Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-05-31
MEMORIAL SABBATH At BRIDGEPORT.
Abstract of an Interesting and Pa.
sriOtic Sermon by
REV. M. Z. BEAL-L,
Before Uranium Post, c. A. n.

The Brannum Post, in obedience to COM
mana from headquarters, determined to hold
Memorial services in memory of their fallsr
comrades, the Sabbath before Decoration day
and invited Rev n. E. Beall to deliver the
same. Notice to that effect was gwen, and &
large congregation assembled in the kir-Wooc
Presbyterian church, Sabbath eve, at 7:St
O'Clock A few moments after the time ap-
pointed the soldiers marched in, and occupied
the seats reserveG fo- sheir use. As soon as
they wee seated the chOi. rendered voiunta-
~, in every way WORTHY o: the occasion.
The sermon was preached fom Isaiah Il
SIS: Every battle of he waTr.o; is with con-
fused noise, aad garments rolleL in blood, but
this shall be with burn rg anG full OF fire. Fol
unto us q so1 is born, unvo US son is gwen.
Af.er short introduction, explanatory Of
the text, ine minister prefaceU h-s cemar-s o,
setting forth the horrors and distress e-.a--ed
by war an general, showing that it shout, IN
deed, be '.rhe last Argument to winch kings
should resort" But as the ;ast anG only meth
cd OF de ending invaded liberty, and national
existence, it is iustiiaJle. SIN the la e re-
bel.ion loyal COW cUion of duty prompted the
rank ana file to march out to oaCIle and to die
There was ambition, it is true-but an anb--
tiOs subo.dnsted to the grand pr1hclples at
stake. This conviction was found on ootd
sides of the l:ne This fact was Illus
trated by tine shock sustained by Thomas at
C1ickamauga, and by Stonewan JacEsOn's re-
sissance to toe advance of our forces" The
minister maintained tnat such actions only
could have resulted frsm q conviction OF duly.
He continued by saying mat ''that 3otl parties
were 80 f.nly convinced, in tdeir own minds;
that argument could not move them, and they
went to war. They appealed 10 the God OF
battles, and the answer came when hard-earned
vic,ory at last perched upol the hag-staEs from
which fioated the Stars and Stripes. That dear
O d banner came out of the struggle without
losing one of it's precious stars. To show the
value of the Union, Rev. Beall quoted the.words
Of Morrison r. Waite, now our honoTed Chief
Justice, as ne addressed the 14th Reg, o. V. l.:
"The cause you go forth to maintain, is worth
any sacrifice you can make. The Union 10 worth
tie life o. every soldier enlisted in its defense,
and as we see ou- land to-day united, prosper
GUS, peaceful and free, we ADMIT the wisdom
of those patriotic words. Addressing the Post
he continued: "But, remember, comrades, that
these lives are well spent, only when they con-
tribute to the real and vital union OF every part
OF tnis land. TLey died not that the victor
should have power to plant his foot on the neck
o. ne yanouished Wherever the TO-
menters o. sectional strife rear their heads
above the rotten 1reastwoTks o. passion and
preu6 ce, :. is your duty, soldiers OF the Grand
Army of the Republic, to detail youI best sharp
shooters 20 pick them off. To foreign country
it is wondeial that the barriers which so late
ly separated US s.ould have disappeared. Di-
plomacy may run Mason and DiIon;s line, war
NAV reconstruct tine map Of continent, sci
ence can cut through granite walls, and mingle
the waters OF Two oceans-but it 10 the func-
ton and precosative of Divine grace to ore:-
come prejud;ces and alterations and shed tie
sweet amel.,ies of peace over the hearts of
men, But that work has been done. The union
is here-nor can we call it a Wedding, for the
parties are too near of kin for that. t IS more
like Iae running together o. the Allegheny and
Mononganela, one from the North, the other
FROM the Sou1h, and we can see just at the
confluence slight difference in The currents,
but only for little willie" "But," ne con-
tinued, "Hhils we fellowship together, and
clasp hands in bro.nerly love, may these arms
be paralyzed, and these tongues cleave to tie
roofs of ou: mouths, l. we repudiate the obliga-
tions we owe to tae memory of The brave pre-
servers otour land. They were no ordinary
men: tney lived for no ordinary purpose. Their
blood was tie pee of our Union. Peace 10
the. s:.ent shadesl Fragrant as the breath
of morning oe .le.r memoryl The winds Of a
score of years nave swept over their g-avesl
Their bones minsle with Inc sands of the Car
olinas, and ie. .tilIze the cOttOn-Ields of Geo. g
but hey still live-live N the institutions
they have preserved-live in the memory of
of their li.ing comprehensive in the new
generation that has taken their places, and
they aoiI live in the gratitude of generations yet
unborn. And shall We who keep their graves,
and bear tieir names, and boast their blood,
disgl ace the heritage they have left us, by sell
fish partisan st.iie? Ne0er! NEvEsl NEVERl
They fought FOR prosperity, and for peace, or in
the language of the text, for the time to come
when the dread emblems of war would be put
awav with burning and full of fire. when the
hum OF the spindle would make sueeter music
than the roll of the drum-when the low
ing of cattle at set of sum- would replace the
deep bass of the cannon, and as we look back
and see the change, we are constrained to
say, 1t is the Lords doing; it is marvellous in
our eyes,
The last fifteen years of our history calls to
mind remsrk made by good Quaker, whose
wife was disposed to quarrel. There are ladies
here, and we do not like to tell the story-but
she was everything but sweet-tempered, and
the husband would say, MY dear, it is not
worth while for you and me to quarrel, for we
will have to make it up again So We have
a historical demonstration of that same truth
At this point-we cannot give the
sermon in fnll-the minister stated that he was
not only before them as chaplain, but alse as
Q recruiting officer. 81 am here" he said "to
try to persuade you to enlist under the banner
of King Jesus, with its Alpha and Omega mon
ogram, and crimsoned with his blood. No
drafted men are wanted. Do not send your
wives as substitutes. Do not enlist for = hun
dred days, but for life, or during the war against
sin and evil" He then presented induce
ments that should persuade them to enlist,
and concluded by contrasting the Review of
the Grand Army at Washington, with the re-
view that would take place in heaven, when
the Christian warfare would be over.
The sermon throughout, an abstract Ofwhich
we only have room to publish, was listened to
with great interest by the old veterans. By
the way, while this Memorial service perhaps
had its start with the General commanding the
q. A. R., it surely cannot but prove profitable
alike to the preacher and the eI-soldiers, to
have similar services in the future. II draws
the people out-brings them to realize that af-
ter all, the good people don't forget their he
roic deeds, and wish for them the choicest ben
edictiOns of benifcent Providence.
Teachers Examination.
Report of examination held at St.
Clairsville, May 10, 1888:
Number Of applicants, "a.