Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-06-02
MEMORIAL SERMON,
Delivered by Rev. Dr.. w. A. YinglIng,
Sunday, May sS, 1889.

One Of the contradistinguishing charac-
teristics between man and the lower ami
mails is the respect paid TO the memory Of
the dead The inferior animals do not
mourn for their dead for more than day
or two, as q general rule, often not all,
while man never forgets those whom he
has loved; they still remain in the memory
as those who have been endeared, and the
recollection Of their kindness and compan.
ionship g'oddens the heart and cheers the
soul. Each heart with Baily would say OF
he cherished dead:
when I forger that the stars shi ,e in air,
Whel I forget that beruty q In 9 lrs,
When forget ,ha; love with beauty ts,
WV forget thee: TIL then all things else"
This arises from kindred nature and
sympathy of Kindred feeling; from sense
of nearness, and the recognition of loving
and tender brotherhood. Man is unit, a
citizen of common veal or woe that binds
him to the rest Of mankind with the cords
of remembrance which can only be broken
by the hand OF ingratitude and dire selfish
ness. How often do the forms of loved
ones, of companions, come up before Us
and ix our minds for the time being on
scenes Of other days7 How frequently our
busy life is checked for the moment to
give place TO the thought of some we have
loved? Especially true is :his of the ,old
iers life, OF those who have stood side by
side on the field Of battle, and have par.
t;cipated in the duties and jollities of camp
life. But just os true OF the citizen for
whose life and safety the brave men have
fought and died. For the citizen to forget
or ignore the daring bravery of the slain
10 ldier would he the height OF ingr altitude,
crime 40 shameful that there never was
man found who would own himself
guilty OF ii. Seneca says: "Ingratitdde
ia, of all crimes, that which we are TO &C.
count the most venial in others, and the
most npardonable in ourselves. 1t is un-
pnrdonable in the highest degree; for it
makes us fight against our children mud
our alters.
Ingratitude ia no dangerous TO itself, and
so detestable to other people, that nature,
one woud think. had sufficiently provided
against it, without need OF any other law
For every ungrateful man ia his own
enemy, aud it seems superAuous to COM
pei man TO he kind to himself, and
follow his own inclinations. This, of all
wickedness imaginable, is certainly the
vice which does the most divide and dis
| tract human nature"
n. Al.
token of ingratitude. but to give expression
| to our thankfulness TO the brave men who
have died fer our veal, and the country
we SO much love. It is fitting that we
should meet on 'the Sabbath prior to the
day on which all the nation will call TO
| mind the dead heroes whose lives were so
chee fully given for its defense. Here We
are not TO strew the flowers Of earthly frag-
rance on the mounds marking the resting
place Of the dead, but the flowers of re-
membrance and recognition Of duties well
performed; here we are not to cast the
sprig of evergreen on the grave rs token
Of Immortality, but the immortal soul it.
self will speak of Immortality and praise
the nations dead. This meeting is Just
recognition Of the God of battles, and the
God of the nation and the dead who gave
the victory and strengthened the arms to
that endurance which brought us final
and complete success, and saved the ma
ton.
The Scriptures are singularly full OF
of memorial days and memorial observ-
ances. "Senslbe objects and observances
deepen and perpetuate historic facts, u
hence the idea of commemoration is found.
ed in the Fitness of things" Doctor Peck
appropriately says I'm the presence OF
great events, great actions, great heroisn',
great magnanimity, man instinctively
seeks to embody his grateful and profound
emotions in some significant and lasting
memorial. Hence God economies this
fact in humanity. He appoints and en-
joins memorials. The great facts in He
brew history are memorialized in striking
significant services" These memorials KEEP
alive impressions which might otherw ise
fade from memory they call to mind each
year those events which have a hallowed
influence on us they quicken the minds
of the children and the adults to holy
emulation OF the deeds patriotic; they Ell
kindle gratitude and stimulate TO JUS
perpetuation the memory Of the valian
and tine brave.
0 Not only in Scripture do we find thi
, memorial, but we find the semblance OF i
in classic PRECEDENT. 1t is said that "a then
a enacted II law, that the ob-equies OF hel
citizen soldiers shouh be performed at th'
public expense, and with the most inipos
ing hopors." Rome built lriumphal ar
y ches to commemorate the deeds of valor
It and remembered their dead with respec
r and love. Barburians handed down Il
their children the exploits Of their braves
n and recounie,l the instances Of valorou
wnrriers with pleasure. All peoples joi'
4. in imposing honors, comm eniorative Of dis
tinguished service and honorable death
Is and the whole world pronounce them I'll
ting and deserving.
" Thus we commemorate the living de
e votion and dying valor of our father
brothers sons, and every heart is impresre
n with the appropriateness Of the day u
. Decoration. Though less snowy and in
. posing than some Of the ancients, yet no
less heartfelt and appreciative, for all th
: nation is moved to exclaim, This da
h shall be unto ns for a memorial"
Y The incipient istory Of Decoration Da
ir ia beautiful and touching. The service
A older than the Grand Amy Of the Repub
lie. 1t is said, an 1854 the graves d
Union soldiers were scattered through til
" Southern States, aud no man did ther
ID honor. In the Spring OF that year I'D til
,f women of the Confederacy went forth t
strew flowers ON the graves Of their dent
n the lately emancipated freedmen, wit
\. loyal and lofty recognition of the vicariot
!. sacrifice Of the Union dead for their emar
y cipation with love that shone more col
20 spcuously by their poverty and humilig
Us tion with tender simplicity that is aki
IL to sublimiiy, gathered from field and WOO
of the wild flowers in their beauty. Unde
the coversof night. they stole softly, 8
10 lently, by the light OF the stars, to the La
- - resting place of our fallen heroes, an,
10 ~ with sincere tears bedewing, with ben
W W dictive hands blessing those graves, lai
.. thereon the humble aoral offerings OF the
no unspeakable gratitude. More imposll
Iy and stately and mnnifcently, but nev,
a more devoutly aud lovingly, with mo
pious veneration and affection, will Il
sacred and significant service Of Decor
lion Day be performed. 1t was beautif
and touching as the love OF the wom'
Al. ,.l. =