Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-05-27
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.
Union Service In the Congregational
Church.

! At an earl, hour Seth Williams Post in
! full uniform. more than one hundred strong.
occupied the front pews a, the union memo.
rial service III the Congregational church
last evening, while the remaining seats were
crowded 10 overiowing. After the strains
Of the voluntary had died ssay the choir
sang majestic anthem and Rev. I, Y
Jones offered an earnest prayer. A response
by the choir and scripture reading by MIR
Jones. followed. After another anthem Rev
IL ;. Whitman prayed with fervor, re-
sponse by the choir followed The congre-
cation then sang that familiar hymn, Near
er my God to Thee" Rev, J. h. Jordan
preached an eloquent, sermon from Joshua
~ a.; W hen your children shall ask their
fathers N time 20 come, SAYING. what mean
ye BY these stonesy Then shall ye answer
them, that the waters of Jordan were cut OF
before the ark oi the covenant OF the Lord.
and these stones shall be fer memorial unto
the children of Israel forever" rha preach
er said
There is no uucr saving than tina, his
tory repeats itself" And so all iosn the
ages there have been stones set up. which
have been reminders of great events, aud
which have taught great lessons. DAYS are
observed which call TO rvmrmhFsrce great
facts and truths, Almost every nation has
Jays of this kind. Ia which with solemn
pnmp and ceremony or glad rejoicings they
cutorcc the special lessons
Among all these days which have been
ami still observed, there is none more
sacred than the day which bears the name OF
Memorial Dav." and which We shall soon
celebrate.
t'nlike the others, il is not marked by
pomp or G. remuny, or with the loud rejoic-
tnes which mark other DAYS, but with tender
ness with hearts full of recollection. of the !
past of thai k u'uess for the present of
high hopes for the future, SO as To com
pletcly posscss every thinking heart
our own country. or a portion at least,
had been for years in bondage; the cry of |
the enslayed, as well AS of thousands of |
others all over our broad land, had |
gone up 10 jehovah, and by no less mighty |
deliytrancr than that which was given 10 the |
nation of Israel, We were lead out and into
goodly land and large.
This service then is one for reviving mem- !
uries-ouc in which TO call 10 mind the |
things of the past Not that anything Ike
bitterness should find place in our hearts,
nor Of unseemly rejoicing over brother
that has been conquered, only ~ that vie.
tory Indicated ihc prevalence of right over
wrong, the securing to our great undivided
iaud those blessings and institutions which
make tor the highest welfare OF every citi
zen"
Mr. Jordan then ably showed the truth of
the following propositions:
| The war of the rebellion demonstrated
bey0 0nd any doub. the supremacy of the
national government aud the pcrmanency,
the stability of our form Of government
II We do well To recall and keep in
mind the remarkable patriotism which was
shown by the Union sodiery.
III We should also keep in memory the
fact, that even by the war with its suffering
and loss, God specially taught US that from
the first He had cut artalned purposes Of
great gooinrss for our nation
". But my friends in addition to all
this, this lay viii call up other memories of
deep import, possibly with more Of tender
ness than thu-e of which have spoken.
V. And while We do honor to the deal,
while we express onr gratitude 10 the living
soldier We should also remember to-day that
it was not alone the soldier in arms that
helped to save the life Of the nation.
The following was the sermon per0raiiou
These then are among the many things
uh ch might be mentioned upon this occasion
of Memorial
Time forbid. me to speak of others. But
as recall the past, We must be reminded
that all that has been achieved. places upon
each of US multiplied responsibilities for the
future.
H., r L.,