Il self-denal for love of ones cause must be con
 l., ;e off fI, 70 sternest sort. And courage. I need hardl
 enlarge upon that subject. Soldier and coul r. age form as 1t were but one idea. A cowar le you know is what the world despises next [ r. a traitor, an uncourageous soldier, on
 who has no heart in his work Obedience s' self denial. courage. Can man be Christ h ian any more than soldier without these a. Are they not of the very essence of the life c 10 Christ? They certainly are, and withor them Christianity is nothing. Obedience |
 Gods will, denial of self, through love c as God and our fellows, courage to resist the cv ,r one. No wonder then we are enrolled, CT
 listed as soldiers of Chrlst to fight beneat ef the banner of the cross, the symbol CT obedience, selfdena for loves sake, all
 courage. No wonder we are bid to 'Put 0
 the whole armor of God" No wonder tl UT language of military metaphor runs a an through the Bible. No wonder some of tl 1g noblest members of my profession have con r from the members of yours In the time of u ' yellow fever scourge at Memphis, Chas. Ca
 roll Parsons was one such. And only fe ry days since I laid to rest the body of one wh k stood at his post and offered his life in will t , his country, indeed for his church. I ref N' to tho rector of St James Church at Gre Burlington in this county. These two a He merely representatives of many more lil wa them, soldiers in character in whatever wa
 of life their course may for the time be- Sut
 hten is my conception of the soldier and Il ry true character. Such my reasous for belle ,,, ing soldier should be the best of Christian e and the Christian, other things being equa d. the best of soldiers. Thus my apology 'ly presuming to address you as soldiers. In q .as the strfes, the struggles, the harsh d,scor or of life may we ever be on the side of rigt battling manfuliy against the wrong. Ms hs our conflicts all look toward peace and
 in efforts for it. Yes. may rest and peace be Il -as to those whose memories renew to-da on and may it be ours, yours land miue wi, 0N them to enter into the heavenly portals, b cr- meath the Royal Banner of our Heaven ,k- King, to enjoy rest and peace forever, throu! bo Jesus Christ the Great Captain of our Salv |, ton -Atidnas Transcript.