Omaha daily bee., 1888-08-13
TRIBUTE TO GEN. SHERIDAN.
a Beau5iful Memorial Service BY His
Brother Veterans.
WHAT TROUBLES TIE MCTOR7
II Isn't all I.i~ght-Serious Illness of
Alderman Lncy-A Boy Spurns
Good I~ome-Littlc
Happenings.
WHAT TROUBLES THE MoToRa

bRhA'A 'tAi nc Chpoh ' tI'i I
Legion, No. 8, attended in a body. nc
being Il member of the Council Bluf.
encampIncnt. The music on this occa-
sion was the same as that given OF Dec
Grafton day, and by the same double
quaitette. The scrmon was by Rev. DR..
Phelps. 1t was a betting tribute to
the fallen ch~ieftain, with helpful
thoughts to the living. The following
synopsis indicates the line of thought
followed, though necessarily lacking in
the elegance of diction and eloquencc of
delivery enjoyed by the attending
| listeners:
1--WE read of Philip, of Macodon. He
was q famous cOnquerur in ancient Eu-
rope; founder of the Macedonian en-
pire; father of Alexander the Great. 1t
was against him that the ''Philippics''
Of Demosthenes were Numbered in
vain. Two thousand years have not re-
moved the mark he made upon the
history and destiny Of the world.
"A little more than three hundred
years ago, the foremost figure in Eu-
rope was a Philip-Phillp IL. of Spain.
He carved his name on the records of
the ages, and there it still remains.
In our WI colonial history, Just o
hundred years before our revolution,
we had Il native American Philip, of
great o He stood for his own
people, the red men of the forests,
against the incoming and dreaded Pale
face, from across the sea. He was q
brave and powerful warrior, from whom
King Philips War took its name,
But in some respects as great, in
others greater, was the Philip in whose
memory we meet: General Philip
Henry Sheridan.
"Atthe close of the eighteenth and the
opening of the present century the
Anglo-Irish name. Sheridan, was very
prominent. For thirty-two years its
then most conspicuous bearer was a
member of the English parliament, and
his is fixed, in the traditions of parlia-
ment, AS one of its greatest names. He
was IL dramatist, s%atirist, debater, and
one of the most effective orators in that
age OF oratOry.
But our W Irish-American Sheri-
dan has also left an illustrious name, not
us orator, or scholar, or author. but as
warrior and patriot. 1t is embalmed in
our cOuntry's history, and with an attec-
ton which eve attached to the name
before on either side Of the sea.
This is Il Sheridan memorial meet
ing. 1t is also n religious service. Gem
cral Sheridan is indeed the hero Of the
hour, yet we are not here for hero
worship. That would be offensive to
God, in whose house we are, and also TO
us. But God raised up in our days of
national peril n great leader in this
man, and through him, with others, ac-
complished IA notable deliverance for US.
We do well to meet in Gods house, as
his Israel Of old used to do, and recount
what Cod has done for nG aud npaicn
him for it..
The names of warrior-heroes are en-
balmed in honor, eve in the bible. No
small praise is given there to the COM
mander. Joshua, before whom God
opened the swollen Jordan, threw down
the walls of Jericho, and displaced pow
erful tribes. David, too, the prophetic,
psalmist, warrior-king, is one of its hon
ored m So are we told of the
deeds of Gideon, and of Jephtah. Even
the Patriarch Abraham, at least once,
buckled on the armor of the warrior,
and he wore it with honor. He pursued,
for a hundred and fifty miles, the five
confederate and powerful kings who
had spoiled the cities of the plain. and
had taken Off his nephew, Lot, as u cap
tive. His brilliant and successful dash
on that victorious army perhaps more
than equals the famous ride of Sheridan.
Cyrus, too, appears here on these pages,
by name, both in its prophesies and it's
history. Very high honor is given him
in the bible. Words of recognition
then OF this great leader whom God has
has raised up to us, seem in accordance
with the spirit of the bible.
"This memorial meeting has a pecu-
liar appropriateness in this, that Cen
eral Sheridan was a member of the
Council RlnftS on pa mnmnnt on Fpno,,,,-
ment Eight of the Union Veteran Lee
giOn. His is the first death, too, among
its members. This meeting is held at
their call, and under their auspices, in
memory OF General Sheridan, not only
Ms the commander-in-chief of the army
Of the United States, and as a popular
favOrite, and a conspicuous figure in our
recent national history, but also and
chiefly as a now deceased member of
their WI encampment.
Every year, since the war, has
stricken many names of officers and men
from the rolls of the great patriotic
army who saved us our united country a
quarter'of a century ago: and now the
gallant, generous General Sheridan has
also gone. Soon, gentlemen, all of you
will be numbered with the dead. but
dead only in body; living on, all of you,
in the memory and gratitude of the
American people; living on in the re-
suits which you have achieved; living
on, too, oh may ii be true of all of you,
in the higher and better life beyond.
Nov, some may be saying in their
heart, he is going to preach Sheridan
into heaven. Would that | could. Cen
tlemen, | take occasion to say, plainly,
what | am persuaded you also believe
with me, that military honors do not
win heaven for any man. There is only
one way Of being saved, and that Paul
clearly stated, when he said, Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house, 1t is an easy
way, aud open to all. The most distin-
guished general and the humblest child
must alike walk by that way, if they
would enter heaven. Was General
Sheridan saved? | cannot answer. He
had faults. Perhaps one Of them has
shortened his life. But was he not hui
man? Who has nonep Let him, in all
the land, that has no fault, cast the first
stone. Faults? He had them, but he
was a man for a. hat and a that
Faults? Let them be avoided by all
who know them. He had virtues; let
them be initiated and praised. He is
worthy of II generous mede of praise
frpm ms Lat IL no uivan m him Tbo