The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-25
SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS.
Sermons in Various Churches Especially
Directed to the G. A. r. Veterans.
DR.. Jeffrey at the First Baptist and DR..
Marine at Central-Avenue-Dr. Rob-
erts at Second Presbyterian.
THE MASTERS ARMY.

THE MASTERS ARMY.
Rev. Reuben Jeffery's Address to the Vet
Grams of the Grand Army.
Memorial services were conducted at the First
Baptist Church, yesterday morning, under the
auspices of George FL. Thomas Post, Grand
Army of the Republic. The members of the
post with detachment of the Sons OF Veterans,
were present in body, and with the usual at
tendance of members of the congrega-
ton the auditorium, including the gal
leries, was completely filed. The pulpit
was beautifully decorated by the ladies
II the Social Circle, among the floral designs be-
ing q mammoth monogram of the G. A R., in
red. white and blue flowers, which was contrib
nted by A Lloyd. Suspended from this was the
insignia of the order-a large floral star, sup
ported by silk flag. The music prepared for
The occasion was rendered under the direction of
". G. Smock, and included the anthem. Praise
the Lord" by Mrs. George f. Branham, Mrs.
d. Fred Appel and the choir; solo, 20. Rest in
the Lord" by Mrs Henry Schurmann; the
hymn, MY Country, tits of Thee" a solo,
"Jesus My Refuge by Mr.. Dan
DeWolf and the hymns, Stand Up!
Stand Up for Jesus" and Onward, Christian
5oldiern The music was all exceptionally ap-
propriate for the occasion, and was pleasingly
rendered.
81 Have Fought Good Fight" III Tim, iv, z,
was the text of the sermon which was delivered
by Dr. Reuben Jeffrey, the pastor. He was
several times interrupted by applause from the
members Of the Grand Army, who did not deem
it improper to manifest their approval of the
patriotic sentiments which were eloquently ex-
pressed by DR.. Jeffery in his discourse. The
sermon was as follows:
the close of his earthly life. 1t is an
preston of his estimate of the character
of his work as minister of Jesus
Christ The figure is military one. He
had been engaged in warfare against sin and
error. He believed that he had been contendng
for the supremacy of the best interests of his
fellow-men He felt that, throughout he had
Behaved Loyalty and manfully. He also believed
that he had maintained successful warfare,
and now he was hourly expecting his discharge
and calmly awaiting the reward promised by the
Captain of his salvation to. those who had been
faithful to the trust committed to them.
The facts which made up the history of his
life work justified the ecomium which he passed
upon it. The record of the lives of many men
will not warrant such eulogium. IL their friends
were to make it for them it would be parody
on the truth, and if they were TO make it on
themselves it would only be adding to the fail
ure of their lives the offense of a pretentious
self-laudation But being true of Paul, Paul had
a right to make it. 1t is, know, the fashion of
many religious people to suppose that self
depreciation is always in order; and
death it becomes them to confess how
uuworthiy and unfaithfully they have behaved
themselves They seem to attach a sort of COM
mandatory value to these confessions of their
bad conduct Alas, in many instances,
such acknowledgements are only too true. But
there ought to be no occasion for their being
true. Every servant of Christ ought to carry
with him the daily consciousness of high and
holy purpose, and OF a pure and sincere service,
and to be able to say in the review without os-
Sentation, that he has fought good fight.
Knowing as I do, that l am to-day addressing
men who have been soldiers in the army of the
Republic who have borne aloft the standard of
their country, who have survived the perils of
the conflict am quite sure that few If any, of
you would feel that, a matter of justice to the
truth of history, it would become you to confess
that in the conflict through which you have
passed you played the part OF poltroons and
towards, that the cause in which you
were engaged was unworthy of your patriotic
devotion. On the contrary it Is only the just
tribute of the honor done you from your coun-
try, and from posterity, to congratulate you for
the part you took in that contest, and they ac
cord to you the right and expect from you the
response TO their praises in the avowal of your
own conviction that for the part you
took in behalf of the Nation
you deserve the honorable recognition
of your felow-citizens. And you feel that
the honors the Nation delights to pay to the
memories of your companions who fell in the
conflict is only proper expression of the ever
lasting remembrance in which they should be
held by posterity. All honor, say you, all honor
say we. TO the memories of the heroes who
saved the life of the Nation by imperiling and
giving up their OWE.
Twenty years have passed away since that
fearful struggle was brought to a close. and as
you look back upon it and realize the results
that have grown out of it, you can, each of you,
in all soberness and sincerity exclaim, as did
Paul, II have fought good fight" Yea, and
the brave men whom it is your fortune to sur
vive, fought good fight You can say this in
the light of history. You say this in the
presence of your own consciences. You do not
regret that you entered upon the contest and
despite the hardships you endured, were the
occasion to offer itself, you are ready TO say,
Eve would gladly 60 through it again"
Applying the text. in the first instance, as an
eritome of the late war, there three consid-
erations which may be appropriately expressed
in the language of the text: You fought for
good cause; you fought for it well: your efforts
were crowned with success.
One of the elements that made your contest
"a good fight" was the goodness of the cause for
which you fought An army may be made of
good soldiers in behalf of a bad cause. They
may be skillful, brave, and obedient, yet even
these soldierly qualities seriously impaired
if tainted with the conviction that they are
engaged in an .unrighteous warfare. We are
living in an age in which moral enthusiasm is
becoming more and more essential to success
full fight 1t is no longer true that might makes
right can we'll understand. and, to an extent
svmpathise with that form of patriotism which
exclaiins, ''Our country, right or wrong" but
HE whose cause is just is doubly armed" In
countries whose forms of government are mon
archicaI where people are forbidden to discuss
the merits of a national controversy, and are
too ignorant to understand them, the soldier
must be more or less mere machine, and
though possessed of sort of animal AMI logged
bravery, he can never rise TO that degree or
patriotic zeal which animates the breast OF an
army composed of intelligent free men, men
who, in addition to a love for their country sim
ply because it is their country, are inspired by a
moral conviction that the triumph of their cause
is the triumph of justice, truth and human
$4,000 II e .aIatai dot d,,ir,cx tho