Telegram-herald., 1889-05-27
4 MEMORIAL SERMON
Rev. John Graham's Sermon 10 the
Old Soldiers.
ALL HONOR FOR OUR DEAD HEROES
A splendid sermon at the Disision-street
"a h.. Church Memorial Day @aa
NAaI az AoAns - as-Sariss
tke Great Leader.

1he members Of the q. A. r posts OF
the ely turned Out about $50 strong
Yesterday afternoon h attend the
memorial services al the Dlslslon-street
NJ. T. Church The church and pulpit
were decorated with fiags, and tiags
adorned the organ. There Was good
IL number OF people besides the u. A.
X. enough 10 comfortably MI the
church.
Rev John Graham, ID. d, preached
the memorial sermon from the follow
ing text: "And tins day shall Toe unto
YOU for memorial and ye shall keep
il feast 10 the Lord throughout your
generations; Nc snail keep II IA feast 10y
an ordinance for ever" Exodus All,
Il
Before beginning the sermon the
minister stated that the congregation
would take into consideration two
things, namely, bad headache and the
very short time IN which he had pre-
pared hls sermon. 1t was only Friday
night when he was notified that he
would De expected 10 preach that ser
mon.
He would have come and preached,
however, If he had hut twenty minutes
notice, for there was no class of men
whom he would be quicker 10 respond
10 than the old soldiers.
In beginning his sermon Mr.. Graham
called attention 10 the frequency with
which memorial days are mentioned IN
=. l.
into the eternal fitness of things. When
| great deeds have been done II Il nj and
proper that men should embody in
| some form the feelings which their
| hearts feel in thinking OF such deeds.
4 memorial exercise tends 10 perpetuate
| the memory OF some facts of history
and the greatest deeds of men that
would otherwise drop out of remem-
| brance and die.
This memorial exercise which you
viii participate IN this week is an ever
/ speaking exercise among US 10 express
! the qualification of a Nation. Such
! honOrs To dead heroes is declared by
| the united civilized world 10 be emil
nently proper and just.
In 1864 when many of your COM
rades bodies, bodies Land scattered on
| Southern soil the women of the South
went out TO decorate the graves OF the
fallen Southern soldiers. There was
no one to perform the same service Tor
your dead comrades, but the poor
| slaves under the cover of night and
| under the light of the stars went 10 the
woods and plucked the wild flowers
| from the woodland and field and
placed them on the graves of the
fallen Northern heroes.
This ceremony may be performed by
you ever 50 often and with all the
beauty possible, but it Will never be
done with more true appreciation of
the honor due these brave dead than
these poor slaves felt in performing
that office. The day is fast growing III
favor and has captured the heart of
the nation. 1t is a rival of the Fourth
of July, but while the latter appeals to
our pride this memorial day appeals to
our manhood. 1t shows the glory OF
patriotism...It brings the old army back
back into line as in days Of old.
1t IS most befitting that once year
we should repair TO those mansoleums
of herOes-Our noble dead-to hold
services and decorate their graves. No
wonder that the day grows into the
hearts of the people when we look at
the great deeds that Il commentaries.
! am afraid that we do not realize fully
the meaning of this day. They do not
think of what IL costs these heroes
when they turned their faces from home
and marched 10 the front and then TO
death, when mothers buried their faces
in aprons and said not half they felt.
when sisters clung to them and pressed
into their hands some little token of
eA.rsra 4 -,
which We indulge in on Memorial Day
are but little of the pay due them for
their sacrifice 10 the Nation.
There was in Napoloon's army a
grenadier who was one of the bravest
of soldiers, but vino steadily refused
promotion. At last, as a token Of his
high regard for TINS soldier, Napoleon
sent him a sword inscribed with FIRST
of the Grenadiers." short time after
this soldier fell upon the field of battle
and the emperor had has heart EN-.
T halmed and placed in the keeping OF q
captain. At roll call when the name
, of this brave man was called, the
captain was to answer: Dead on the
. field Of honor" that bis name might
: be pcrpotuated. There Is committed 4
your charge the hearts of heroes a
= brave as this man, and | hope thOsf
hearts arc embalmed and cherished ir
your breasts.
Those men were your friends and
4 messmates. How many scenes are Te
called 10 YOU a | speak Of these mel
who received the fatal shot, reeled anC
p fell at your sides; Won think of the re-
{ battlefield and Of the camp fires; yOl
, / think of your brave leaders; you hol'
IN your hearts all the patriotism O
2 / America.
r Your leaders. how YOU love them
: The citizen may admire them hut tn
b / old soldier loves has commander L
s Napole0n's army a soldier was MOI
E, tally wounded near the heart
surgeon came along and probe.
for the bali. The dying man said
: Probe a little deeper. surgeon. and v0
p wll find the Emperor - e ] coul
. probe your hearts today, I should fn
p some old leader in your hearts
In closing the mlnst euloglzo
Grant and lincoln In a. eloquent mar
y ner. that the veterans could not resiE
= and they broke into unsuppressl slhle =
. nlause He rccomnended the nj
Is soldiers - the leadership q CHRIS
g whom. he SAID was great and gram
% and good enough for any of tho'
y heroes 70 follow.
1- Not jest Yet
i s~~~r 1sv fna fahIe g0r~rorfv =