The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-28
REV. D. L. ASH'S SERMON
At Wesley Chapel NJ. E. Church to Z. w
stephens Post.

KEY. u. L. ASHS bhkMUN
At Wesley Chapel NJ. Z. Church to L. W.
stephens Post.
E. W. Stephens Post marched in a
body from its hall on the South Side to
Wesley Chapel, accompanied by num-
Der Of other old soldiers. There Rev. D.
L. Ash, the pastor, preached the annual
memorial sermon, his text being the
Both and 10th verses OF the 18th chapter
OF Hebrews:
"And these all, having obtained good
report through faith, received not the
promise, God having provided some bet
ter thing for us"
The opening prayer was by Rev. DR..
Blaisdell and the closing prayer by Com.
rade Keller, OF the Post.
Inc house was crowded and the con-
gregatiOn Joined heartily in singing
"Americap as the opening hymn and
"The Battle Hymn Of the Republic" us
the closing hymn. The sermon was elo'
quently delivered.
MIR. Ash expressed his sense OF the
honor conferred upon him by selecting
him for this honorable service, and feai
as to his competency, through his youth
at the time OF the war. He then said:
Soldiers OF the Grand Army, the very
name you bear is grand name. 1t is
fraught with interest not only to the
present generation, but it will be to the
generations not yet born. 1t perpetuatet
grand principle, without which no ma
ton or people can ever hope to become
great, good and wise.
The cause for which you and YOU
comrades fought was grand one. II
was to prevent the lash Of proud and in
dolent arrogance from decorating the
back of patient toll. 1t was to lift the
CALLING yoke OF bondage from the chafed
neck Of the Unfortunate slave.
The soldiers OF the Union were good
samaritans. When they heard the
rroans Of the sufferer they rushed to
his rescue with wine and oil and bound
up his wounds. They tore from the
statute books the infamous law that
made men property, on u par with the
OK that grazed on the hill side. You
fought for the grandest privilege and
highest blessing that can possibly come
to MISUNDERSTANDING and Liberty.
The heroes who fought and died al
Bull Run and Antietam and Missionary
Ridge and Gettysburg and elsewhere,
and those who persisted at Andersonville
and Libby, received glowing
tribute Mt the hands OF the speaker,
and were compared with the he.
roes gloriiied by Paul. David and
Daniel and the Hebrew children,
through confidence in the righteousness
of their cause and faith in God, did what
they did. So in the dark days of our
Rebellion, the Nation needed leader
and God raised up Abraham Lincoln.
At his call thousands upon thousands OF
heroes stood forth, and the nations stood
in wonder; little did we think we had
so many heroes.
The scenes OF the early days OF the
war, when the fate OF the Nation trem-
bled in the balance, were eloquentIy
portrayed, and an affecting incident OF
two related; and then the soldiers who
have become citizens were paid high
tribute-"The were us loyal in peace us
they had been brave in war, and as in
dustrious ut home rs they had been
courageous on the field OF battle; they
wrought with their hands to; redeem
the Nations pledge" and then the
things which we have which they did
not have who bled and died were briefly
noted. They had the promise OF peace,
the shadow Of prosperity cast before.
We have the real substance. Who did
it? The soldiers OF the Union. In saving
the North, they saved the South.
They kept the nation one and for their
noble self.sacrifice, this country owes
them lasting debt OF gratitude. The
Fiftieth Congress could not do nobler
act than dust out the treasury and di-
vide up the idle surplus which seems to
be at present troubling the political
waters, and mete it out to the worthy
veterans. 1t belongs to the soldiers by
right. They made it possible to have n
surplus, and why not give it back to
them and to their widows and orphan
children? The nation will honor the
dead on the 30th OF May with appropri.
ate ceremonies and by decorating their
HIuNC5 Will Wv eAtNs 50
not substantial token of honor. 1t
will not buy bread and meat for
the hungry and raiment for the
naked Nor is it a tangible token
to the living veterans. The time
Is coming when this day will take its
place where it properly belongs along
side Of that other day which is TO every
American the day Of days-the grand
old Fourth OF July. On the Fourth OF
July we speak OF the Declaration OF In
dependence and OF George Washington,
and point to Bunker Hill and York
town; but on the Thirtieth OF May We
speak Of Lincoln's immortal Emancipa;
ton Proclamation and Of Grant and
Sheridan and Logan and Garfield and
Custer, and OF all the saviors OF our
country. Let US weep and rejoice and
gather up the flowers with which q
gracious God has decorated nature, and
twist them into a triumphant garland
and tenderly lay them on the graves Of
the Nations honored dead.