The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-12
TIE SERVICES AT ST. JOHNS.
The Memorial Exercises and Grafton.
Scenes Around the Church.

|
The Memorial Exercises and Grafton.
Scenes Around the Church.
The scene in Madison square was one that
viii not be forgotten by those who were
there. The artillery were formed in front
Of the Green mansion, the Savannah Vol
unteer Guards battalion in the square on
the northern crossing OF Macon street. and
the Georgia HuSsars on the southern cross
ing. While waiting, the solemn music of
the First regiments band was heard, and
as the head Of the column debouched from
Bull street, marching with reversed arms
and draped coiors, the baud played the
hymn, in the Sweet By and By"
A guard OF police stood at the church en-
trance and the crowd was kept back. The
regiment, with the little Busch Zouaves
and Barlow Light Infantry, marched in
| single file through the doors and down the
main aisle, filing the body pews Col
! Mercer ana staff, with Gen. Lawton and
members Of the committee of arrange
ments, occupied the front pews. After the
regiment came the Guards battalion through
the north aisle Of the church. Then the
Chatham Artillery through the south aisle.
| After them the Hussars and ex-confeder-
ates, and the Confederate Veterans Asso-
citation, completely filing the body pews.
A DENSE THRoNG OF PEOPLE.
The aisles and vestibule were quickly
| filled, mostly with ladies' But a small
part of the crowd which gathered in front
of the church was able to get inside, aud
hundreds stood underneath the windows
until the services were over. Far back into
the surrounding streets the crowd extended.
and the square in front was dense mass OF
humanity. Usually on such occasions there
is considerable moving about and noise, but
during the services there was a stiffness
that denoted the intense feeling of ths
people.
The interior of the church was in dagp
mourning. The altar was heavily draped
in black. Upon the super-altar were pots
of Gala lilies and roses. Across the rereioj
were the words, in Memoriam.n The
lectern and pulpit were covered with black,
THE FUNERAL SERVICES.
As the military entered the church, the Or
ganist played requiem march. The serv-
ice was the beautiful funeral service of the
Episcopal church, and was read BY Rev.
Charles II. Strong, assisted by Rev. o. P.
Fitzsimmons The hymns were the same
as those which were sung at the funeral in
New Orleans The opening hymn was
Rock Of Ages
As the solemn II am the resurrection and
the life" fell from the rectors lips there
was deep hush in the church. The white
muZzles of the guns, the draped flags. aud
the emblems of mourning, added to the
soiemnity of the occasion, made solemn by
the service of the dead. The choir chauted
Psalms xxx. and &c. The lesson was from
l. Corinthians, chapter XIV, "But now is
Christ risen from the dead, and become the
first fruits of them that slept" After the
lesson the Nunc Dinlittis was chanted and
the apostles creed and prayers were recited.
HYMN no
our heads are bowed with VICE."
THE GRAFTON.
Rev. Mr.. Strong delivered an eloquent
grafton upon the dead chieftain.
l stand before you this morning as merely a
voice, and nothing more; a voice to give utter
ance to the profound emotions that stir the
breasts or southern men, and Of the chastened
sentiments OF respect that are not found want
ing in the hearts of good and true men every
where. The sacredness and sancUity intertwin-
ing with this hour forbid the voice of exagger-
ated eulogy; for there are men who living are
panied by the voice OF praise, and dead ara de-
graded by the tones of eulogy II one lesson
has reached US from this mans life in its
majestic silence; if one voice could come
from his bier to-day TO every speaker throughout
our southern land, that voice would say as that
life has said: BE true in all your testimony.
b true to every fact. Be faithful to the fact
OF reunited country, purified through the fires
or civil war. Be faithful to the fact of a lust
and righteous cause, for which you fought,
whose outward failure has not diminished its
inward and substantial merit.
The circumstances are peculiar Throughout
the shining pages of history, none are more So
When on Friday last, the news flashed through
the land, into every city, and into every family
circle, that Jefferson Davis was dead, men felt
that, as England has her Grand Old Man, so
this was ours; a Grand Old Man to us-not
merely because of his private virtues but be-
cause from the beginning to the end of his
career he consistently represented a princne.
n q hot
tested the issue in the bloody arbitrameut of
arms that issue was loyalty accepted as the
better way OF God; a reunited country became
our heritage and blessing, but the principle
does but stand forth all the stronger, and we
hardly believe that it will ever need a second
test. We 40 not now fear that a centralized
in spite of spasmodic attempts of
those who learn nothing by experience, will
ever again seek to impinge upon the free
OF its members.
THE GREAT RESULT.
The states have learned that which they must
give up for the ll-beng of the whole: the
nation mas learned that upon which it must not
trespass. for the we'll being of its parts. And
so we live to-day in great safety and hopeful
ness, not by the reconciliation of antagonstc
principles, but by the fused union and harmony
OF Complementary truths. And so we say that
history presents no parallel of q principle
growing stronger by defeat; of man, greater
IN the hour Of failure, more revered and honorsd
dying as he does, than were he clothed with the
insignia OF power and guiding the destinies of
an infant nation
As look into your faces and note your snan
OF years, see clearly that q generation has
grown up who know not this man, whose name
for forty years has been on soul hern Inns and
embalned in the warm, tender places of south
ern hearts. 10 years TO come as your children
and your children's children Chamber upon
your knees, and ask you concerning this
unique character in history, this one
sSs Solitary old the msn sss
the highest places of the nation then quietly
and unrepiningly living the mellow years of
old age, where the blue waters of the gulf
greeted his daily eye--say to them in softened
tones, say to them with deep conviction: 'iThis
man. my children, was one of the best repre-.
sentatlves Of the best elements that go to make
our southern manhood"
AS SOLDIER
AS a soldier, he was of that type of bravery
and courage that has been illustrated on many
a battlefield. Graduating at West Point in 1928
now oO years ago, among the brilliant galaxy OF
men ike Robert K. Lee, Albert Sydney John
ston. Leonidas Polk, John B. Magruder and
Hugh w. Mercer-and surely amid such men it
must have been hard for a man to stand out
with any promlnence-he yet earned from a
fellow cadet this encomium: jefferson Davis
was distinguished in the corps for his manly
bearing his hlgh-toned and lofty character
his Inquire was very Soldier-like and rather
robust; bis step springy, resembling the tread
OF an Indian brave on the war-path " In the |
trying wars with the Indians of those early |
days Lieut. Davis laid the foundation for his |
war, in which he PLAYED an inn.
pOrtant part. men saw in fha Uo,,nr |