The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-17

living yet were Just as honest, aud ought
they not for the suffering they endured have
q coronal Of some kind? ~
But we must not detain the two garlandS
any longer from the pillows Of those who for
a quarter of q century have been prostrate
in dreamless slumber, never oppressed by
summer heats or chilled by winters cold.
Both garlands are fragrant. Both have I'm
them the sunshine and the shower Of thia
springtime. Tne colors OF both were mixed
by Him who mixed the blue Of the sky, and
the gold Of the sunset, and the green OF the
grass, and the whiteness oil the snow crystal. {.
And do not cara which you put oversehe
grave. -
These august throngs gathered this norm
ing in these pews and aisles and corridors
and galleries are Insignificant compared with
the mightier throngs Of heaven who mingle
in this service which we render to God and
our country while we twist the two garlands.
Hais spirits multitudinous! hail spirits
blessf Hail martyred ones come down from
from the Kings palaces! How glad are wa.
that you have come back again! Take thia
kiss Of welcome and these garlands Of remin-
iscence, ye who languished in hospitals or
went down under the thunders and the I
lightning Of Fredericksburg and Cold Harsy.
Dor and Murfreesboro and Corinth and
Yorktown and above the clouds On Lookout
Mountain. ~
Among the thousands Of gatherings at
the north and at the south for Decoration
Days am conscious that this service h.
unique, and that it is only one in which thero.
has been twisted two garlands, one TOR tho
grave of the northern dead and the other Tor
the grave Of the southern dead. oLord 0oa
OF the American Union, is It time that ~
bury forever our old grudges! Ny! Myi CSD
we not be at peace on earth when this mo-
ment In heaven dwell, in perfect love-
Ulysses 8. Grant and Robert e. Lee, WEI
lam T. Sherman and Stonewall Jaoksun
and tens Of thousands Of northern and
askance at each other from the opposite
banks Of the Potomac and the ChickahominY
and the James and the Tennessee, now aso
on the same side Of the river, keeping iuhi- !
lee with some Of those old angels who near
nineteen centuries ago came down one
Christmas night to chant over Bethlehem,
"Glory to God In the highest; on earth
peace, good will to menF' as
! have been waiting for some years for
some one else to twist the two garlands
that to-day twist, but no one doing II, fn
the love Of God and my countryI put now
my hand to the work, and next spring
about this time If am living and we'll I
will twist two more jgarlands for northern
and southern graves, and every springttmo
uuLu SOuo man OF WOman WnOm may
have cheered little In the struggle Of this
life shall come out and put pansy or two
on my own grave. But If the time should
ever come when this land shall be given
over to sectional rancor and demagogism,
and north and south, or east and west shall
forget what the good God built this nation
for and it shall halt on its high career Of
Righteousness and liberty and peace, and be-
come the agent of tyranny and wrong and
oppression, then let some young man whom
I have baptized in infancy at these affairs 60
| out to Greenwood and scoop up my dust and
| scatter it to the four winds of heaven, for
do not want to sleep, and will not sleep In
| land accursed with sectionalism or oppres-
sion.
And now hand over the two garlands.
both Of which ara wet with many tears
tears Of widowhood and orphanage and
childlessness, tears Of suffering and tears OF
! gratitude; and as the ceremony must ba
performed in symbol, there not being enough
! flowers to cover all the graves, take the one
garland to the tomb Of some northern
! soldier who may yesterday have been
omitted In the distribution OF the ss~s,
nent Of flowers, and the other garland to-
| The tomb of some southern soldier who may
q month aso have been omitted in the distrt-
I button Of the sacrament Of the flowers, ano
| put both the wreaths gently down over tne
hearts that have ceased to beat. God blaa
the two garlands! God save the unIbe1
States of. .Americal 49, -