Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-04
MEMORIAL mar
un,ere.unr and Appropr

nanied by the Womans Relief Corps aud
John =. Tyler camp, Sons OF Veterans, at
tended services at the Unitarian church in
body, and listened TO a sermon from the pas.
tor. Rev. s. NJ. Crothers. The national col.
ora were draped over the front OF the pulpit
and the service, including appropriate choir
selections, was arranged with especial refer.
ence TO the memorial occasion.
Mr. CrO,hers's sermon.
The text of the sermon was from the li5.h
Psalm, 4th verse lone generation shall
praise thy works to another" The speaker
said
when we read OF the stormy times IN the history of
Israel described n the book " judges, we contrast
this period Of border warfare with our own pacific
era; yet In the old records find said then the
land rest years" Our nation has never
had rest from for halt that length Of time. The
styetsraps of our late war have formed class that
has never died out. Men who gave to the patton tue
are Of their youth 10 ia frs conflict with Great Brit
ain gave the sage counsel Of age in the second Many
Of the who fought 10 the war OF 1872 fought
again in Mexico, and young officers Of the Mexican
ing the rebellion. winfield Scott, born before the last
echoes Of the Revolution bad died away, Was the nero
of Lundys Lane 10 1914, led our army to victory from
Vera cruz to Mexico, appeared for a moment M
prominent figure in 1860 aud lived to see the end Of
Apd now another political generation has grown up
during interval of peace. This year thousands
will cast their first ballots who have been born since
the close the Rebellion II IL time Of peculiar 10
terest with It's sharp line Of division between the Oh
prime Of life who cannot forge the scenes OF ooou
and yioence the other side are citizens who can
not remember. II is a time when one generation
speaks to another, and when they sometimes mud 1t
dmcut to understand each others language.
Belonging as do To the number OF those whose
knowledge Of has been gained from history,
reinforced by the confused impressions OF chlldhoud
l am at a loss what 10 say to those to whom II was
matter Of personal experience. what attempt suaH
be Of mnre modest description; TO simply point ont
how the looks as seen through the atmosphere OF
over 30 years Of peace. AZ the traveller JOURNEYS
away from any familiar place. he often looks back al
the distant landmarks. Tue details which near a.
hand absorbed all his attention lost but the grand
outlines become more impressive. So with the lapse
Of time many things which once stirred men sous
must fade away: a lew immortal memories will re-
main What are the things which have faded aud are
still more to fade, and what are those winch must
grow clearer with the years
One Of the feelings which - years ago was strong
est was the Of personal loss. Tue battle was
over, aud the nation left alone with iis dead
There we're few families not called to mourn over
their loved ones. War meant death. Mothers wept
the new-made graves Of their sons and refused
to be comforted Memorial day vas pre-eninenly
day of sacred grief But time ia slowly changing this.
war death, but 1t is the only form 10 which
death comes. II peace hath her victories 80 peace
also hath her record OF loss aud sorrow; EaG1 year
bereaved soul is gathered to those II had loved
| when the great army disbanded and the troops
returned to their homes, how sad we're the memories
Of the four yearsi How many who so 0raVely march.
ed forth never returned Bat now wu'h tbe ur.nu
Army calls its roll after these years Of peace not
simply those who fell southern battle-helds who
are missing Its most ilu.triouH commuters have
| gone from among Death IL the way Of all the
| earth the common destiny Of man, aud not an eK-
| ceptionAl calamity And siuee death Is 80 common
and inevitable, tue simple fact that many years
true died IL not IN itself impressiVe the cause
for which they dared death, and the manner 10 which
| they met II, are the things which are remembered
when the last member Of the Grand Army has passed
| away and another generation celebrates Memorial
| day II will be with a hghtheartedness which nov
would CRATE upon us They will have sad sense OF
those who but for might still be with them When
the youth cries. my grandfather died At Gettyshurg!
ii viii be 10 toues Of pride. The thought Of death
| will be swallowed up ia that Of victory.
Another thing which Is fast fading away ID the war
flrtn War
ts very nature f. to inhct personal injuries livery
battle Of the warrior s with confused noise and with
| garments rolled in blood" II s strange lurid pc
! ture witch the heart Of man presents when be goes
forth deadly hght. All that s highest is called upon,
savage and Tevengeful passions are aroused also.
"Yawns the pit Of the dragon,
Lit by rays from the blest.'
! Tue fumes Of the dragon pit Of hatred and re-
yeuge give tinge to the present. rays " ratrOtisn.
Sometimes this continues very long, aud Que genet-
alton is able to hand down its feuds 10 those wuIch
follow We read Of tue stern old Carthagenlan mak-
ing his the altar eternal enmity to
Rome Many unhappy nations OF the modern times
eau not celebrate their past battles without reyiying
rsay decisive or when Il was not decided along tue
lines OF justice Had our ended before
ready end slavery, tue root Of bitterness still re-
I naming would have been continually springiug up.
or At the end Of the war the north bad sought re-
veDge aud held the seeding states as conquered
provinces, sectional passions would have continually
been iuhamed, aud We could not celebrate the memo
~ Of dead soldiers without seeming to e1ut over
vanquiHhed tOemen.
solute and complete, and was crowned by mAguAu-
unity unequAlled 10 history. And 30 tue conflict be-
tween the north aud south IL 10 the new generation
only memory. Tue ida OF nationality lie growing
that Of sectonalism IL fading away aud look for
ward 10 the time Wnen even the people Of tue south
will recognize the defenders OF the Union as their
best friends. They defended them from their worst
enemy and made it possible for them TO share Ia thu
future glory Of our common country. Already II Is
evident that ia spite of tue sentimental audAtioh Of
the good old times the people Of the south no longer
desire to bring the old times back. Even tue merry
talk Of those who have learned nothing, has sound
OF unreAlty aud awakes alarm in patriotic minds.
The old giants, Slavery aud Secession, II not dead
like those impotent giants which Buny pilgrim
sAv,.who could only sit by the roadside aud humble
curses against the passers by.
Another OF the transtory things-and one might
well wish It were otherNise-s the individual reputa
ton gained by vAlor. How many heroes have had.
We had scores Of generals whose names house
hold words 20 those who read from day to day the
say that they had won imperishabe fame. 1t seems
hard to think that any gallant deeds to lie forgot
ten aud that the names which once thrilled all hearts
are not always to be "names to conjure by Win
the death Of some Of most distinguished generals
there has come renewal Of interest in the details OF
the war, and newspapers and magazines are hued
with "reminiscences. The attempt is made to recon-
Struct history aud to many worthy names from
which not be resisted II is not ingratitude
necessity arising from tue impossibilty OF remem-
bering all important things. The achievements Of
the many are blended in the enduring fame OF one.
Many run for the prize: only tue name OF the victor
is preserved.
, Let any one take the most familiar personages OF
history and see how they stand alone In the popular
| miud. livery one knows Of Washington, but who
we're Nashngtons political and military rivals WI,
were Napoleon held marsha What English cuu
nl-nueIs louSut under Wellington IN waterloo, anl
what other battles did Wellington night beside Water
OoY These are easy questions, familiar TO the stu
dent OF history but they take us at step out OF
that region OF popular and universal know Wedge
= which constitutes fame.
= Indeed fame lie often but the merest accident.
poem Of LOngfellow's has made the name Of Paul Re
we're familiar TO multitudes to whom many OF tn,
greatest statesmen Of tue Revolutionary period
l., unknown. Even fictitious narrative may have Al
immortality denied to the most solid achieyeme nt
Even now there may be not few who II asked Whl
was stonewA Jackson &? could only answer be wa.
the man who wouldn't let his soldiers shoot Barbara
tretchie In the streets OF Frederick-town. Leaving
out Of account these freaks OF memory the genera
working Of the law is plain. One two great ngure,
VIII stand out in colossal grandeur, and the indiydu
Inc time may come when the only clear impression
OF our ciEi strife IN the popular mind will be tina
Lincoln freed the slaves and Grant put down the
But # time makes some things to grow pale, ther,
are other things which become more apparent viii
y two Of these. One is the for which our sol
diers fought, aud the other the herosn which the!
. displayed. II is the altar and the sacrifice.
IS When the hrst volunteers were hurrying to th
front, one might have asked in vain for clear au,
adequate answer to the questions, What you tight
ing for? aud How do you expect 10 acco plish
~ Are you sure the object Is worth the price OF
" Men were confused in mind who yet true Of i'm
~ pulse and they obeyed the patriotic impulse rathe
than the conclusions OF any dehnte reasoning: aut
mere were multitudes who would have denied tina
the result OF their victory would be such revolution
Il As Was involved in the abolition OF slavery. Thel
Il went iorth not knowing whittier they went.
"a To-day the issues involved grander pro
portions than then. We that the continued exist
" ence OF free institutions this continent was a
stake Wisdom lie justified Of her children and th
resistance to secession is justified by the new life
tue hAon and all the future prosperity OF our Unit
l. ca states VIII add to the glory Of those made
10 possible The years of triumphant peace justify th
n years OF warfare for it. Tnose striking words
Tue epistle to the Hebrews In which the writer says
l. Tue heroes OF the faith that il has pleased God tina
Is ney should mot be perfect without 50 the
OF tuose" nave fallen 10 TO be made perfect
"a achievements OF those who follow them The embat
ted farmers OF Concord aud Lexington are not re
d memOered now simply because they resisted the ad
If vance OF handful of British regulars II Is becaus
Ne helr act dld not stand alone but was the beginning
-e OF new political era, that 1t is remembered S
" must All tue progress Of tue American people in
n Yeats 10 come add TO the glory brave men
A. IN tue hour OF need preserved the natioual life
81 eANe the memory of our heroes the keeping
n haton they died for not simply be preserved bu
sr TO oe made continually more TadiAut
ss Tue other thing that remains is the sacr6ce Nbic
urse men gave IL was worthy the altar GU whic
ID y was lald have said that ali the coming years o
ID prosperity viii add to the Of the value OF th
n sause LOT which they died; but dangers aud diou
ID lss s may De before us. There never comes tin
without It's demand for strenuous exerton and herul
sen.iorBetiulness. The generation will have It
pefllh and the question will Ia there