The National tribune., 1891-05-28
MEMORIAL nAY.


for a while their toll and strife for gain, TO
forget the fever OF selfish Advancement the
unrest of personal ambition, and unite in
loving honor Of those who loved their
country better than ease, OF gain, or worldly
promotion, or even life ITSELF and died to
purchase for them the countless blessings
they now enjoy.
il is highly creditable 10 us rs people
that we do this. and that every year the OBJ
seryance Of Memorial Day becomes more
general, and more reyerential and heart
felt A people cannot help being great, they
cannot help constantly rising 10 higher
planes Of character and achievement, who
thus honor lofty patriotism and scll-sacriice
A peoples character is nodded by what it
admires and praises. The American people
must be great so long rs they give their
highest honors 10 lofty patriotism exalted
courage aud self-lorgetful devotion to
country.
The nearest parallel TO Memorial Day
which we can Gnd in the history Of amy
other people is the great solemn feast
Of the Passover, which did so much
TO form the National character Of the
Jews. The meaning Of this TO that
Chosen People was their redemption and
creation into a Nation, owing allegiance
to 40 one but the Most High. In rcmem-
brance OF the dangers through which they
had passed, a lamb was slain aud its blood
sprnk'cd on the door posts a feast Of I'M
leayencd bread and bitter herbs was eaten
at midnight with The eaters loins giIl
shoes upon their feet and STATS in their
hands After the second cup Of wine had
been drunk, the eldest son asked his father
The meaning e the feast, and the father re-
-poHdcd by telling him through what trials
and dangers lsrasl had TO become a Nation,
and the assembly Joined in psalm Of praise
and thanksgiving. Thus every year, for 30
centuries, have done the seed Of Abraham,
and around this ceremony has dcrelopt a
National life which has been the wonder Of
al ages
Memorial Day is our Passover. 1t is \
remembrance Of time that, as long as the
Nation shall live, viii remain our most mo-
men.ous crisis IT was a time when-not
Che Egyptians but our own iirst-bon were
stricken by the Angel Of Death. There was
then no mark upon our lintels for him TO see
and pass over. lie entered every household,
and left weeping parents, wives and sweet
hearts by its des0laied hearthstones. IN say
ing as as people from ruin more men died
than Moses led out Of bondage. The marches
they made were longer than the journey
from Egypt TO the Promised Land; the
enemies they encountered were a Thousand
fold more numerous, powerful and yindictive
than those who beset the children Of Israel
il the Wilderness
We have therefore no less reason than the
Jews FOR solemn remembrance Of our great
/ National perl and deIiyerance; we have
/ fully as much reason as they for eternal
gratitude 10 those who, under God, saved us
from National destruction, and gave us q
free and happy land, uHYezed by the sword
unpoIuted by the foot Of either despot OF
bondsman, and fair and fertile as that where
the Rose Of Sharon blooms on the banks 81
tie sacred Jordan.
We should celebrate Memorial Day in Tho
same Teyerout spirit and with the sam,
universally that the Jews did their Pass
over With them il was the solemn duty o
every head Of a family to lead his househol,
IN the observance. i was impressed upor
them that this was not merely Nationa
remembrance and thanksgiving; il was
matter Of individual gratitude, and persona
to every one Of them. Every one Of tb
seed Of Abraham had precisely the SAM
reason for gratitude, and the same duty O
testtyng that gratitude.
So with our Memorial Day. The Ggh
made by those whose graves we viii decoTal
next Saturday was not made for themaelye
and their kindred bat for every man an
woman who dweIls in The length and breadt
Of the land, OF who shall ever dwell in j
They sacrificed themselves and died for a
Of as Every American shares alike in Ia
rich fruits Of their blood and yalor. Upo
every American deyolvcs the duty-and il
! performance should be a pleasure-of honor
= ing these dead who died Tor him. and
. teaching his children and his children
\ children the glorious story Of those mob
$ dead's patriotism and sacrifices. lie shout
do This as a duty 10 the dead, and still mo-
as duty 10 the living that the generation
= rising up may be made TO feel that Il
u uoblest act Of man is TO love las count
= better than himself or wife, or kindred, al
a be willing IL need be, 10 die Cor her safe
and well-beng. This is the kind Of RICH
' eousness that exalteth Nation.