The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-26
A cOUNrRps DEBT TO ITS SOLDIERS.
Rev. A. n. Carriers Instructive Address at
the Fourth Church.

rev. A. H. Carriers Instructive Address ut
the Fourth Church.
AT the Fourth Church, yesterday morning,
Rev. A. Fl. Carrier preached on "What Our
Country Owes Its Heroes" Taking for his text
Judges Y, IS. A people that ieoparded their
lives unto the death in the high places of the
field.
He said 1T is stated as tina result of es-
Inmates that have been lying before me that
Indiana soldiers were in 308 battles of the civil
war; that more than 200, coo. including probably
re-enllstments, were enrolled for various terms
of service: that about 80 600 additional served
under short enlistments; that "a 416 died in the
service, according to official reports, and that 49,
724 disappeared, belonging 10 that list of miss
ing who for the most part fill unknown graves
that in the first engagement of the war
at Phillip, West Virginia, June 3, 1861,
the first man of the war; dead in open fight, was
an Indianian, and it is beloved that the last man
to fall in the last contest, in the extreme South
was also volunteer from this State. In the
great critical battles which decided the issue the
soldiers of Indiana bore conspicuous and often
brilliant part
And yet to-day, in this city, the beautiful capt.
tai of this prosperous State, monument tells
to the eye Of citizen or stranger whether Indiana
is grateful and proud in view OF the services of
the men who died in behalf of herself and the
Union. Counties, cities, towns, sometimes even
villages in other States have concentrated
their patriotic dead by marble, and granite, and
bronze. 1t would seem pitiful indeed if in the
large and growing resources Of this Common
wealth, sixth in population Of the States Of the
republic, the money could not be found for this
object
Let no one say 'Of what practical use
is such expenditurel Why such waste!"
answer, there is practical use. 1t is for some
bodys good. Far enough is it from waste. Sen
timents have an appreclable value. A nation
without patriotism would be fit for contempt
rl.aAs. Al.
worth millions Acknowledgment of merit de
velops merit. If you neglect your patriots you
will eventually have no patriots to neglect
Mereenary soldiers have been bought In the
emergencies of more than oRe paton. Doubt
less such coHld be bought again. But reduce
any nation tp that alternative when its own sons
rush not to its defense, an, feel no pride in its
success, aud its end is not far off Monuments
appeal to something liner than love of money,
A timehalloWed sentiment says: 1T is sweet
diers monument takes up this sentiment
and makes its expression solid
verify. 1t is nations way of speak
ing its patriotic thought. The marble, the
granite, the bronze is, as if tongue, perpetually
telling by day. by night, i'll sunshine, in storm,
| in summer aud winter, year after year, genera
ton unto generation, how grand thing is pa
triotsm. how holy thing is sel}sacrifce.
| 1t is well for the children, as they grow into
manhood and womaphood, to know that there
have been patriots and heroes in the land; that
their fathers and mothers kept their heritage at
the cost of blood and tears. Ordinary life easily
runs to what is common and sordid, Let us
have monumental shafts, and columns, and
statues to teach our school boys aud girls, when
they ask, "What do these things meanp that
there were grand moments in the nations his
tory when men paused FROM their money max
ing, from even the struggle for the daily bread,
and, throwing down the tools of peaceful indus
try, went with eager haste, cheered On by wo-
mans voice, that of a mother, sister, wife 10 the
deadly front of battle. Let each growing
generation know what man can do and woman
endure in behalf of what some might call SEN
timent. Lift up above the busy streets, the
dusty pathways over which we run on our er
randS of pleasure or of pelf, that which shall
record the instance of a heroism great and rare
among the greatest and raPest, that it may shame
us when we grow too sordid, that it may give us
heart when at some dark hour we cry: 'Men are
all selfish, and therei is no hope for the republic
Yes, monuments have values, England has
understood the fact. She has educated both eve
and ear, The great deeds of her soldiers and
sailors she has trumpeted And in many q con
spieuous place the eye has been challenged to
see what q grateful nation has done for the men
whom she has delighted to honor.
GLORY has been the watchworf of the French.
And, in She interest of sloGy, monuments more
imposing than any others of modern TIMES
have lifted their fronts to the sky on the soil of
France. For the sake Of glory the French SOL
der has in the past brayed every peril
Our watchwool has been a nobler one than
glory. Upon self sacrifice is no discount The