The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-26
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.

NOHdnESc 6GOAhE ChOhCns
The services at the First Universalist church
yesterday morning were devoted to the mem
ory Of the soldiers of the late civil war. The
comrades Of Bosworth Post, G. A. R., with
their invited guests, Thatcher Post, and Shop
ley Camp, Sons of Veterans, to the number of
142 men, were in attendance. A very large
congregation was present, filling the spacious
edifice. The rear of the pulpit was hand
somely decorated with flags. A stand of arms,
with drum and bugle, occupied the platform
to the right and left of the speaker. The COM
munion table and the choir gallery were also
draped with flags. After the usual prelimin-
AIRY devotional exercises, Rev. Mr. Blanchard
began his address without text. He welcomed
thu comrades of the Grand Army of the Re-
public and the Sons of Veterans to the memo
rial service sin honor of the brave" Refer
ring briefly to many of the scenes of the late
war, he announced as his topic "What the
Soldier Teaches the Citizen" and elaborated
the following points:
First-The soldier teaches the citizen to re-
spect superiors. When they were in camp or
in the field of battle they sometimes, probably,
found it difficult to look up to their command
ing officers. These had been their friends and
companions in business, and 80 respect for
superiors in rank was slow in coming. But it
came They learned also to recognize supe-
riority of mind. This respect: for superiors
the citizen must have. Democracy is often
sadly wanting in this respect. Our own Puri-
tan fathers were staunch Democrats; many of
our immigrants are fierce haters of kings and
mobiles. There is too little respect for superiors
in our republic. To the citizen the soldier
must teach this important lesson.
2oo0nd-ITha a0ldiQr faoehaa tho aitixon IN
reverence the authority Of law. When the
soldiers were first enrolled they found regula-
tions which they must obey. In the camp or
on the field of battle they were under law.
This had been formulated for them by other
men. Probably they sometimes wished to
change it, bat they learned the need of obedi-
ence. They found also power superior to the
military-the power Of the State. Congress
made laws which they must obey. Though
they may not have liked them always, they
learned to obey. This obedience to law the
soldier must always teach the citizen. Even
the fugitive slave law was to be obeyed. The
South in taking up arms, after an election,
disobeyed law The men of the North did
right to insist on obedience. In days to come
there may be laws which shall seem to be too
much on the side of the rich against the poor.
They must be obeyed. In republic, debate
and voting being free, the minority must sub
NIT to the majority. They may agitate, pro-
test, condemn, but they must obey. The
Third-The next lesson adduced was the
soldiers example of sacrifice, even OF life, for
liberty and law In days of peace there is too
much love of ease lie who would sacrifice in
days of war, in days of peace thinks too much
of personal enjoyment. The soldier must for
ever call the citizen to deeds Of sacrifice.
Fourth-The soldier showed his interest in
the battle-the battle that is always going on
between the right and the wrong. Too many
men, engrossed by business, do not sufficiently
regard the great interests which always are at
stake. Thousands of men will not vote. But
parties always must exist, representing ideas,
and it is men's duty to vote with some one,
for what he believes the right. In the army
there were but few skulkers. The man who
will not vote should be condemned as a
skulker.
Fifth-The soldier stood on guard against
surprise. Ever the picket line was at the post
of danger and Of duty. They guarded against
surprises of the enemy. In days of peace
surprises come. The riot in Cincinnati
the flames at Pittsburgh, show us what
may come. There is "a decline OF reverence