The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-10-30
where friendship and affection nay best
b. felt he showed that his soul was a
perennial fountain Of kindliest feeling.

Il
stock noted for its piety--s sturdy Ger
man element that has entered into the
vital streams OF our Commonwealth and
enriched its life with purity, solhiity and
thrift They were not only pious, but
Representatives Of a mystical
and gentle devoutness He was not an
enthusiast in religion, bnt he wss be-
lever. He took a strong historical inter
! est in bis German ancestors, yet every
religious organization had his sympathy.
His cathoIicity was dominant in religious
views and he WAS too broad soul to be
a bigot. He was often a worshiPer with
the church TO which I minister and the
regiment whose chapiaincy bear, and
he reverently heard the Word, whether
in sanctuary or on tented field.
His practical Christianity as express
ed by the philanthropic interest which
he felt in the State institution at Norris
town, Of whose trustees he was the pre-
siding officer. His great ability. his time.
his strength. he generously and freely
gave 70 the duties Of that position, AMI
the interest which he felt in the unfort-
unates who were the subjects Of his con-
cern proved that in practical religion bis
heart was right with God No doubt he
had his faults, and who has not? To err
is human and no one more readily than
he would have acknowledged bis errors.
But among the men who have been con-
spieuous in military and civil life there
are few who have carried themselves
with such virtuous intent and behavior
as did this noble hero and standard
bearer of the people.
His was a transparent soul Honors
never marred his simplicity and he was
too great to be dwarfed By misfortune
His silence was the reserve Of Inodesty
and power, not Of arrogance OF pride.
Guiltless as child, he was born king
in dignity. He was as open as heavens
sunlight to the lowliest, bnt none dared
to presume upon rank or fortune to speak
unworthy words in his presence. His
temper was as kind and his heart as coy
and gentle as a maiden's; but in the no.
bic rage of battle his stalwart frame
swept through the thiekest fight like
some Olympian divinity His sword, one
of the first to be drawn and last to be
sheathed. waved amidst the clouds Of
battle with untaruished honor. Dauut-
less, bold, persistent in maintaining the
interests Of his country and Common
wealth, he shrank to the verge Of timid-
ity when his own interests we're at
stake
Great in warfare, he exceIled also in
civil life. Twice the ordained magis-
trate of great commonwealth, he so
bore himself in the ordinary details Of
government in the extraordinary respon-
sibiIities of the Centennial year that
neither the Office nor the man suffered
discredit He was not rich, but no temp
tations of opportunity or necessity could
swerve him from his high integrity, and
his hands were not besmirehed with IL
licit gain After a life spent in enriehing
this Nation and State ne lies there as be
died, poor man.
He loved his fellow-men and bis phi
lanthropy covered the most unfortunate
of our race, the INDECENT insane. He
served God and bowed at the Cross Of
Christ, and though ~ithout profession or
pretence he followed &fAr of vet the
light Of the redeeming lore guided his
spirit toward the everlasting rest.
Quiet sits upon that noble frame so
lately the field Of lifes conflicting hopes
and fears, joys and pain The battle is
over. Night falls upon the scene. The
bugles of God have blown Lights out"
Henceforth the bugIes Of war shall sound
for him the reveilIe in vain. SAIvos Of
artillery cannot rouse him. nor the voice
Of whispered love break his slumber.
They tell US he IS dead. Dead No
such spirits never die. Their echoes roll
from soul to soul and grow forever" Ma
ture knows no such waste as that. The
battle Of this life ends not in defeat but
victory. He sleeps upon the field, our
old commander and companion sleeps.
But, bark Listen against the thin veil Of
futurity and you shall hear the angels Of
God sounding the reeeille Of eternal
morning from the camping grounds Of
immortsls
Comrades, companions, ours is a scsnt
generation Trimmed by eKigencies Of
war, the race of men Eh0 wagsI hattie
against armed rebellion numbers fewer
than it would have done had our early
! manhood fallen upon days Of pes,ce The
soldiers of the Republic do not live out
their full days. Why? The tense strain
Of those four years Of war still is felt
They fall. Men say they have died Of
this or that disease: but traced backward
along The line, i shall be found that in
many cases the; Ased indirectly from the
hurts Of war The seeds OF premature
decay there and then were sosn. Men
like Grant, Sheridan, Meade, Thomas,
Mcclellan, Hancock. Hartranfi. died in
the very prime Of mature manhood
They shouli have lived longer aud long
er, they would have lived had not the
inevitable shocks Of the terrible ordeal
Of war weakened their vital forces.
The ranks of veterans grow thinner
Their locks are grizzled, their f0ruls be-
gin to stoop. Their steps have less elias
ITCHY, their eyes less fire. They were
veterans twenty-five years Ego by the
measure of war service. They are veter-
ans to-day by the march Of time. The
torn and battle-frayed banners Of the
Republic will abide for years with little
change, but the men who advanced them
along the line Of victory ~ill see the
fragments Of their lines fray thinner and
weaker as the days go by We wait but
little while. The long roll soon shall
beat for the last battle. And "there is
no discharge in that war
To meet the friends Of camp and field,
Of fight and fOrzy, Of campfire and re-
union. Of eommandery and post; TO feel
again the touch Of our beloved ones and
hear the melody Of their tender yoires.
ah that is a vision 10 surprise an old
soldier to nobler living, 6rmer trust and
lOftier hope. So let il BE-, and thus by
r,rasarvin0 mira and h-ioht th- honor