Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-05-30
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.


In accordance with the invitation Of the
pastor, Rev r. W Sprague, a large dele
cation from the q. a r. post, the Won
ans Relief corps, and the camp Of Sons OF
Veterans was present at the Universalist
church Sunday morning, and an audience
completely filling the house in every part,
and overlooking into aisles and vestibule,
was the result The subject Of the dis
course was "The military spirit in religion,
and the preacher took for his text Judges
VII. Is THE sword Of the Lord and OF
Gideon A summary only of the speak
er's words is attempted In substance he
said
This was the battle cry of the Israelites under
Gideon He was a brave, victorious commander.
The Midanites had oppressed the people seven
years, destroying their crops aud carrying away
their fruit and their cattle Gideon with hesita
ton accepted the command Of the Hebrew hosts
He reduced the army from 32OOO 20 Hl picked
men. and 10y remarkable stratagem at night
completely routed aud destroyed the Midianitlsh
army. The special significance Of the text Is tilnt
the cause for which Gideon fought was also the
cause for which God was fighting. Religion and
military duty came together and were one In
spirit and purpose So today, as we look over
TINS audience, we realize that relRloh anu 'hs
veterans with their colleagues, the church OF
Christ and the cause Of war have met together
ON common ground Of sympathy, interest and &C
ton. When You and your fallen aud Disabled
ian ministry and the Christian people urged you
on, saying, You arr right; You arr going TO fight
Gods battles Justice aud righteousness must
prevail"
T. The Christian spirit was not then and Is not
now a spirit Of passive submission and OF noh-ft-
sistauct. but 1t has much Boz 1t that is nggressv We
against evil aud error, and cOmhatve OF inhu
manity and Of unjust opposition. Christ came a.
send a sword, not outward peace Paul fought
the good fight, aud commanded Christians u
arm themselves with "the sword VI the spirit.
and to put on the whole armor Of God The
point was made ami illustrated that all real char
aCtci comes from conflict and victory So be-
tween nations The way to peace Is through
struggle aud war The late war was necessary
aud the cause was a righteous one Heroes. hy
/ ing and dead. male and female. endured with
/ brave foltitude and achieved for us a glorious
/ peace la true sense every plOughsharei Is beat
en- from sword and every pruning hook from a
spear, for no nation finds worthy and lasting peace
till Il has -quered Il Civil war was required OF
/ US before We could slough of sectional animOs
| ties and deadly delusions and the sword Of TIM
/ natiun's hrru-s was the sword ui the LORD
! The military spirit in Christianity is still
further Illustrated by the fact that Il IA efntnently
/ patriotic The love Of country las the higl
! sanction of religious as well a. OF natural sent
| meut. We arr commanded tu obey the power
] above Us aud to pay honor 10 those ~ authority
] The church ui Christ has always been turemos
iu Response To the call OF patriotism iu behalf of
! liberty, Justice and righteousness So 10 was %
| strong degree in our lac civil war. The pulpi
aud religious press fired the national heart MIN
listers lei Their Hooks unu went 70 the lrul. W
churches sent forth their choicest SONS aud daugh
tiers Ia help decide tine mOmentous strife, and uIul
| titudes OF them never returned. They fell ia bat
| tie or died in hospital or prison The altar a
| well as the hearthstuuc was drAped Ia mourning
| Most NJ tlr causes OF the war were moral AMI re-
| hgiuus The church was burning with patriotism
ana through ITS influence alone srut forth mani
[ thousands Surely the church unites with tn
! country ln huuuring the memory OF thuse hraN
ones who sacrh,el their lives Whil, recal
their valiant deeds aud place flowers on thei
graves, We should receive new baptism Of pa
triotic sentiment and life. aud raise higher tn
standard of civic virtue.
The military spirit no less than the Christial
calls for loyalty Steadfastness 10 principle
one OF the sterling teachings of Christianity b
loyal 10 the constituted liberties and rights Of you
native or adouted land. said the church, be lOys
and stand toy the flag said the military spirit, an
they both said. hold Your ground press onward
face the enemy. gain the victory for God, 10
home, for freedom and union. Their was nee
Tor the greatest loyalty. The south was conf
dent, defiant desperate They stroye to MAX
the North the battlefield. and expected a. tiua
TIM. rebel flag over kanruil hail, Boston
Much dc We owe TO the thousands who spran
| forth o. save the nation. and under Grant an
Meade. Hancock and Logan. sherman and Sher
dau, conducted the war % decisive 'ictorl
Iuerr was great loyalty, too, by the Sanitar
Commission. and boy ply sciaus, nurses and a
! PENDANTS on the fields and ln thu hospitals W
cherish theSst self sacrificing names pnly dude
] who arr upmg foreign customs iguur- the strul
giles through which our people aud land ha'
passed / should h. ashamed tl ASK you o. fol
. get the war Forget No Forgive Yes k-cpi
Citation without regret loyalty without dlyIsIOl
Rapid reference We're then made tn the i0yait
] ami herOism displayed 90 the battles OF Getty
burls the Wilderness. fredericksburg. Shiloh al
Iu the valley OF the Shenandoah. IS nrtr ue-t
were done. that deserve. tu live and must iH4 u
Weuh-'rt.i After "a brief reference 10 the walt
demanded OF the soldier and every citizen
maintaining TIN constitution aud privileges We Ell
JOY, the speaker CLOSED with special reference
thos,' present as follows
Aud now. mriutr.rs oi ~ed--Wick post / a
hunored And my people are hOuUred M hayit
with u- herr. thus.. who fought for freedom al
la fttf
less echoes ut the Iuct-ssiut strife Inch ragged Il
months over walls 90 fir You have much o. r
4 member IN this memorial season Tn. taitht
women Wrrr WITH sou on Inc held, or al sLu
rAuE.. ministerius tu our needs and urging yt
on And how ntuns d a. that the women Of ID
Relief cDrti< should b.. at your si.it now AMI du
ing the year, dilIgent aud fruitful IN works
charity for the disabled and needy. GratifyiI
has been the sutS-as> 90 tins corps
Into that bloody strugsi went the youth al
bloom OF this land on were tho-- youth
Your victories wrrr thuSe OF youth Aud ho
eninentiy proper u is that your sons ami the 50
/ OF your fallen cumrad,-,. thrilled with the val
. Of their fathers deed, should form camp 10 c
/ Operate. with yuur IA,st anu tine corps in swelln
your charity funa. and la I'-rl-tuaiing tn. mel
, . ory OF the heroic men and nr'-ds OF the war.
y A grateful nation, which annually unites vi
You living veterans 10 uienpraliz- the nohit. d-
who died IN camp ami tield AMI hospital Al
% prison. has shown doses show ami will continue
, show a glad willingness tu rr.ward you Instss
Of becoming Indifferent 10 the claims ot It's q
soldiers there d a growing solicitud- th8t ever
NlluE lhAl y AShfl IN ft'ltSiil Hllhutl h iFhhtf
b Ip service, tn smooth the wears and tighten {
. evening time Of your lives 80 Il certainly shoi
h. LET no man stand IN the way For. as Oft
u a. w. iuuk on our fairrst oi ragS ana See
D Her 'scutCheun shows white with blazou of r.
{ The llfr-trups OF crimson for liberty shed,
g the sens. Of Indebtedness sWclls with compuu
interest t. thus- who dar-d their lives and
that they might finish the conflict and Go,
rausr4 is' victorious
, 81 nr-d not ussur- YOU, members of the pa
O that YOU have the derpt=St sympathy aud hlt-ssi
! Of our church, bath Tor your services uu the 1e
and now iu vour charitable work at home by
and OF camp and corp. May your names "A
deeds ever live lu the grateful memory aud 4
der affection of the present and coming genr
. I tons