Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-31

O. q ~ hopanheiA spoosurss ia
NeU Rnxfnnh 49, n my boyhood
dnys va s pieenro q 5ohn Wesley
with Ne innrription: ssfsoA ous,os His
woskmsn. bus carrie on He work. "a
That oos1o sppliss to-day 10 thoss Who
are ansemhksd With pnIriossc pnrpoes
70 eoannsoosats ths deeds Of
patrioes, and q ronaw she fscilags Of
loyalty and de1otson - the principles
g ishss>sn union ard lndspsndencs.
49, suInv- fnifhfnI IN thelr day aad
eonsrnt1un, osrvng theaE country u
every hosnx1. II q eur duoV - carry
@ ~ noAlo vcsk; - - that nothing
ehall impair The Independence OF our
country. The liberties oe cur people, or
The rights e every Citizen. AZ long -
- dovoto ouyDolvoo - this duty, we
are omuIAting tha patElotsm Ut thooo
Who fnoo1 TIE dan9ose e the battle
~ IN bohA1e e the He which v the
symhol Ct froodom- We are carrying
On The coed work; ~ are inseslling the
fervos Of loyalty and honor In the
oreases a. our ehiidrens ana enimatnx
them - NE high duty which Will de-
volve upon snem IN tneir turn 70 zee
that the republic takes no harm. ~ 10
good tor ~ 70 assemble Tor snie molly
purpose 20 oeeeow Ne cnaptes OF
memory IN recognition OF nefoic deeds.
A hetie over tvoney-four years ago. or
on the oeh Of Nay le6S. the ooserv-
anco OF the S0lh Of May IN every
year was o0lcsally eu1olued upon the
Gr~od Army OF the Republic -
sacred duty. The IAmented Gen. John
A. Logan. hree among the volunteers OF
the army, wos then the ccmmAnder.ln-
chie1.l
eassseees % ne seaeisss.
Inc BEAUTIFUL touching ana appro-
pirate custom OF Adorning with
wreathes and noWers the graves OF de-
parted friends has exiased from time
immemorial. We know OK IT ~ indi.
viduais; We read OF II IN scripture, and
We ma IN the women OF every laud
examples OF that same spirst OF devo-
ton manifested BY Mary at the tomb
OF the Savior. The honor OF establish
ing decoration day ~ an annual
national commemorAtion OF the ser
the fallen soldiers belongs TO the Grand
Army Of the Republic, and Was matt
tuted under the orders Of General Lo-
gan. He said when the custom was in
auguyated that IT WAS Tor the purpose
Of strewiug flowers or otherwiss decor
atinG the graves OF comrades who
died ia defence Of their country, and
whose hodies now lie in almost every
city, village and hamlet churchyard In
the land. He had little need 70 recon-
mend that the memory ~ the heroic
dead, whose breasts made . barricade
for their country, should be tenderly
chonshed. The early morning call to
duty u known IN the military service
- the reveille. The colder lives OF
thoee We commemorate WAS the revellle
OF freedom to . race in chains. IL Was
the order Of Logan to his comrades
that at the appointed time in every
year they should gather around and
garland the passaouless mounds above
the dead with the choicest flowers Of
spring time, to raise above them the
dear old dag. and to renew pledges Of
ssslstance to those who were left .
sacred charge upon nations gratitude
the soldiers and sailors widow and
orphan.
ne risss cslsbsasisn.
The hrst celebration VI Memorial
day was more particularly enjolned up
ON membera Of the Grand Army Of the
Republic. lA oboervauce. 1t WAS
thought, would Be entirely in thor
charge. In effect 1t was quite other
wise. Patriotic men and women gave
their eympathy and Aid. and by their
presence made it spontaneous memo
rial BY the whole nation. The popular
heart va in accord with the idea. 1t
desired - testify the affection of .
grateful people for the memory of
those who died that the nation might
live. So general was the hrst public
observauce OF the day that on issuing
sne ofGG ioF ~ sec0no observance
Ss.~sc.i, 49,. shcss - sha rso-ls .,ho
hsd rr;s.T ,.;sh ~ sctS,s,s ~ msts
- csi~hrst;nr : soiern and .imoss
nr;vsrssi tr;hnts' Thai ssme wear IN
c..,usc1iov M .he d.d;cst;or IF .he
evsst rsf;onsi cemetsr,es' consress
c...sd . rssr,Irs,or reco,, n,.r6;rr thst
- sosh ~ ~ - snr-sllv oh.sr.aJ
90 ,hrs - h:ccr.e 6v.d H. c,.,c,,
- nssec,;.i Az -h;ch tsnds ~ nr;fv
~ res;o,, syd reen sI,ve mon
- 49, a. A.. - r.,.;os;s~,
=. = -ssr..i th.s ~. shn,,,d occ,,.
q. 49,. ss;'sd" - 49, .ro S s.s'r rsrs :,
- 1850 -, rs6.c.scr ~ the;r -
d,v;3usI srncrisncs n aoldiers. The
v.s~-srw,li fh;rr ~ ths Serrnr vh;ch
sn;wst.S rim nno-, f;rst enI;ss;r~. III.
6,.s srrsy,srcs = the comnanv;s nn.r.
tsrs. ~ fsrsvelI WITH friepds' and the
dsrsrsnre for the GENE al conti;ct. the
issscrs ~ shc rscrnit in acon;r;n~ :
rs;i,serv d;.c,nI;na. shs yonnd AZ life il
ths cernn ~ 3nstrnct,ons or in carrison
drtv Tks nervsdinv erc;tenent AZ IN.
~s~:..h -. ~ ssld ~ ths h.~,n,,r~
- 80 -s: 49,