The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-05-30
MEMORIAL DAY.
THE LONG ROLL"

Then there came a change and the dec
Grafton Of the graves Of the Union dead
became growing observance, until now
there is no place however remote or
scattered in all this broad land, where
the floral offerings are not gwen and
tribute paid to the patriot heroes who
have answered to 1.-The long roll"
The beauty and EXPIRE ssIveness of the
service of flowers thus brought into no
tice has attracted all types of mind and
the SouthrOn, as well as his brother Of
the North, now decks the greensward
over the breast of the Confederate dead
And the idea is caught up as refrain
by the Odd Fellows and kindred socie-
tles, so that now, in addition to the Ma
tional Memorial Day. there are half a
score of minor decoration days, some OF
which extend into and are participated
in by the residents of the Canadian Do
miniOn on the North.
What token of respect can there be
that is of purer type, that appeals more
to the finer feelings of the race, or that
! possesses more of beauty and grace
| We do not recall the time since the first
celebration of this event in 1868, that
Bennington has not duly observed Me-
mortal day, and this year was no excep
lion.
The elaborate programme publ he'd
last week, was duly performed. The
thinning ranks was quite perceptible
as the Post marched through our streets,
especially when compared with ten or
even five years ago. The addition to
the number of the veterans of
the Soldiers Home, even, scarce keeps
the numbers good in this comparison,
and age is certainly Creeping ON" in the
appearance of these brave survivors Of
the proud Army of the Union. These
facts lead US to emphasize our opening
sentence, that to all the people Memorial
Day Is pledge of the freedom we en-
joy.
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.
The setting aside of the Sabbath before
Memorial Day, as one in which the Vet
eran organizations should attend church
will become more and more significant
as the time draws nearer when in in
creasng ratio the grave shall claim the
comrades of the G. A. X. Even now it
is highly instructive to recall that from
the first, whatever the people at large
may have thought or done, the patriot
survivor of the Uuion army has APP
proached Memorial Day services after a
preparation therefor in the church. For
titled with prayer and worship he has
ever gone forth to stTew the flowers
upon the grave Of the departed. This
year there is an added significance in
that the preparation was made GU RDga-
ton Sunday and the floral offering made
on Ascension Day (tUday) When this
coincidence shall again occur probably
the last veteran will have passed 10 his
rest. The associated Ascension and Me-
mortal Days possess an intense interest.
| By the rising of the Lord into Heaven
becomes assured the promise Of the end
less life in the spiritual body in Heaven:
Where | am there shall We be also y
| The Incarnation were incomplete with
out both the Resurrection and Ascen-
sion.
At five O'Clock the members OF Post
Custer, the veterans of the Soldiers
Home, and the w. r, c. attended ser
vice at St. Peters Church, where their
orator of today gave them practical,
| Gospel sermon on the Warfare of
Faith" His peroration reached the sub.
| lime and was addressed personally to
| the guests before him In the evening,
the G. A. r societies. having also &C
copied the cordial invitation of the Rev.
Chas. r. Seymour of the Second Congre-
| gational Church, large number assem-
bled in that house OF worship and lis
| tened to fine discourse on The Chris.
tian warfare" illustrated by the history
of the rebellion. The central thought in
| both sermons seemed to be that "the
heart must be engaged" in the service
or the victory would not be won. As in
the days of civil strife, 80 now in the
warfare of preparation for the life to
come, the heart must be in the cause.
The closing sentences of Mr.. Seymours
sermon were beautiful smile illustra
ton of his application of Christ the
Great Captain
His bloodred banner streams afar :"
WHO follows in its train :"
MEMORIAL DAY.
As intimated above the programme
was fully carried out. The officers OF
the Post never performed their parts
better nor with more feeling; the details
were complete.
The Citizens Band of Bennington,
dressed in their fine, new uniforms, dis
coursed excellent music. While there
was some disappointment that more OF
our village organizations did not turn
out and help swell the procession. yet
when it IS thought how many veterans
would haye been transferred from the
ranks of the Post TO other parts of the
| line, most people will agree with us, that
| il is right as it was. The whole affair
was a credit TO the people and the large
attendance evinceS the truth OF the as
seTtion, that more and more this matter
comes to lie nearer the heart of the body
polite. The following was the
oRpER OF PROCESSION.
Chief Marshal, Chas E. Graves,
Asst Marshals, j. A. n Williams, j. l. LOOMS.
Citizens COrnet Band of Bennington.
Bennington Rifles as Escort, Capt. Evans, Com.
q. A. Custer Post, G. A. r., Chas. IL. Wakefield
Commanding.
Custer Relief Corps, Mrs, Eliza Cutting, Com.
Camp Frank Ray, 4. j. Griffin COMMANDING
Tiffany Hose Company, A. J. Morrison, Com.
President Of the Day. ii. S. Bingham.
Orator, Rev VIM. Bogert Walker.
Clergy and Invited Guests in Carriages.
Citizens Generally.
THE GRAFTON.
The Rev. VIM. Bogert Walker, Orator
OF the Day rose to the dignity of the
event. To fully appreciate the Grafton
one must needs have heard it. The
cold type does not transfer to the mind
the enthusiastic sympathy which the
audience bore to the speaker, nor can
any mere abstract do the Grafton justice.
We, therefore, content ourselves with a
/ brief outline comprehending some of the
more salient points. Mr.. Walker began
| 10y saying that Memorial Day commends
itself alike to the patriotism, wisdom
and justice of the Nation. 1t ia marked
in the hi-tory of men. A grateful Ma
ton RECOGNIZES the sacrifices of lite
heroes. Unlike all other wars in which
peoples have engaged. the war for the
Union had just object,a worthy cause.
In the grandest i'leal the world has ever
seen, there was one blot--lhat Of slavery.
Tie South in Congress, and again on the
battl field, gave of her wisdom, her
wes lth and her bravery to sustain her
ideas of constitutional freedom. We
must never forget her share in the war
If Independence, and in giving the Con-
sli'uti0D, and laying the foundation Of
our Nation. Yet now she was wrong
S avery was cut from the body petite.
aud in that deliveTance you had dpcis
i've part Ntu were the soldiers, not
only Of your country but ulsn Of human
i'y As Qlinius CHrtius lesprd into the |
chusm winch claimed the choicest IS
ses- ion Of Ancient r me ere It would |
cl,-e, 80 when the roll sounded and e |
order Came, "FlIl iu = every loyal herrt |
responded, and you went forth TO offer
your lives free-w ill sacr flee. You z we
your lives as really as those whose