The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-01
EVEN UNTO DEATH.
Eloquent Panegyric in Honor
of the Union Soldier.
THOUGHTS ON MEMORIAL DAY.
Dsrmon by Rev. w. w. Ferrier ut jack
SON street Congregational Church
Other Themes Of the Pulpit.

The peculiar occasion OF Decoration day sug.
rested an appropriate theme to Rev. w. w.
Ferrier, at the Jackson street Congregational
church, between Twelfth and Fourteenth
streets, last night. He chose for his text Paups
words: "obcdient Unto Death" Phil. lis, and
entitled his discourse, Thoughts Suggested by
Memorial Day" He said
The beautiful custom Of decorating with
Mowers the graves OF our soldier dead has Just
beeu observed nationally for the wenty-fourth
tina At FIRST an individual and local OBJ
sEvance, II 90 commended itself, in its beauty
ma appropriateness, to the Judgment. and
pasriofiIm Of the people that General John A.
xaxnn in 1868 and 1859, as commander-in-chief
81 - Grand Army. of the Republic, designated
that order throughout the nation. And this
date has also, for the better observance OF this
custom, been made by congress national holi-
day Almost quarter of century has this
though old, 10 yet new. And we will need to
iook far down the years of the future TO find
time when there will not exist desire on the
part Of our people to continue its observance.
Seeking for the reasons why the custom and
che day have been so firmly imbedded In the
hearts OF the people, we must needs turn back
little IN the records OF our national history.
Under the constitution, slavery, in existence at
been protected in its own domain.
necessary other settlements OF the question,
continued In its career, az It had begun, "hslf
slave, bali free" In later years the repeal OF
the Missouri compromise brought the pro-
slavery and anti-slayery elements 70 trial OF
stssnxth on the plains Of Kansas and Nebraska
Aiter desperate and even bloody struggle.
ofter passing through the bitterness and atrocity
ofA border warfare, these territories came into
tie Union under anti-slsvery constitutions. ms
frfumph marked an epoch in our national
history lncensed ct the injustice In the repeal
of the Missouri compromise; smarting under the
suifsrings that II entailed through the struggle
to gain possession OF new states; given one more
example OF the desperate means resorted to for
extension and prolongation OF the system OF
human slavery, al opposing elements began TO
mass themselves into party, which q few years
later elevated to the chief magistracy one VINO VINO
grandly fought all legislation IN the interest OF
that monstrous iniQuity.
Meanwhile, the pernicfous doctrines OF Cal
hour had been slowly working to their deadly
ends. The right OF secession was claimed by
the south. The war guns Numbered forth at
Sumter, and the American republic and "gov-
srnm , . o. the people, Dy the people, ior the
test. When the news came OF the fall of Sumter,
the people OF the North felt that the God-given
principles set forth In the declaration of indie
pendeDce, embodied in the constitution, the
principles for which the fathers had fought and
died, and which had been the basis of their
marvellous national prosperity, must, at all
hazards be defended. Action at once took the
months, and thousands went forth to battle
under the banner which was recog-
nized a. the symbol of those principles.
As q nation we had kept no grand
uprising OF the people The men who composed
the rank and file went forth from every condi-
ton and walk In life. Enlistment after enlist
that did not have its vacant chair, until the en-
rollment OF $1,000 at first was swelled TO 1885,
OO-tome sleeping under the sands and sod of
the southland; others heroically strugg ing on
ior the triumph OF the principles of nationality
and human liberty, made more precious by the
fresh baptism with the blood of their fallen
comrades. All, from man to man, grand army
and, a. God gave here and there triumph,
backgrounds OF earth, but as well from the
lepted fields of heaven.
When finally, after four long years OF strife
and agony and bloodshed, the end had come,
the nations Of the world saw rolled up list -
great battles and O record of heroism and self
eacrifice never surpassed, II, indeed, equaled,
n the annals OF time. But far better than this,
they. saw disunion made reunion, they saw
freedom triumphant, and the shackles stricken
rom 100000 bondmen. Freed thus from the
influence OF pernicious ideas and teachings, aud
nom the curse and blight of human slavery, the
nation stood on the threshold Of an unprece-
dented career of advancement and prosperity
The first decade after the close OF the civil
war pushed it so rapidly. to the front that
In every respect the acknowledged peer of the
oldest and grandest nations of the world And
~ 1855, In an address OH the political mission of
Inc United states, on the occasion OF the cele-
u. Depew did but give utterance to we'll
known TACT when he said that during a quarter
OF century OF passionate nationality, of free
labor, oil protected Industries, the growth of the
republic had been without precedent or parallel
In ancient or modern times; that its population
mao increased at the rate of a million year,
ana thousand millions per annum had been
added TO Its accumulated wealth; that Ii had
borne the burden OF gigantic debt; had paid
hye-sixths OF the enormous losses of the civil
war; that II had spent with lavish hand and vet
world. -
1t was fitting that. as the recent tour of the
president OF the United States was drawing TO A
close, ne should stand by the tomb of one who
nad toiled and sacrificed, even unto death, that
there might be union of states Standing
there over the sacred dust OF the immortal lin.
coin, his mind went out over the scenes of his
tTR, pictures , came up OF the great centers of
workshops OF intelligent. contented people.
where before, even in the palmiest ante-belIum
Gays, there had been only silence and waste
and desolation. And the president Knew and
said, as every intelligent, candid man mnst
know and say, that .'all these fires of industry
were lighted at the funeral pyre of slavery.
tns, the proclamation of Abraham Lincoln
eeQln be read on all those mountain sides where
iseenlen are now bending their energies to the
oessiormenf OF states that have long been under
inc paralysis OF human slavery" As was
s ~ tbeis ny the grave of the martyred Lincoln
tnaL the greatness of his life was a greatness
Vast bad not yet been fully discovered or meas
uSsd, 80 may il be said OF the results OF the
sIfaSgia TOR this union of states-in their
sensneencs they have never been fully
Re bring about these beneicent result. OF the
pas, se give unto us the heritage OF freedom
~ NJ lne rich blessings of the present and the
M ha fur
aspfsve men were obedient even unto death Df
shis number %, 900 sleep in our national ceme-
ssnea others lie here and there on the hills
ard N The valleys, from East 10 West and irnrn
North 70 South Each passing year takes some
liza the ranks OF the grar d army of the living
Ia eonsgns them 70 this army of the dead
- as nowsfs were placed yesterday upon the
70 plscs them upon the graves Of
9.ners who had gone on before.
: said that when the remains of General
sscAn bad been placed in their last resting
Pc % the heights of Arlington, and the ar
sssy nae taken their position, a grand scene
-, 80 presented 10 the vast conconrse present.
asaefsi sherman, the last OF the three great
soss ~ IN the late war on the Union side,
49, ~ coiors and unconscious that he was 90
49,. - - ceutral figure OF the occasion, stepped
sssee hnm the grave a short distance, and lean.
80 sxsinst the tlsg-statf. gsged meditatively
s-s go lN several minutes upon the work of the
1s'efy round after round was fred The
~ Nv VAT hero, with no one near him. stood out
IA ainouette against the southwestern sky.
,si,s Pfonie being as finely outlined as has
tsusl IN marble. For several minutes
W. Ne attracted the attention of the
st multitude, and often were his
s rosas reia.inS to the esrly death OF sheridan
- 49, SAID, the old man was conceiying again
- MS mind the problem as TO why be, the old.
ot 'he TITO, should be left to stand upon the
sfsves OF his comrades in srmS." Toia,. how
ever, We honor, not sherman living, hnt sher.
mah oead. Today his enwreathed tomb forms
sne on the links IN fowery chain garlanding
sh az lanu from ocean 10 ocean, from the lakes 10
the gulf. As the wears 20 on Others vii 1-sr
ION me ranks OF the living and will be enrolled
on ne list Of the dead Their memory win he