Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-02
The Soldier Dead.


 Sermon by the Pastor, Formerly eSen- eral Blakeslee of tho Cavalry Branch of the Army.
 ! There was very large attendance at the Second church at yesterdays morning ser- vice. The veterans of the late war and the sons of the veterans met in front of the post office at 10 o'clock and proceeded in body headed by Captain Howard Gas the church bell rang) to the church. Seats in the cen- ter of the church had been reserved for them. The veterans numbered about seventy-five. The pastor of the church, Rev. MT. Erastus Blakeslee, who served as soldier in the war and w9 promoted to colonel of the First Connecticut cavalry, and afterward general, officiated and preached beautiful and elo- quent memorial discourse, which was listened to with the strictest attention by every one present. The text of the discourse WAS talk en from the Epistle to the Galatians, sixth chapter and fourteenth verse: ''But God for bid that should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" Preceding the ssr- mon the beautiful patriotic hymn, My country 'tis of thee" was sung, the whole congregation rising and joining in the sing ing The words of this hymn were so ap- propriate for the occasion, and the vast au- dience joining so heartily and enthusiastically in singing, made the effect pleasant and long to be rembered. After the service the old soldiers pressed forward and shook hands with General Blakeslee, among them were some of his men in the war. Following is an abstract of the discourse:
 "We celebrate Memorial day, not so much for what it means in our own small experi- ence, as for what it symholizes in the history of the nation. Out of this community we might easily gather 8 company of people who would outnumber this band of veteran soldiers two to one, and each of whom has suffered as much of pain and sorrow as has any one of these. But the sight of such a company would not move us as does the sight of those who have risked their lives on the perilous edge of battle and their coun- try's service. In looking on these soldiers we do not specially recall what each one did. We do not know. They stand not for them- selves, but for the great cause in which they fought. They are living symbols of the toll and peril though which the nation passed during those dreadful years of war. As time goes on our old soldiers will become more precious As individuals they will become of less and less importance; in their relation to the past,,they will become morerepresentafIve. Time will come when the few old men yet remaining will be honored every where as veterans of the war. Their tottering footsteps will be guided onto public platforms. They will stand leaning on their staff, as Jacob did when he blessed his children and will receive the ova- tions of generations yet unborn. That is the way we should regard veteran of the ReVo- Iution were there one alive. Of such an one we should not ask: What did he? but we should say: He was soldier That would be enough. He would symbolize all the toll and bloodshed of the war, all it's stress of conflict and it's glorious victory. It is be- cause of this symbolic reference that we look on this Memorial day with so much interest. It becomes more comprehensive as the years recede. This day means more now than it did fifteen years ago. Compare that few score of vet erans, with their single military company as escort, who formed the first Decoration day procession in this city in 1867 with the grand procession which graced and honored the day last week. This change in outward manifestation marks the larger sympathy and broader scope which this annual service has achieved. The days regard for in- dividualities will diminish it's symbolism will increase. This tendency to symbolize events and facts by something connected with them is very strong. A stone from the Parthenon synbolizes all Grecian art. An earthen Jump lump from
 
 into itself all the most troubled history of the early church. It is so in personal and family matters A faded ribbon OF an old yellow letter; they are sacred to love that was lost forty years ago. A lock of hair? perhaps it recalls sainted mother, perhaps child among the angels. Soldiers graves! They mean to us all that the war means. They stand for our love of country, our patriotism, our appreciation of the value of our national life and liberty and all that it has cost to maintain them. The cross of Christ! It stood to Paul, it stands to us to-day for all the blessed gospel of the Son of God. The cross in itself is little. In it's associations outside the gospel it is repulsive. But it is the masterful sacred symbol of the world be- cause it stands for all that Christ our Saviour l did and suffered. There are many points of l comparison between the symbolism of the | cross of Christ and that of Memorial day. I | will mention one OF two; |
 1, Both symbolize personal sacrifice for l the good of others. This is a hard world and | B sordid age Lust and greed fill communi- | ties The strong are grasplng, regardless 1 that the weak are ground, but even here men | do not fail to applaud the fireman who braves | Inc flames to save sleeping child. We strike | medals for the seamen who fight the tem- | pestuous sea for the sake of the men clineing | to the rigging of a wreck. We immortalize | in sacred song the lake or river pilot who | holds to the burning wheel till he grounds his | boat, We gather with bands of music, with | songs and eloquence, to lay spring flowers on aead soldiers graves. The flowers are noth- nQ; the graves are but little. But they stand for mighty personal sacrifice, freely made that the nation might live. We do well so honor it. The very recurrence of this 1av with it's noble inspirations help to better living and to Rrander national life Tt heIpg too, does it not, to a better under ,tanding of what it is to glory in the cross of JhrigtP To do that Is to recogni ze the great oess of the personal sacrifice for the good of others which was made on the cross and to ,a moved by it to a higher and better life.
 Inother thing: Ths cross and the Me- noriai day both symbolize salvation. The iiference between Decoration day North md South is that in the South it symbohzes ,aorifce only, but in the North 1t symbolizes Ialvation also-the salvation of the national sd fife. They under the palmetto shed nore tears I think than We do on hese days. We cannot weep The md achieved is 50 glorious that our pain on ,ccount of the sacrifice is lost in our joy. Let no flags fly at half-mast on this day" i is not a day of mourning, but day of