The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-06-03
MEMORIAL DAY.
"oh death! the poor nish's dearest friend,
The kindest and the best!
Welcome the hour my aged limbs
Are laid with thee at rest

r. The kiiidest and the best!
Welcome the hour my aged limbs
Are laid with thee at rest
rs The gr at the wealthy fear thy blow,
From Iomp and pleasure torn;
But, oh best relief to those
- That weary-laden monrnl'
, cit is trite thought, and yet singularl,
and sadly impressive, that in the grave al
/, miserable, the and the hated, the
honored and the despised. There they
mingle their dust, the atoms jostling each
other as they hasten to enter into new forms
of matter; while God and the angels only
c:.n distinguish their SOULS
1t is meet and fitting that at the grave,
the entrance to eternity, we should forget
the evils men have done and remember only
their virtues. When we consider for a
moment how brief lives at best must be,
those who have fallen even as the flower
| I"deth ana :iasseth and VIII" are now
waiting to welcome those who mourn, when
such intervals of reflection come to us we
| recognize our weak ness, our human frailties
and our utter dependence upon a supreme
being "who moveth when and where and
how He pleaseth."
Bravery and ratriotism are distinguishing
characteristics of the American people;
| Liberty and Justice" their watchwords.
With these traits of character goes "Rey.
erence" hand-in-hand. We mourn our dead
We cherish their ry. What signifies
it to those we mourn that we bestrew their
tombstones with garlands? We get our
national greatness from our individual no.
bility character. Reverence essen.
tial Part of noble character. Therefore,
by manifest;ng our reverence for our dead
we tend to onr national character
and to promote our nai ional greatness. |
But are these the cousiderat ch in. |
spire US with zeal in commemoratine the |
memory of those who have passed from the
stage of action into the silence of eternal
sleep? Those whom death has not visited |
with whom he has noe left his blight may
find some reason here for uItiS rsal oh. |
servance of u day for such reverence.
Those with whom tbs, memory of loved ones
Is fading in'n an indistlnct be
recalled from time to time in dim foroetfnl.
ness eau fad in Our commemoration of their
n mild and sweet sentiment which
might be likencd to the ~: ~ distant
music, or the passing of IL summer zephyre.
hut to such as mourn for recent loss, how
precious the hours given to the affections?
Nat |
have naught to do with the unsullie,l tide
of affections which fill the hearts and make
willing their hands to do what they can to
manifest their love and atfectonate remem.
brance for those who have gone.
In living IN memory few hours once +
each year with those whom we have lost ,
we are insensibly drawn more closely to ,
those around us. The bonds of brotherhood 6
Ire more closely drawn. The sanctity of :
5he home more firm!> established. Whilst {
We are decorating the graves of soldiers, !;
citizens, friends and families the Igaments
'f society are being more closely interviewer !;
md TINS, for the time, personal aninosties
disappear and the occasional forgetfulness of | 6
he wrongs we suffer gradually lead to u
he observance "f the divine commands g.,
forgive your enemies j
At o'clock p m. Monday, the procession
ormed on Second street near Adams and
'roceedeed to Crystal Lake cemetery where
he memorial services for 90 were con-
lucted. The Cadet band at the head of the
tudents of the O. A. G. were in the van
nd following the students came the G. a. =
{. and Nomens Corps, then came
he public school by grades and the process.
ion followed by citizens in conveyances of D
which there were in all about fifty besides
orsemen. The procession proceeded over
he county bridge and by the public road, .,
'hile citizens afoot went by way of the foot .
ridge over Marys river and the pleasant =
oot-paths usually travelled. AT 2:3O D. m. n
bout one thousand persons had assembled ?,
t the cemetery and decorations were placed " "
y the college students on the graves of the ="
.te President Arnold and ex-senator II
'authorn after which the G. A. Il. and the
ublic school children decorated tho graves -"
soldiers who were in the late war. v;
The programme consisted of prayer by a.
he corps chaplain, music by the Cadet band ii
nd college choir, and also by the public y
chool children after which Rev. E. j. !
thompson d. D. delivered short address.
Ibout two hours were consumed in going
ecorating and returning.