Daily globe., 1883-05-28
MEMORIAL SERVICE.

Rev. DIR. Dana's Sermon at Plymouth
field Grand Army Posts and a Large
Audience Present.
The memorial sermon of Rev. DR.. Dana
at Plymouth church last evening was at
tended by Acker and Garfield posts in full
uniform and alarge concourse of our citi-
zens, and the occasion was one of more
than usual and solean interest.
The exercises were opened with an ar
tistically executed offertory by the quartet,
"Rejoice in the Lord" which was followed
by the reading of the eleventh chapter of
Hebrews by the pastor, and an invocation
to the throne of grace of great pertinence,
simplicity and pathos as pertaining
to the subject matter of the
occasion, The quartet then rendered the
beautiful anthem, "Hear our Prayer"
when Mr.. Dana selected his theme from
Hebrews, II, 4: Being dead yet speak
eth.''
He pfefaced his remarks with the pictur
ing of the effects of character upon the
world, as especially shown in Abel and his
wicked brother Cain. To those characters
who exert great influences for good, and
especially to those who have added to this
the preservation of civil liberty, the world
owes commemorative praise, and there is
no more fitting place for meditation upon
their deeds and virtues than over their
graves.
At the grave we more thoroughly COM
prehend life and its relations. more fully
that living is not merely a careless pastime
and a scramble for place and wealth and
power, and form soberer estimate of its
realities. Therefore, it is good for the
weak and the strong man to visit the mau-
soleum. that it may turn his thoughts
heavenward.
Men though long mouldering in their
dust, as in the stately tombs of Westmin-
ster abbey, for what they have done in the
world to elevate and benefit it, still live
and will ever live in their deeds.
The worlds greatest benefits seemed to
have been obtained through the spilling of
the blood Of warriors and martyrs, and the
world seems to value as dearest the rights
and the institutions thus so dearly pur-
chased by the blood of its brave men and
crucifed. 1t would be a poor land that
had no historic battle fields, commemora-
tive warlike achievements and no warrior
hero dead. Such a nation would be COM
mon place one, devoted to selfish lives of
commerce and barter, with no ambitions
and no fame.
He cited Switzerland, so meagre in ter
ritory but so famed for famous battle
fields and IN the record of heroic patriot
dead, and Lord Lawrence, model war
rior and statesman, who conquered the
Sepoy rebellion and preserved India to
England and to civilization.
Our nation had long been one OF peace,
it had no modern war history or record
except the revolution, but God was max
ing in the counting-room,i in the professions
and trades and in those wto stood behind
the plow race of brave leaders and valiant
soldiers which will make our historic pages
glow through all time with the records of
their great deeds and unequaled valor. and
which places our republic in the front
rank of nations for men who have beco me
great for deeds they have done
There are as great responsibilities in
peace as in war and oftentimes fully as
much danger, and it is harder to be hero
in peace than in war. We should all strive
to lead clean, and pure lives, and try to
preserve and perpetuate the privileges
gained for US by brave men dead and liv-
ing, but through carelessness, dishonesty,
greed. selfshness and the corroding vices,
we may bring back upon our country the
same insecurity from which at so costly q
price of human life we have escaped
We should never forret our gratitude to
the dead, for the gIories of the sacrifice
they have made arr 4-ritten upon our soil
and speak out to US of the costliness of our
preservation and how much was given for it.
The speaker said that the literature of
the war was imperishable and its events
and deeds would span over 500 years for
subject narratives of truth and fiction. For
our dead warriors we should not only have
sympathy, but we should take every
method to give testimony that they fought
we'll to maintain the institutions they died
for, and all their deeds should be emblaz-
oned, that the dead might thus speak to
the living and thus inspire and exalt them
in their lives.
1t was great privilege to be in living
army which gave such renown to country,
but there was no eloquence like that which
speaks from the grave, no speech so COM
mandlng as that from a monument to the
dead. The speaker here made a stirring plea
tina the authorities of st. Paul erect in a
noble square fitting public monument to
her patriot sons who went down to death
IN the struggle for millions of freemen
living and yet to come, and to the brave
soldiers of the state Of Minnesota.
He concluded with the assertion that a
great state is only SO by its great men, that
true citizenship came when party was for
gotten for the public veal, and true peace,
prosperity and safety.was certain when like
the Romans, rich and poor, high and lowIy
born, were like brothers, in those brave
days of old before the evil days came
upon them.