The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-05-27
LEFFINGWELL { HOLDEN.
Memorial Services,

The Memorial Services at the Congregational
Church, Sunday evening.were more than usually
interesting. The attendance was large, fully
800 people being present. Rev. S. W. Meek de-
livered sermon, which cannot fail to linger in
the minds of all who heard it. 1t was spoken
from very brief outline notes. which we give be-
low The text was taken from Joshua 4: q.
What mean We by these stones ?''
Israel had great mission. To teach unity
of God and His loving for the world 1t was to
propagate a monotheistic faith, with which
the worlds progress is associated. When enter
ing the promised land. God bade Joshua make
heap of memorial stones. to remind coming gen.
erations of His providence and their mission.
think God has led our nation, and that it has
mission from Him. 1t is to show what liberty and
self-government. permeated by education and
free gospel. can do. The way by which God led
Israel was rough. So our way has not all been
smooth. We have had our Exodus, and Red
Sea. and Wilderness, and Crossing of the Jordan
After entering the land we have had a hard
struggle to possess it.
invite you all to look over our National
heap of memorial stones: 1920, Plymouth
Rock. 1776. Declaration of Independence. 17S3,
Peace with Great Britain. l7SS, The Constitution
| adopted. The Colonists had fed from tyranny.
They fought and suffered for liberty 1t was with
| great difficulty that they were combined in a
| National Government strong enough to meet the
needs of the case. Probably all of the Colonies
when the Constitution was adopted. held to the
right of an aggrieved State to withdraw from the
Union. This doctrine of State Rights did no
| harm until 1793.when the invention of the cotton
| gin made cotton raising and with it slave labor
| enormously profitable. Cotton became King,
Slavery was his institution. Defended because
| there was money in it. Meantime moral SEN
timent against it was growing in the country,
| and its barbarity. viciousness and insolence be-
| came unendurabie.
1881 43 years after adoption of constitution
W. L. Garrison formed first anti slavery society
| and newspaper. In three years there were zoo
societies. and tracts papers, lecturers were edu-
eating the people They were the cranks of the
| time. maligned, horsewhipped, and tarred and
feathered. Owen Lovejoy was murdered, For
thirty years these brave men and women suffered
for the right. It was case of conscience, hu-
manity and patriotism combined on one side
and greed and gain on the other. On the posi-
bility of such movements rests the safety of on,
Republic.
On March. 1861. Abraham Lincoln was inaugu-
rated. He declared that it was not the intention
of his party to undertake the abolition of slavery
But the South saw that the anti slav cry idea had
gained ascendancy, and said. We will leave the
| Ohlon'He Whlsa OH our end ofShlp ofState. The
North said. No. If You do. both will sink. You
must not do it. Both few to arms. Then came
the terrible four years of war; which cut the can.
Ger out Itwas severe operation. But it saved
the nations life.
On January l. 1868. came the Emancipation
Proclamation.
Aswe look over our memorial stones we learn
list. The nation that knows its sin and will moi
tuEn God will turn it. God does His work il
great uprisings of the peoples consciences. Mer
said, 1t is a great evil-no use to oppose it. Tht
stain was washed out in blood.
End. Slavery is gone. but Ignorance, Avarice
selfshness. are entrenched elsewhere, We mus
stand firm against these. or our heroes died il
, vain.
3rd. Only as Christ rules in mems hearts, i
our Nation safe. You who obeyed Grant, Sher
man. Sheridan. and Logan. enlist under tn,
Great Captain.