Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-05-27
THE VETERANS
MARCH TO THB CRAPLINE STREET N. 3
CHURCH. LAST EVENING,
And Listen 10 an Eloqusni and Appropriate Sermon,
BY tie Pastor, Rev. ". G. Rihsdafsr-
Summary Of the Discourse

Summary Of the Discourse.
A very large congregation, made up IN
good part of members of the Grand Army
Posts of the city, assembled in the Chap
line Street NJ. E. church, last evening, to
listen to the memorial sermon by Rev. W.
G. Riheldafer, the pastor. The discourse
WAS commented upon most favorably by
all present. it being freely stated it was
one of the most eloquent and appropriate
the old soldiers Of Wheeling had ever lis
tened to, and at the close Of the services
many went forward to congratulate the
pastor upon his success.
Rev. Riheldafier took for his text Paul's
First Epistle, first chapter, part OF the
18th verse.-''War: A Good Warfare. "
He began by saying;
THE feeting days Of another year are
gone. One more mile post in the raee-course
of Time is past, and soon is to recur again
the dav we hold sacred to the Nations
dead. once more we are about to perform
the duty Of strewing the graves of the dead
with flowers. Not only will the air be
fIled with the perfume Of the blossoms,
bnt the act itself will send up an incense
throughout the land, and will inspire 10y
altv and patriotism among the people"
Proceeding, he said be was reminded
that aye mas dimmed the vision and taken
away the lustre from the eyes Of the yete-
rams No soldier Of the war Of the rebell-
ion but begins to feel as though he were
coming m 10 the ranks Of the old men.
With many Of you the eyes can only De
made to sparkle by recalling the stirring
deeds of the dark days of the war. II Is
certainly apparent that the war IN which
Won should most concern yourselves Is the
Christian warfare-the fight OF faith.
A quarter of a century ago this land en-
tered upon a new era OF peace and pros
nsritv For four years there had been
ferce combat and great effusiOn OF blood,
hut the war was over and the people re-
ioiced. Soon the boys came marching
home. and the whole nation was glad. But
when the first Joys of victory were over,
the neople began to say: 'What was the
costPn The South, believing her cause TO
be lust, had given her sons freely to the
cause, and the North, conscious OF right,
had poured forth men and money without
stint Now, men we're to again engage in
peaceful pursuits, but there was the cost
of il all-what bad it been2
There had been destruction everywhere,
but the men of the land went to work
with stout hearts, and said they would
repair il Now il has about been accom-
plished. Then there was the money cost
"A debt reaching into the billiOnsi but
the financiers Of the land said We had but
to have an era of prosperity, and the coun-
try would soon recOver-and we nave.
Ten more years will see that vast debt
practically a thing OF the past. But there
was another cost-let us mention 1t rever-
entially. Look at that regiment, recruited
with full ranks, and about to march away.
They 20, the pride of the community, to
battle for home and native land-tO meet
their brother man in mortal combat. Bye
and bye they come home, but as they
march up the street-tO better music than
that to which they marched away-for
they have had long practice-with truer
step-for many weary hour has been
spent on the drill-grOund-with flags tat
tered. and the marks Of service every
where. The men step firmly, but they
have lost their buoyancy. Look along
their ranks; see how thin they are-how
MANY are absent. Where are they
Rolling out over the valleys and hill
tops' Is the soldiers call to duty-the rev.
ieile-but they will never more answer 1t.
Look where you will. all over this fair
land. and Won will see it dotted with their
graves. Thousands are known, but other
thousands are unknown. This was the
greatest cost of all. The houses that were
demolished can be rebuilt; the desolated
land can be made to blossom again; the
great money debt can be paid-but the
crave cannot give back its dead. The ma
ton owes these men q debt which cannot
he fully paid. and the nation can never do
Justice to those of you who still live and to
the families Of those who are dead until
by its generosity you have been placed
above want. / believe Corporal Tanner,
the new Commissioner Of Pensions, will
deal Justly with his comrades, If he has
been correctly reported.
The speaker quoted from a recent speech
BY Corporal Tanner, at Columbia, Tennes-
see. in which the Commissioner said 1t was
'the bounded duty Of the Republic to see
10 IL that no man who ever wore the blue,
and laid il of in honor, should ever be
permitted to come to want, or to crawl be-
meath the roof of an aims house for shell
ter and commented upon it apprOvingly.
Proceeding, he said every nation glOried
in its principles, and especially in some
central idea, and that produced patriotism
and LOYALTY. Here in America, our shib-
boleth was Liberty. God made this land
"A the home Of liberty, and in its settle
ment the wrath Of man was made to work
out His purpose. He dwelt npOn the in
iuences in the old world which led to the
settlement Of America, and the class of
men who braved the dangers Of the deep,
and said almost every colony which came
Ia these shores was impelled to it's journey
by the mighty influence Of conscience. All
Joined hands and interests here and stood
together during the days Of revolution,
giving Us a heritage which their late sons
have nobly preserved. He said our cOun-
try was the refuge of the world, and that
our invitation to the nations was almost
as free as the GOspel-without money and
without price.
He spoke of the ability Of the country to
repel any attempt at invasion by hostile
nations. and dwelt upon the great exhibit
ton of resources at the centennial ceremo-
MES in New York City, concluding there
from that the nation was strong enough to
resist an onslaught from whatever quar-
ter.
A little further on he said: "But there
are other foes threatening us; another tight
10 be made. The institutions for which
our fathers fought-fOr which they braved
40 much and suffered so much-are in. dan
ger. We must stand by the God-giver
principles Of truth and right. Our nation
Is in danger. Bishop Potter was right
when he lifted up the voice of warning
against our national sins. He spake truly
and he spake well. will speak Of thes'
dangers as zee them, although all may
not agree with me. The first foe NJ
should guard against is the great and
growing greed for gain. What do mer
care for the interests of their neighbors.
Everything gives way to the rush for the
almighty dollar. 1t is no matter what the
conseq uences may be. This is a source Of
great danger. Even now few men, il
/ ~ =. -. N disnoaad conld cOntrol the