The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-05-25
lifted the Nation clear of the shadows into
the white light that shines on the brow Of


Ii has been the custom for o long time ct
the Central Christian Church to bave
memorial exercises irrespective of the at
tendance of any particular Grand Army
post. Veterans of all have attended them
and so 1t was last night. when tho Rev.
ID. r. Lucas preached his annual memorial
sermon to q large audience. In the course
of his remarks Mr.. Lucas said: Memory is
the cabinet OF the imagination; the store
house OF reason. the registry of conscience
and the library of thought. Many men
have been remarkable for their genius in
acts OF memory and OF Cyrus of Persia 1t
is related he knew the name of every sol
twenty thousand citizens of Athens by
name, and IL 10 10 wonder he
was q great politician. Gibbon. Burke
Berry Sulgrove. and others have been cele-
another. Ii is told of him that be was
stopped by some friends on his way to visit
q poor parson and asked to give them an ex-
ample of his power in this respect: well,
gentlemen" he said. IF you will give me
f10 for this poor parson i promise You /
will remember il as long as / live"
Memory" continued the preacher, lis
the basis of, and leads to monume and
memorial institutions. AS Garfield said,
Animals fight. but animals build no monu-
mcnts.' Memorials are universal, and every
man has some personal memorials in the
pictures of loved ones. That beautiful
poem of Cowper to the portrait of his
mother. who died when he was six years of
age, Is one of the finest ever written. And
what can be more pathetic than Benz. +.
Taylor's River of Time when he speaks
of the garments she used TO wear and the
trinkets and turns of hairF Religion has
it's memorials. The Jewish Passover. with
the events attending it. is one OF. the
great forces that have SO long kept
that people faithful to their re-
ligion. So with Christianity. 1t
has its Lords day and Lords supper and
Every nation has it's memorials and days
The Fourth of July is q mighty power for
good TO our country. And so with the 3Oth
of May, the day we strew with lowers the
graves OF the dead soldiers Of the great
war that saved the union of the States.
MANY reasons he said in conclu-
sion. might be given why it should
be kept, not as q holiday. but as
a solem day of memory. The men whose
memory we cherish are worthy of it,
for they were patriotic men; men like our.
selves. and we honor ourselves In honoring
them. They were heroic and historic men.
Lincoln. Grant. Sherman, and all the host
of them were heroes, and have written
history. Their work abides. What they
did we all know. and no man has yet
been enabled to estimate the value of their
sacrifices, and the least we can do is to lay
u WTeabQ upon eacn OF tQ6lI RTaVe5 anu 10
this simple act of tribute to their work for
God and the flag of our country. The OBJ
lection is made that it is merely sentiment
al. Very good. Sentiment is the noblest
attribute of q human soul Love is but q
sentiment In the minds of some. but it en-
mobiles and dIgnifies our human nature.
The philanthropist Corcoran bringing the
dust of j. Howard Payne, the author of
Home, Sweet Home to America from q
foreign land after il had lain there for
thirty years, was q mere sentiment, but 1t
is such q sentiment that uplifts humanity
and makes the world better. So. when we
lay a flower on q soldiers grave it may be q
sentiment. but 1t is a noble, patriotic one,
for in it is the sentiment of the Grand Army
of the Republic. These men were animated
by a heroism that was patriotic and o pat
riotism that was heroic"
At other churches where memorial serv-
Ices were held the congregations were
very large. st. Georges Mission was at
tended by the George H. Chapman Post,
with its Relief Corps and Sons of Veterans.
The congregation of the Third Christian
Church was increased by John +. Ruckle
Post and Relief Corps. while the Shelby
street Christian Church was visited by
members of Joseph X. Gordon Post. Rob-
ert Anderson Post attended Grace M. T..
Church, and at Fletcher-place was Sherl-
dan Post and John c.. Fremont Camp, Sons
of Veterans.