The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-26

around an eternal principle. Yes, wars
and the earthly fame that grows there
from are tleeting. Principles are deathless
and eternal. What is this principle that
has unfolded like passion flower from
the night of the conflict 1t is the prin-
ciple of glorious manhood resting on
character alone. 1t is the principle of |
divine equality of man by creation. 1t is |
the assertion of that truth which Christ |
came into the world to teach, and which |
1900 years of history have been slowly
unfolding Nay. it is not merely the as
sertion, it is the realization of this truth,
for here and here only have the shackles
been struck off and the equality of right
recognized. Here and here only has it
been traced in living light on heart and
conscience. 1t is the principle for which
Europe is striving today. We see it in
Norway in the struggle between parlia-
ment and king. We see it in England. We
see it in France in the effort to maintain
republican forms. We see it in Spain and
Italy in the rousing from the long troub-
assertion of the right of conscience. We
see it in Germany in the popular revolt
against hireling despot, and we see this
man who has caused more war preparation
than any other in the world yielding to
that popular demand and retiring from
public. Blessed Germany when that is
consummated. Yet God has reserved
America for working out the great
| thoughts of His kingdom, and yet we
have only reached the lowest phase of
that truth which Christ has said shall
trausfignre the nation. How long, oh
Lord. how long, till we know its higher,
nobler meaning. How long till the world
shall learn that lesson being sent among
the nations today in lines of fire, Thank
God We see it and can still say as in the
days of our fiery baptism
Our eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the
| Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes
of wrath are stored;
| He hath loosed the fatefu lghtngs of his terrible
| swift sword;
His truth is marchingon
| We have seen Him in the watchfres of hundred
| They have bniIded Him an altar in the evenings
dews and damps
| We can read His righteous sentence by the dim
| and faring lamps,
His day is marching on.
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never
| call retreat
He is sitting out the hearts of men before His
| Judgment seat,
| Oh! be swift my soul to answer Him. be jubilant
| my feet,
For God is marching on.
But we cannot stop here, we must go
! hiuhar in 6lIr cnonanfinp of this aarvicn.
not only do we commend devotion TO
/ principle, not only do we exalt thatprin-
ciple purchased through our heroes, but we
pledge ourselves to its maintenance Once
you offered your lives for your country
You said, Here We are; we leave home,
and friends, the hallowed associations of
childhood, the scenes familiar to our
youth; we leave father and mother wives
and little ones. For you, oh land of our
nativity or adoption, we give ourselves.
We do not know that ever again we shall
look on these scenes and tear stained
faces You know what a struggle il cost
you to put away that mother; that wife
who clung to you with unyield
ing embrace You know how
!, you trembled, strong man as you were
!, when you stopped to unclasp the little
: arms twined about your knee and pressed
} last kiss on the lips of your child sobblng
with an unknown sorrow, you know how
: You watched for and waved a last farewell
: end then that voiceless sorrow came on you
} for those long years All this is vivid to
, day; you enlisted then, but true sol
dier enlists but once, 'and that is for life
!, Some who gave themselves thus, fell on
the battle field and were buried where they
! fell, others died in the hospital, but by
that mysterious providence that watches
all lives you were permitted to return. Is
your service ended? ah, ne, no longer
does the red eye of war glare upon you.
! The smoke of conflict has cleared away
! The roar of battle and the groans of the
| dying live only in memory. The grass
, grows green where once it was encrim-
soned and the flowers bloom sweetly on
! the q2iet grave, yet the war is not over
, The conflict is not ended. Oh, believe me
J not by the victories of Vicksburg, Gettys-
burg and Richmond. not by the swords of
Grant, Meade aud Sherman, nor by the
undaunted bravery of her soldiers is our
land to be redeemed. These names NAV
7 stand for the eternal unity of freedom and
manhood, but neither freedom nor man>
hood, though thus purchased, are ever to
be thus maintained. Righteousness alone
5 exalteth a nation. Self government,
, politically, can be maintained only by SELF
government personally. The life, purity
7 and peace of our land depends upon the
!. life, purity and peace of her inhabitants,
whether our nation shall maintain its pos,
r tion as teacher and leader among the na>
: ton depends on whether the principles OF
e righteousness are maintained in the heart
of her people. Christianity is possessing
the world. There is but one great battle
e of which all wars of nations have beer
e but minor part and that is the battle o
+ the ages. The battle of lust with purity
2 Truth with falsehood Right with wrong
S That battle is not ended, nor will it b,
! till righteousness prevails on the earth
In that great battle, nations are engaged
}. today. Sometimes it rolls forth in th
e dread sounds of carnage, but the confiic
y neither began then nor ended when tn
smoke of war rolled away. The war TO
D freedom did not begin with Lexington O
Fort Sumter, These were only steps il
t its progress. 1t is not ended yet nor vii
e it be till higher freedom prevails. d,
s not think that physical 'or intellectua
h freedom is the highest. Higher than al
n else is the freedom by the truth God, GU
s nation and the principles for which yol
e fought are calling you to faithful soldier
IS in this battle for righteousness. The wa
g is all around US wherever the haunted
2 conscience or the desecrated frame hav
1T driven men into madness, wherever tn
d root of youthful life has been bitternes
d and its blossom has consumed in the dus
wherever in the lager house, neglected G
J man, and forsaken of God lie the victim
E. of calculating passions, who ono
'r wore the sweet rose of limo
e ceBce, wherever some lost wretc
'e creeps to the black river side at mic
. night" wherever there is wrong an
ii oppression, and intrigue. selfsbpes,