Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-08-15


pliced priests chanting The Miserere. .
At the conclusion of this service
Fathers Ryan, Kervick and Mackin
the deacon, sub deacon and the
celebrant of the mass, entered the
sanctuary. They were followed bv th G
Rt. Rev. John 2. Foley, bishop-elect Of
Detroit, and two priests. Cardinal Glib.
bons was the last to enter. lie wore
red cassock, white surplice and purple
cap with long gold chain supporting
the pectoral cross upon his breast and
the red ''zuccheta" upon his head.
Kneeling at the altar, he offered
prayer, and taking his seat on
the throne, the celebration of the
solemn requiem mass was begun. In
accordance with the request of Mrs.
Sheridan the "Schmidts Mass" one OF
the simplest in musical composition,
was sung by the church choir with
organ accompaniment. At the o1fertory
the go Christi Salvador Mundi" was
sung. The ceremony occupied forty
minutes. When it was concluded,
Cardinal Gibbons assembled the pulpit
and began the sermon. He spoke as
follows:
And Jonathan and Simon took Judas their
brother and buried him in the sepulchre OF their
fathers in the city of Modin. And all the people
of Israel bewailed him with great iamentation;
and they mourned for him many DAYS and said:
of Israel" l. Mach X, 1921:
Well might the children OF Israel bewail their
great captain who led them SO often to battle and
victory. And we'll may this nation grieve for the
loss of the mighty chieftan whose mortal re-
mains now lie before us. In every city and town
and village of the country from the Atlantic to
the Pacific his name is ut cred with sorrow and
his great deeds recorded with admiration.
There is one consollng feature that distin-
cuisines the obsequies of our 1llustrious hero
from those of the great Hebrew leader. He was
buried in the midst of war amid the clashing of
arms and surrounded by the armed hosts OF the
enemy: our captain, thank God, is buried amid
profound pt ace, while we are enjoying the bless
ings OF domestic tranquility and are in friend
ship with all the world.
The death of Gen. Sheridan will be lamented
not only by the North; but also by the South.
know the Southern people; know their chivalry,
l know their magnanimity, their warm and at
fectionate nature: and am sure that the sons Of
the South and, especially those who fought in
the late war, will join in the national lamenta-
ton and will lay garland of mourning on the
bier OF the great general. They recognize the
fact that the nations general is dead and that
his death is the nations loss.
And this universal sympathy coming from all
sections of the country, irrespective of party
lines, 1s easily accounted for when we consider
that under an overruling Providence the war in
which Gen. Sheridan took such conspicuous
part has resulted in increased blessings to every
state in our common country
There's Divinity that shapes our ends.
Rough-hew them how we will"
And this is true Of nations as well as Of indi,
viduals.
What constitutes the great difference between
the wars of antiquity and our recent war? The
war OF the olden time was followed by subiuga-
ton and bondage; in the train of our great strug
gle came reconciliation and freedom. Alexander
the Great waded through the blood of lis fellow
man. BY the sword he conquered and by the
sword he kept the vanquished in bondage
fbE0 ed no f faks2& sb his empire was dsmem
The effect ofthe late war has been to weld to-
gether the nation still more closely into one CO.
hes1ve body; it hiss removed once for all slavery,
the great apple of dscord; it has broken down
the wall of separation which divided section
from section and exhibits US more strikingly as
one nation, one family, with the same aims and
the same aspirations. The humanity exhibited
in our late struggle contrasted with the cruelties
exercised toward the vanquished of former times
is an eloquent tribute to the blessings of Chris
tan civilization.
In surveying the life of Gen. Sheridan it seems
TO me that these were his prominent features and
the salient points in his Observation-Disclosures
heroism combined with gentleness or disposition;
strong as lion In war, gentle as child in
peace; bold, daring. fearless, undaunted, I'M
hesitating, his courage rising with the danger,
ever fertile in resources, ever prompt in execu-
ton, his rapid movements never lmpelIed by
blind Impulse, hut ever prompted by a culat-
ing mind.
have neither the time nor the ability to dwell
on his military career from the time he lett West
Point till the close of the But let me select
one incident which reveals to US his QEickness
OF conception and his readiness of execution
refer to his famous ride in the Val ey of Vir-
GINA. AS he is advancing along the road, he
sees his routed army rushing pell-meI towards
him. Quick as thought-by the glance of his
eye. by the power OF his word. by the strength
OF his Willie hurls back that living stream on
the enemy and snatches victory from the jaws of
defeat.
How bold in war. how gentle in peace On
some few occasions IN Washington / had the
pleasure of meeting Gen sheridan socially in
private circles. l forcibly struck by his
gentle disposition his amiable manner, his I'M
assuming department, his eye beaning with
good nature and his voice scarcely raised above
q whisper. L said to myself Is this bashtul man
and retiring citizen the great general of the
American army? Is this the hero of SO many
battles ?
1t is true Gen Sheridan has been charged with
being sometimes unnecessarily severe towaros
the enemy. My conversations with him strong
ly impressed me with the groundlessness of
charge, which could in no wise be reconciled
with the adherence which he expressed for the
atrocities of war; with his natural aversion to
b1oodshed and with the hope he uttered that he
would never again be obliged to draw his sword
against az enemy. | am persuaded that the SEN
timents of humanity ever found congenial
home, secure lodgment in the breast Of Gen.
Sheridan. Those who are best acquainted with
his military career unite in saying that he never
needlessly sacrificed human life and that he
loved ana cared for his soIiiers as father loves
ana cares lot MS CnllOren.
q But we must not forget that il the departed
hero was soldier, he was too q citizen, and if
we wish to know how man stands as citizen
we must ask ourselves how he stands as SON.
husband and father. The parent is the source of
th- family, the family is the source of the nation
Social life is the reflex OF the family life. The
stream does not rise above its source Those who
were admitted into the inner circle of Gen.
Sheridan home need not be told that it was a
peaceful and happy one. He fond husband
and an aftectionate father, lovingly devoted to
his wifeand children. hope am not trespass-
ing upon the sacred privacy of domestic lie
when state that the Generals sickness was &C.
CELEBRATED. ii not aggravated by a iatiguing Jour
ney, which he made IN order to be home in time
to assist at domestic celebration in which one
of his children was the central figure.
Above ali Gen. Sheridan was Christian. He
died fortified by the consolation of religion hay
ing his trust in the saving mercies Of our Re-
deemer and a humble hope in blessed immortal
ity.
What is life without hope OF immortality
What is life that is bounded by the horizon of the
tomb? Surely it is not worth living What
would 1t profit this illustrious hero TO go down
to his honored grave covered with earthly glory
If he had no hope in the eternal glory to come?
1t is the hope of eternal lie that constitutes at
once our dignity and our moral responsibility.
God has planted in the human breast an irre-
sistibe desire Tor immortality. 1t is born with
us and lives and moves with us. Ii inspires our
have given US this desire If he did not intend that
nH@xxl @11w &C. Il