The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-25

eImon Of Rev. DIR. Jeffery at the First
Baptist Church Yesterday.

The George II. Thomas Post attended the
First Baptist Church yesterday morning in
body, accompanied by squad of the sons
Of veterans who occupied front seats. The
central portion of the body of the church
was reserved for the Post, the regular occu.
pants taking back and side pews and the
gallery, completely filling the spacious audito
rum. The pulpit was tsstefully decorated
by the ladies Of the church. The principal
piece was mammoth monogram, G. A. r.,
in red, white and blue flowers. Under this
was suspended the insignia OF the order, a
large floral star supported by q silk flag.
The music was in charge of W. G. Smock by
the regular choir. The sermon was listened
TO with close attention, the boys frequently
applauding heartily when the patriotic SEN
timents expressed by the minister called for
response. The points OF the sermsn were
sharp and decisive and show the Doctor to
be in foil sympathy with the Union senti-
ment of twenty years ego.
The minister took his text from ii. limo
thy, w., Z: 81 have fought good fight"
aud said that this was the language of Paul
near the cloee of his earthly career. The
speaker argued that the facts which made
up the history of Paurs life work justified
the estimate which he placed upon it, but
i the records of many will not warrant such
a eulogium. Applying the text IN the fret
instance as an epitome OF the late
war, the speaker declared there are
three considerations which may be appro-
priately expressed in the language of the
text: You fought for good cause you
fought for it well; your efforts we're crowned
with success. The first element that made
the contest good fight was the goodness of
the cause" Continuing, he said: But you
/ did more than save the grand old ship. You
s~lA Al II H.. a.
| excellencles of our Constitution, in one re-
spect it never had worked smoothly. There
were constantly recurring disputes about the
+, relations of the several States to the General
Government; an uneasy feeling was abroad.
some contending that the right of the States
were being invaded by the general govern
ment, and others saying that the General
| Government was being embarrassed by the
usurpations of the States. Sooner or la
| ter, on one pretense or another,
F, the settlement of this question must
have been referred to the arbitramen. Ct
| war. The issue has been met; it has been
| settled for all time. And happily, too. has
! the settlement been made. No single right
| of State has been impaired = yet ne unity
| of all the States In the General 0vernm ent
| has been secured. We now understand that
| the United States is not q congeries or ne.
tons, but is itself Nation, and that the
States are only so many divisions o. our Que
territory for the better development of our
common resources and the better cClture OF
the elements Of our efficiency aud enter
| prise The United States are not q they, but
an it. Formerly an American would record
| his name. for example, as an T. z. ", a citi-
zen of Virginia; and now he adds to 1t:
| Brother Jonathan, citizen of the United
| States.
Moreover, you have, In saving the ship
Of state, preserved all of her cargo. You
/ have not been compelled TO throw overheard
| single institution that belongs to the genius
| OF our free institutions. True there was one
| article on board that was not down on the
| bill OF ladilg. 1t had been smuggIed on
! board. Human slavery was utterly incon-
gruous in nation whose charter declared
all men created free and equal, and which
| stood forth to the world the champion
| of human liberty. You did not. aud
woulS not, and you ought not
nal, economy for the sake of destroying
| within it's borders the Institution of slavery.
Yet, when you found that to save the life OF
the Nation you must abolish slavery. you
| did not hesitate to destroy the rat and save
/ the ship. And already the South are thank
| ing you for the deliverauce. You have
opened up the broad and fertile regions of
, the South to the com petition of free labor;
| you have proven the fraternsl spirit that an
imated you. and to-day the South and the
North grssping hands like band of
| country, and they are vieiDg with you in
proclaimiDg as the motto of the Nation !:
The Union, one and insepsrable, now and
| forever"
The speaker closed with calling the atten-
! ton of his auditors to the last great fight
! which every man must make, and exhorted
them to go live that victory would be theirs.