The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-30
MEMORIAL DAY.

General orders No. %, just issued
from the Grand Army of the Republic
relates to Memorial Day. 1t is here giver
in full:
Again the warm spring sun reminds us
that Memorial Day with its time-honore6
observance is near at hand. Regula
tons are so explicit upon this subject
that no formal order urging this sacred
duty upon the posts is necessary.
For the 23d time since the 30th of May
was designated for this purpose by Com
rade Logan, then cOmmander-in-ch il
is our privilege to render special homage
to the memory of our comrades who
answer to rOll-call on earth no more, tC
pledge ourselves anew in united and sol
emn chorus to the great principles fol
which they died. and for the perpet
uation of which this mighty order is now
maintained Let no grave be unvisited.
no comrade forgotten, and as our chill
dren and children's children shall ask
"What mean We by this service?' Lei
us point them to the sacrifices of Oul
comrades whom death has mustered out
forever, and whose devotion to duty
made possible this golden era of oul
nation which to-day under one flag i.
marching on to the glorious destiny; q
future assured to this and the coming gen
erations by the conflicts and victories OF
the period which this day recalls and sig
nalizes. Standing by these sacred
mounds let us urge, that never, while the
flowers shall wake to life, while the re
leased waters shall course from the
mountains to the sea, while the enamel
pated earth shall with each returning
spring wave its banners of green, shall
these memorial services be unperformeC
or the achievements they celebrate bC
forgotten. Let the day be in no manner
diverted from its true purpose, but let il
be made to teach to the fullest extent it.
great lesson of patriotism.
Post commanders are reminded thai
their arrangements for Memorial Day
should invariably include attendance by
the post in body upon some form Of
divine worship upon the preceding Sun
day. This custom has become, and de
servededly so, very general, and its APP
preparedness and desirability are appar
ent. Some minister of the gospel should
be invited to deliver suitable sermon
upon this occasion, and posts
should, if practicable, appear in uniform
and display their badges and colOrs
striving in every respect to render this
a fitting preliminary to our great annual
observance.
In some departments the custom pre-
walls of having the school children co
operate, the session of school preceding
Memorial Day being devoted to patriotic
teachings emphasized by the presence a
each school of some comrade of the
order, and the children asked to share
in providing flowers for the following
day, and assured that in so doing they
become directly identified with the
praisewOrthy service of Memorial Day
1t is recommended that post command
ers, so far as possible, detail comrades
who in uniform may appear before eacl
school and briefly suggest action al
above.
All posts will make special reports o
the day on or before June 10, to depart
ment chaplains who will consolidate thu
same and report to Comrade Myron w
Reed, chaplain-in-chief, at Denver, Col.
not later than June both. Post Com
manders will be held responsible fo
these reports and they should be prompt
ly rendered.