The Portland daily press., 1888-08-02

A0It. Rev. q. w. BlcknellB. A. Norton,
Lowell, Mass. John French,
Gen. II. G. Thomas, James A. Colley,
us. A.. j.. b Hammond,
Lieut.. John A. Packard, S. N.ILittlehale,
Springfield, Ezra WOodsOme,
Col. I'll. ID. Millett, Crawford Dunn,
Sergt. D. w. Scribner, John Smith,
Henry Murphy ID. il. Towle,
S. b. Brackett, Horace Cole,
william Lubee.
On arrival at the island a procession wa:
formed and marched to Memorial Hall
Here, after the members and their families
had thoroughly inspected the building and
expressed their satisfaction at its beauty
and comfortable arrangements, the assem-
blage was called to order by the president
Col. FL. r. Millctt of Gorham. Captain
Brown was secretary. The Portland Male
Quartette sang THE Soldiers Chorus il
fine style. Mrs. j. A. Packard, wife Of
Lieut.. JohnA. Packard of Springfield, Mass.
then delivered the following appropriate po
EN- entitled ''The Guard of Honor"
THE GUARD OF HONOR.
Across dark and widening sea,
Which reaches far beyond Times shore,
There sails ship with banners free,
Whose sails CLEAN white foreyermore.
With steady head she holds her course,
No winds no wave no heavy sea;
No hidden rock with sullen force,
Can stay or change her destiny
With fearless purpose, bearing straight,
She rides each foaming, white-capped wave,
She brings to us her loving freight
Sweet memories Of the true and brave
Though adverse winds and tossing spray
Have sometimes swept her from Cur view,
Yet still she keeps her onward way,
With courage bold and purpose true.
How wen she knows the faithful minds,
That set her course by compass gauge,
Will lead 10 no tempestuous winds,
Til safe within her anchorage.
With anxious hearts we watch her beat
Against the waves that hide our view
With lips that quiyer; now we greet
With silent grasp her phantom crew.
o noble ship, which sailed away
And spread thy white wings long ago,
Drop anchor now in this fair bay
whose waters sweetly ebb and flow.
In sight and sound of ocean blue,
Bounded by wave and ripping tide,
We meet today like pilgrims true,
A band of comrades old and tried
The unseen crew the good ship brought,
And at our feet with blessing laid
JustnOw we crown in solemn thought
With laurel wreaths that never fade.
Beneath our own, our native sky,
We take thy freight, Loves golden fleece,
A utdref doom tnaQ wealth. eau Duy,
The precious argosy of peace.
Within these walls that outlined stand
Against back OF glowing green,
Mid sound of waves that kiss the strand,
La ripples soft of sparkling sheen,
We gather here, with hearts that beat
In unison and rythm true,
With ciasping hands we once more greet
Each comrade old that wore the blue.
We cannot see the shadowy guard,
Who tr0d the deck of that old ship,
We cannot hear the greeting word
Which trembles on each unseen lip.
But still they keep their watch and ward,
O,er living friend and grass gro gn grave,
And over hills and vallies broad,
Free floats the flag they died to save.
Twine ivy for each unseen guest,
Go crown with palm the idle sword,
-QnE -hon0red guard, they have the best
That earth could give, or Heaven afford.
Could greater glory eer be theirs.
To lie in blossom covered bed
While other eyes shed dewy tears.
And other footsteps softly tread?
Though time, with sure relentless hands,
Shah dim the eye and chill the blood,
Yet still the guard Of honor stands
Round every spot where heroes stood.
They keep in fearless, watchful care
With vigilance their solemn trust,
To watch and guard in salient air,
The honor of the silent host.
And still around these heroes left
To guard with care the hOnOrS won.
They throw hallowed influence soft
The consciousness OF deeds well done.
The summer winds their low beds seek,
Their graves are sweet with songs OF birds,
And yet, ten thousand voices speak
In mystic tones these solemn words,
Comrades, We fall on calmer times,
The perils of the soth, the Sleep
Insdious foes that undermine
Foundations vast, and high, and deep.
The tree we planted in those days
OF carnage fierce, and battle dim,
Now grown in symmetry of grace,
IremDles and sways in every limb.
"Comrades,-our solemn laying down
OF life and love seemed then no myth,
No dream the parting kiss,-the groan,
The deep despair OF wounds and death.
mo myth the severed bonds of love,
No dream the broken earthly ties,
But Justice. pointing far above,
Demanded, then, the sacrifice.
Comrades. be yours the waking thought
-. To guard with ceaseless watchful care,
The blood-stained heritage we bought .
And sealed with gift of value rare
yours to uphold the Ship of State,
That rides the wave in doubtful calm
To analyZe and separate
The good from carelessness of harm.
SIN dying we beqneathed to you
The germ of what we might have been,
Oh, make the harvest rich and true,
For other hands to gather In.
1--WE stretch to you the clasping hand,
From the bright hills of Paradise,
Comrades, guard well your native land
On which Gods peace and glory lies.
At the close Of the poem the quartette sang
"Boys of '6l," and then Captain Brown from
the building committee read report of the
receipts and expenditures in erecting the
hall. A vote of thanks was extended to
Captain Shannon for his donation of thou
sand dollars towards the building.
The quartette sang the "Gunner's Song,'
and then Rev. George .Bicknell.o of Lowell,
delivered the address.
MIR. BIcKNELL's s ADDRESS.
Comrades and Friends:
Down through the avenues of the past
lined with the changeable scenes and views
shadowed, now light, now sombre, come an
gel-winged memories, bearing to us, gath
cred here today, their fiower-wreathed gifts
of honor, nobility, loyalty and manhood. Out
of the ranks of the hundreds who left their
peaceful and happy homes a quarter of a
and principle, a few whom mercy shielded
have here assembled; and upon this
spot, consecrated by the best tributes
of our love and respect, we would
dedicate to the memory of the fallen,
this gift of affection and treasure which we
feel honored in being able to bestow. Yet
can we say that only to ourselves is this act
known? that we are alone9 that we alone
remember and recount the acts of the past ?
Are we alone in this dedication to manly
honor? Nay Shot and shell, sabre. and
death may have destroyed the earthly frame
In which men did such grand work; but yet
no power in Union or Confederate govern
ments, no power yet known to mortal-de-
stroyed the men who fought and sacrificed
for principle and righteousness. From the
now peaceful scenes Of the South and West
there come the recollections of what was
done; and to this beautiful spot, come it may
be, in glad mpanes-though unseen by
mortal eyes-some Of the actors in the terri.
BILE tragedy of devotion and death. Your
theologies-most of them born in human
brains-may teach what they choose
but even as we love to gather and rehearse
the best of the past. SO NAV others