Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-25
TALKS TO VETERANS.
Memorial Sermons in a Number of
Churches in the Twin Cities.
PATRIOTISM In. MANY PULPlTS.
Rev. ). G. Townsend, D. D., Dwcils on the
Basis Of Real Church.
OTHER PULPIT TOPICS OF YESTERDAY


As uext Saturday Will tie Decoration Day
according to the usual custom memorial serv
ices were held yesterday in number O.
churches in various parts Of the two cities
In the morning only few OF the churche.
held memorial services, hut at night The
greater part of them either paid tribute tc
the approaching day of remembrance or else
adjourned SO that the congregations could
attend memorial services that were being
held elsewhere.
''Our duty to God and the Nation, was
The subject of the memorial service last
night by Rev. S. D. Mccormick, at the Gen.
tral Presbyterian Church, Anderson street,
Allegheny. The veterans who attended
were comprised in the Abe Patterson Post
IS, James NJ. Lysle Post 12S and Colonel
John 3. Clark Post 162. The speaker
touched on the propriety of memorial
sermon and the fitness of the soldiers to thus
worship God in a body.
Patriotism of the spartans.
''What is patriotism?" he asked, 'and
why will men, as loyal citizens, give up
life, health and property in the time of
their country's need?"
He cited the patriotism of the Spartans,
who held back 100000 Persians. Rome
fell because its people had forgotten to love
their country. Continuing, he said:
Look on that scene the most magnificent
the world has ever looked upon, when men
forget their vows and fired on their coun-
try's flag: and wives gave up their hus-
bands, mothers their sons, sweethearts their
loda inbf fhotr
country. The ties of home and family were
as nothing to the commands of the homer
and liberty of the nation. This is feeling
implanted there by God Himself, and
therefore there IS a duty divinely
added to the State as well as to Almighty
God. A nation is an organization, and each
nation has its own spirit. Just as
the spirit in the man makes him a
miser, victim of selfish ambition
CT noble and generous, each nation has its
own spirit, which makes it what it is. Spain
fell behind the world BECAUSE it had not
noble impulses as its base, while England
has ever mounted higher. The spirit of this
nation implies religious freedom, popular
education, liberty of thought, speech and
behavior, a high standard of morals and
lofty ideals of manhood
The Heroes of the Nation.
'Iuwrought into the fibers of this nation
are the spirits of Washington, Jefferson.
jackson, Lincoln and Grant, and are bone
OF our bone and flesh of our flesh. Her
spirit is that which instructs both in rights
and IN duties. 1t is a spirit that will not
rest until that plague spot of Mormonism
is wiped out and the purity of
the home is established, and all
conflicting elements are harmonized. This
nation develops the highest types of man
hood and the purest and most intelligent
freedom. Our greatness is not in physical
wealth, but in the moral, intelligent, God
fearing men,
He then argued that this was the only
country absolutely ruled by the people, and
that they as individuals were called on to
settle questions as great as those which ex-
listed during the war. He said that because
question became a political one it did not
cease to be a moral one, and each one is
called on to lend his personal influence and
character 10 settle the vexing question of
Jhe day. He said this did not involve the
union of Church and State, but rather its
separation.
Post 126, G. A. R., listened yesterday
morning, in the Buena Vista N. E. Church,
to q sermon by Rev. J. H. Miller. His
text was '1God forbid that l should glory
save in the cause Of our Lord Jesus
Christ" He dwelt on the unselfsh and
the exclusive work which the Apostle Paul
did for the Church, explaining how ne gave
up everything and devoted his life to a fight
Tor Christ.
Enlisted i'm Similar Cause.
He then showed how Paul and the soldiers
OF the late war were enlisted for the same
cause; the soldiers for the safety of existing
homes and nations, and Paul for the safety
OF homes and nations yet unborn. Contin-
uing he said:
''The story of the Cross shows the infinite
love Of God, and its ignominy intensfes
that love- 1t Unfolds Gods plan of redemp- |
tion: it cOnquerS the hostile and elevates |
human society: it is raw of hope to the be- |
nighted of earth, and gives us some beatifc |
glimpses of the hereafter. Do we wonder |
that Paul became an enthusiast? The infiu- |
CHce for good of this story handed down |
through the centuries has been incalculable, |
and, with an ever-increaSing speed, it |
moves on to-day, making the world better |
and grander"
The remainder of his address was taken |
up in pointing out the triumphs of the Cross !
upon The battlefield. especially referred |
10 the grand work of the Christian and San |
jtary Commission, which, forgetting creed |
and ties of home, aided both the body and |
Stuls anu III tlle dIdOI Ol iuelI WO1h DlOtteu
out the cplorS blue and gray and ministered |
TO Union soldier and rebel alike.
Veterans of the late war also crowded the |
Bingham Street NJ. f. Church last night, |
where Rev. J. A. Ballantyne addressed |
Post 15l of the G. A. r. In the morning |
W. T. Oldham preached a memorial SER |
mon before Post Al, at the Butler Street NJ. |
Z. Church. Union memorial services were |
also held in the Mt. Washington NJ. P. |
Church on Virginia avenue.