Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-26
REV HARPER AND THE G. A. r.

| The members OF the Garfield Post of the
Grand Army of the Republic, Of this city.
attended the Baptist chnrch Sabbath morn
ing in body, and were addressed by the
pastor, Rev. W. F. Harper, in most elo-
quent and acceptable manner. The mem
bcrs of the post, to the number of seventy
five, were not only present but many
of their families. He opened his discourse
with the following glowing and patriotic
sentences:
81 esteem myself most happy this day,
my brethren and friends, that am accord
ed this privilege of speaking in the name of
the Great Captain of Salvation to n remnant
of that proudest of armies that ever went
forth to battle.
.'No factious voice called you unto the
field of deadly carnage, but the consecrated
love of home and country and the flag
ample in its folds, to wave from sea to sea
and lakes TO gulf.
mo deeper feeling sways US, when it
wakes in all its greatness.
''Too young to be of those who in the
ranks full proof of their patriotism bore,
was old enough TO labor premature to
support mother and an infant brother,
while father bore his full share of duty in
many tedious march and bloody field, and
then came home 10 suffer with disease and
die; old enough to have my young heart
stirred with patriotic fervor as daily read
by the firelight's glare of the contest at the
front, and the varying fortunes of our arms.
Cowper has beautifully said:
The man that is not moved at what he
reads,
That takes not fire at their heroic deeds,
Unworthy of the blessings of the brave,
| Is base in kind and born to be slave
..Let those call it mere sentiment who will
it is sentiment that perennially declares
mans high origin and displays the depth
and tenderness of his. real nature-that
prompts him to keep green in memory the
| heroic deeds in remembrance of comrades
| who answer no more to roll call on this side
| the great valley of death, and which prompts
| loving hands to strew their last resting place
with earth's brightest flowers. The time is
| far distant when interest in this beautiful
memorial shall wane; but when the last
soldier of the war lies sleeping
the sleep from which no reville OF earth
shall call him, succeeding generations, re-
membering that the legacy of peace and I'M
ion is theirs by virtue of a baptism of blood,
will perpetuate the day of decoration with
its attendant services. The Offices You per-
| form in memory of dead comrades will, in
few years at most, be performed by other
hands for you, and your graves will be
marked on the ever recurring 3Oth of May
with the
Flag of the free hearts hope and home;
BY angels hands to valor given!
The stars have lit the welkin dome,
And all its hines were born Ia heaven
And now comrades of my father, whose
memory do greatly revere, welcome you
today to this sanctuary of peace and the
worship of Almighty God at this hour"
Throughout the discourse the closest at
tention was given the speaker who did not
fail to delight, interest and instruct the vet
Grams who were rrofuse in their praises
| of not only the earnestness of the reverend
speaker but the subject and the occasion.
The music WAS excellent, the decorations
patriotic and the occasion will long be re-