The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-05-29
MEMORIAL DAY EXERCISES,

and Relief corps. The procession will be
formed in front of their hall in Farra's
brick and will be headed by the Corvallis
band followed by the children of the
kindergarten and public schools, the ladies
of the Relief Corps, college cadets, MEM
bers of the post and citizens. Promptly at
2 o'clock the procession will march to the
Crystal Lake cemetery where address
will be delivered by Rev. Henderson, of
Pendleton, an old coli,rade. An appropriate
programme will be carried out part of which
will be the representation of each separate
state in verse by the children; also song
by Miss Burnham's kindergarten pupils.
The memorial services were held last
Sunday at the Presbyterian church. The
church was decorated with notices and
flowers for the occasion. At the hour of
service the college cadets, members of the
post and corps marched in a body to the
church and listened to the following elo-
quent sermon by Rev E. J. Thompson, after
which Rev. Henderson made few remarks
on behalf the G. A. R.
SERMON DELIVERED BY REV. e. J. THOMPSON
LAST SUNDAY.
"Being dead yet speaketh, Hebrew 9:4.
Only four words-only six syllables-but
words of tiolnentous meaning, sylsbles of
infinite interest. Primarily these words
refer to righteous Abel, the first martyr of
truth. The report of his virtue and valor
has been handed down from generation to
generation. To day we find it enrolled in
that list of immortal heroes honored the
world over. In like ttannef we speak of
our nations noble dead. Being dead they
| yet speak. Men who thirty years ago were
SCARCELY known beyond their native village,
are. in the language of the poet, now mum.
bered among ''the immortal names that
| were not born to die"
| Let us this morning hear the message
they are senling US, for, although dead they
speak to us as distinctly as though they
were living. And first, they speak to us
by their character, their example, their de-
votion and their sacrifice.
| / said first by their character. This is
what abides. You have passed along the
shores of yonder sea, where the chatting
waves for centuries have been enGroachiig
on the land, washing the sand away, bit
leaving here and there a rocky ledge lifting
its crest in PROUD defiance? What seemed
solid earth vanishes away, undermined, while
what had been hitherto buried out of sigh
nd ,,ofioo1 ont fo oxy
prepared to challenge all the mad forces oi
the ocean lashed into rage. In these
shores of time, where the waves of CEN
turies undermine and sweep away the great
est works of man, there is parable before
us. The sands around us are drifting away
the structures we Guild are crumbling, fame
is fading fortunes are falling and marks o
decay are traced OH all we behold. Yet
time and desslation. wind and snow
decay and death leaves every man his char.
acter; though he may die this forever lives
1t may be bad or good, pure or corrupt
noble or mean, brave or cowardly: 1t ma.
commend the good, sanction the evil
point to heaven or lead to hell. Noiselessly
but effecting character is ever at work
The hands may be folded in the repose O
death; the tongue lie silent; but characte
speaks. 1t is speaking to us to-day; it ad
monishes, inspires, cheers, guides. Th
characters of heroes slain speak of tn
principles for which they fought and died
If we will not hear these we will not lis ten
, But we will listen-we will listen now il
the 4riet of this holy Sabbath morning
Yes, We will listen to hear the voices fror
those men and soldiers brave, who speak b
their untarnished character and example
who tell US a story OF devotion and sacrific
that should thrill every soul. And as W
y wait their message down from onder hi
e and over from yonder valley, and from Ge
: tysburgh and Chattanooga and the Wilde
!, !. ness and every battle field come voices, say
j sick for you; We were slain for you. Their
: fore do not forget US. Guard our name
:, from oblivion-make the story of our 10,
0 for liberty and the life of this glorious re
y public--the story of our sacrifice of all th'
. was dear to us-Oh, make that story pow
3 in the world perpetual.
How best dear friends can we, shall w
carry out that wish? How shall we pr
serve loving, grateful remembrance (
= those who died for US. Shall do it to-ds
4 by eulogies? IF could, how vain, no
e empty. The most eloquent eulogiesf ha
!. long since been hushed in the silence
!. buried years. Shall do it by historic
Il Oh no, for none have or ever cam, write
r full the history of the brave and the tru
!. and the immortal, and if it could be write
C no ink has yet been found with which
write immortol lines. No, the story of h
roes departed cannot be written. Shall '
build monuments above their graves? B
- what are they-what voices have they? !
5, best only a few words can the cold whi
l. slab utter. The beginning-ths ending
= here lies--that is all. No, you cam
: chisel the debt of love into cold hard ms