Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-05-31
MEMORIAL DAY,
III. Annual Observance by Post SrdE-
wick.

The Annual Observance by Post S"dg-
wick.
MR.. DAYS SERMON TO THE VETERANS oN srN-
pAY-coL. CHu.Ds' $ GRAFTON oN THURSDAY
AFTERNOON.
The annual memorial observances, IN hon
or of the dead soldiers Of the Republic, be.
gan with services at the Congregational
church last Sunday morning, when the
Grand Army post, Women's relief corps
and Sons Of Veterans attended in body,
and the church was crowded in every part.
Mr. Days sermon, which the veterans ap-
preciated as being OF an especially htting
character was from the text, Exodus XIV,
3 "The Lord is a man Of war. "
The int.ns, Hebrew faith. the speaker said, has
given the world an idea Of God both clear aud
real: clear because they feared not the auillro-
pomorphisni Of vivid conception; real because
ihey identified, without confusing, HIN win the
spirit that works in man. When any element ll
the national life rose into strong CONSCIOUSNESS ~
il law art. soirnce letters, then Jehovah was Ielt
when at the Red sea the nation ~ slaves aWhkts
Ia her soldierlntss this flashes forth IN the words
of the text II is a tremendous way o. pointing
to the element Of war Ia the national splrit as
sacred and divine thing. We dwell on this today;
moi ON the memories all too vivid, u the thro-'s
OF awakening cOnyalescence, through which, ~
these very days Of May. We were PASSING =, years
more than the paving Of fearful debt Of blood
swor,I-drawn for blood lash drawn, as Lincoln
thought when he said. Let uS 20 on. Rather
f"r ne for these mothers and these sons. Is the
deeper thought Of the sOldiersprit ITSELF, ~ the
life of the natiun-its greatness and It's RESPONSE
First the greatness Of the true soldier.sprit
which rsists Tor rights and fights for a good, is a
matter of popular acknowledgement even where
the motives IN this acknowledgment have been
utixed II Is seen in the caste systems uf all MA
tons in the trunphs u medieval history, ~ the
martial monuments IN Europe, IN the testimonies
NJ moral philosophers like Lowell, 10 the con
domination Of wicked wars ia the estimate OF the
soldier as q hero Away. where rights are imper
illed II he fights we'll ia the continuation o. TINS
impression by the Bible figures. sending a
sword q" buying a sword 90 there was war in
heaven" This greatness appear ~ that II Is rs
sential. especially IN republic, TO the national
life that will not h. utterly Hat aud weak BE-
cause also, it has historically been our salvation
beginning at Lexington aud Concord bridge M
ing up in honest John Brown, flashing through
the Nurth at the electric first gun at Sumptrr
crushing the political spiilt which ~ % would
call the war failure. 50 u comes I" US, a. an
of this and vet more, rs "A product aud a lega
cy into which the riches Of heart and life have.
gone; refined and made sacred 10y the devotion oi
men and women, Of mothers at home, of nurses
at the front of solitary lantern hearrr~. search
Ing the night enshrouded field for The living
among the dead made sacred by mighty work
ers toilug at mighty ideas forging great achieve
meHts; 50 that We, now conscious ~ u, cannot
but ris,. 10 the inspiration uf the old Hebrew and
.xclaim. "Whu is like Thee. . Lord. glorious iu
holiness. fearful IN praises doing wonders
then how surely does Il enforce the responsibility
II the soldier spirit let not the fine gold b.
come dim God forbid that, like the Rhine, gio-
riuus at SchafthauSru. historic through tieTuauy
stagnaut ia Holland. the precious legacy, tn"
splendid current u national life from the past
shall find ina lis muddy. duh aud iuglpriUus sue
ct-ssion To fulfil this responsibility demands
that the soldier spirit h. a constant element IN the
national life Civilization may sheathe but il
never sells the sword. The soldier spirit rrmeln-
hers that if the first gun costs the last fight de
cidts II has eye to the end of the hath, and
fights Il out like Grant, du,-sn know enough
| To- command retreat. has a hnality Of grip Ike
| Lincoln Attention" is It's attitude: once a
| soldier always a soldier. its motto To fulfil
/ this spirit demands. moreover that special loyal
| ty which sinks self M service cuuqurrs sell for
/ country, gives I'll L. country, torsrts sell ~
! country. Like Michael Angelo. striking hloW up
/ GA blow, with candle in hat, lest his own shadow
/ mar the work, the soldier carries That upon us
] forehead which makes his blows true. He lrts
| the cause assume him into it. own glory, and
/ finds supr-mt-,t honor when God Is marching
! On To incarnatr and express iu some degree His
/ energy and will This j. the only 10y atty, the
very heart Of the ~lldierly spirit Then this spir
! It always moves into higher sphere Of s'lhierlN
achievement, above the con4utsts ut Huns ana
! Tartars above the administrations of Nalu-uus
and Ca-,ars. into morals for truth a. SECURE, ia
| a word un all points of public character. right.
/ wanted. enlistment for life 100 l-'hali 81 home.
c'il honesty. Temperance. the rights aud rght
/ ruusness Ut workers, the sabbath. the faith. God
/ Himself a. the God VI battles Who. 81 much A.
] soldiers. ought 60 h. religious men, men Who
have stood under Sinai. and have witnessed tn
I shock 81 th. elements 10 tul appointed hy Hi-
I hr-Ath to viudicat- His law Who. but they, can
teach the lesson ut profound reverence before J-
/ huVah. which the, fires 1T hatt- write put. az
times boz the sky of life for th, reading uf men
The soldier spirit OF the nation u it i- tru. 81 u
/ self its sacred past. It's supreme responsibility
will t= forever true Co Col la all it, righteous
conflict il will believe that the -u-rgy of His ~plr
/ II alone can conquer Ia all tulhlm-ut ~ it, hgt
tasks 1t will not forget the final great review and
! adjudication before His throne
About 30 members Of the Sedgwick post
aud delegation Of the sons Of Veterans
went to West Dummerston Sunday after
noon. Rev. + f. Mitchell Of South New
fame preached at the church At the Gem
etery the West DummerstOn band played a
dlrge, songs were sung Toy Young ladies,
prayer was offered by Rev Mr. Mitchell
and flowers were placed upon the soldiers
| graves.