Morning journal and courier., 1891-09-14
AT THE GRAVES OF THEIR DEAD.

and Veterans OF Years Gone BY
An Address by Rev. DR.. william
E. Vibbert-The Saturday Evening
observation-disclosures of the Good
Times to Come.
Two hundred and twenty men, represen-
tative of the present Grays and Of their
past history from 1928 to 1891, decorated
the graves of their deceased comrades yes
terday in Grove street and Evergreen ceme-
teries. Never have the active company
cleaning helmets; never have such num-
Der of veterans assembled at the armory,
from home and abroad; and never have
the decoration exercises of the Grays been
more successful in point of attendance and
the honor done to the dead.
At o'clock yesterday afternoon the
armory was crowded with members of the
company making ready for the march and
their friends A table at the side of the
building was covered with perfect noun
tain of flowers in wreaths and boquets
which friends of the Grays had contributed
for the day. A platform eight feet square
was erected near the galleries and deco
rated with flowers and a profusion of bunt-
ing. Arms were stacked on either side of
the platform and the speakers chair was
placed directly in the center. At Lao
O'Clock Captain Benjamin E. Brown gave
| the word to the actives to fall in line.
The men were in full dress uniform and
| carried w1eaths on their shoulders and
| bouquets of flowers in their hands. The
| uniforms, newly finished and cleaned,
looked as if they wereid onned for the hrst
time. The men bore the general appear
ance of fine physique, their movements
| were precise and military and old veterans
declared that the Grays had rarely made
such showing. AS soon as the men were
| ranged in double line on the left side of
the armory General E. E. Bradley, marshal
| of the day, mounted the platform and
asked old members to mass in the center
of the building while the active Grays
should stand in line on either side of the
stand Besides the Grays and veterans
present there was considerable audience
in the building during the religious exer-
| cises.
General Bradley introduced the Rev. DR..
| William E. Vibbert of Fair Haven to the
soldiers. At the command of the marshal
heads were uncovered, and the men re-
cited the apostles creed with the reverend
minister. After an evening prayer had
been said Mr.. Vibbert read the hymn:
Soldiers of Christ, arise
And grid your armor on
The preacher then spoke as follows:
"Fellow Veterans and Comrades of the
| Grays:
Gas you will listen tomorrow to an ex-
tended historical address by Mr.. John D.
Whitmore, do not wish to encroach upon
his sphere by going into "reminiscences OF
old times, but shall ask your attention
for few moments to the type of Christian
soldier delineated by Saint Paul in his let
ter to Timothy. The apostle charge,
Timothy to fight the good fight and lay
hold on eternal life.' 1t was hard thing
to do for this servant of God. He wal
young and inexperienced, and bowed
. down with bodily infrmities. The apostle
enjoins him by the love he bore him ant
| the grace of Jesus Christ not to let thes'
hindrances keep him from waging a sue
cessful warfare against the forces of evil
He must be thrice a soldier in view of the
. adverse circumstances that confront him
No one can be 80 base as to engage in tn
pursuits of business when enlisted as
!, soldier. How much more does Christian
who is sworn to follow the lord Jesu
Christ betray his trust when he becomes
wording and follows the things of tn
flesh.
est PauIs idea of the true soldier wa
r drawn from the Roman armies of his day
| The Roman soldier was entirely devote'
q | and given up to the service of the Caesars
When once he had entered the ranks b
;, was not allowed to marry, he was unde
Il certain obligations to perform his dut
and to help on in bringing the whole worl
4 under the iron rule of Rome. He Dor
heavy arms and equipments and endure
!. the greatest hardships. All his affection
d were centered in his country and til
10 science which was his. He had no othe
1 - %lo~, al 41oa 1T l.
chief.
's ''The same devotion should character;
y the true soldier of Jesus CHRIST. tt
,r scriptures frequently compare the Christie
20 life to a warfare-a continual strugg
40 against the armies of unrighteou
ness. 1t is an intending struggle. I
r close comes only when in triumph the sc
j. dier has triumphed over the last grel
;, enemy, death. The Christian must NJ
- take any middle ground. How can
g. Christian be faithful to his trust when
" becomes a wording and cares only for Il
in vain pleasures and interests of sinf
!. | life.
u 'The army of the church of God b
never been defeated Without genera
or chiefs it has gone out on its high mi
sion to bring men to Jesus Christ. Wh'
- its work was first begun, thousands flock
y, to it's standard. Its weapons are strong
D. thing that is opposed to Jesus Christ. !
in | soldiers in his cause we should put ash
every passion and evil propensity of O.
natures We should be willing to give I
all of our property and our friends rath
n than that one iota of the truth shou
"a be sacrificed. Let US submit ourselv
49,, body and soul to the discipline
our commander, exercising ourselves dai
en- and hourly to have conscience void
he offence toward God and man. Only tn
NJ when our work is accomplished can
ID say with Paul, 7 have fought good igl
~, I have kept the faith, henceforth there
IN laid up for me a crown of glory And
IN the earthly soldier is urged forward in l
" service by the promise of final reward,
20 the soldier of Jesus Christ fights manfu
10 and is able to endure all his sufferings a
privations when he looks forward to l
triumphal entry into happy resting-pl
above. If he be faithful he shall
liz crowned one day with undying honor a
az glorious peace.
"My brethren and fellow comrades, y
he have been soldiers of the state and 6
i'll proud of the honor of being Grays. If
:, war should come many of you would
IL ready to obey the summons of your COT
in try and rally in her defence. Many
at your number are soldiers of the GRO
m. ready to fight manfully at every opp,
=. tunity against the lusts of the world, t
III flesh and the devil. We reverence tod
of the memory of the comrades that hs
en- gone before and have been welcomed
for happiness of paradise. Let us be true
ice every religious obligation, and do nothi
mt unbecoming of a soldier of the cross. Th
Id shall we 60 forward, not like galley sla'
re, to an enforced and unwelcomed task,
MS gladly and with good heart, to win I
700 world for our Lord and Master, Jes
o. Christ. Let rs pray"
nd 30, Lord, who never failest to help a
on govern those whom thou dost bring up
Is, thy steadfast fear and love, keep us,
tu- beseech thee, under the protection of
ot. providence and make US to have perp
ual fear and love of thy holy nan
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
30, God, the protector of all that TT,
in thee, without whom nothing is strol
,s- nothing is holy, increase and multil
on upon US thy mercy; that thou being {
ruler and guide, we may SO pass throu
sb- things temporal that we finally lose
en the things eternal. Grant this, o Heavt
ia ly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, {
the Lord. Amen.
ent 80, God, who hast prepared for tn
o1o who love thee such good things as p
SAo | pnap,o up1orofo p1ipo y,our int o,1r hoo