Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-06-02
OUR NATIONS DEAD.
Memorial Day Observance In Audubon
Union Memorial Service Last Sunday,

On last Sunday morning the Metho
dist church in Audubon was packed t
its utmost capacity to hear Rev. Ilgen
fritz preach the memorial sermon. AL
the churches united in the service.
Rev. Nj. Nichols, of Sundance, Wyo.
announced the opening hymn, Rev
Dickinson, of the Presbyterian church
offered prayer and Rev. Parsons of the
Baptist church read the scripture les
son. The choir had made special prep.
aration for the occasion and rendered
beautifully several choice selections ap.
propriate for the day.
After the opening exercises Rev. T..
+, llgenfritz, pastor of the Methodist
church preached from this text. "What
mean We by this serviceg" "This day
shall be unto you for n memorial"
The preacher developed upon the
thought of Gods purpose In instituting
memorial days for the perpetuating of
great events in the history of the world
So Nations have caught the inspiration
and have erected monuments and insti.
tuted memorial days to commemorate
great events In the history of the Ma.
ton. Our children will inquire of us
today and tomorrow rs to the signili-
canoe of these memorial services. The
main purpose is that of instruction and
reminder. These services have come to
possess vital Significance which enlarg-
es with each year. They call for Nation.
al sorrow and National rejoicing. These
memorial days are crises In human gov
eminent.
The Grand Army by their valor, un.
der the guidance Of Divine Providence
saved our National life and perpetu-
ated the principles upon which our lib.
critics are founded, would that there
might be inscribed upon the white
stripes of our flag this motto: Gods
Providence is our Inheritance"
The genius Of American liberty was
born In the spirit of the christian re.
ligion. II has taken sixty centuries to
develop our form of government. II
was left for tbs nineteenth century TO
bring freedom to the slaves of Russia
and America. Slavery was the great
black line across our National spectrum.
The speaker then paid glowing tribute
to the manhood and bravery of the
American army, but said that without
the principles for which they fought
they would never have been successful.
No dreams of material conquest or per.
sonal ambition could have been tho In
spiration of the men who followed
Grant and Sherman. The greatest hon.
or we can pay to those who fought, is
to properly maintain that which cost
them 80 much to sustain.
lie gave beautiful word picture of
thoughts suggested while visiting the
cemetery on the battle field of Gettys-
burgh, and looking over thousands of
marble slabs marked unknown and
closed by reading the following poem
by y. ii. Bristow, In memory of
THE UNKNOWN.
There are little mounds on Southern soil
Whose graves they are, God only knows.
They shelter those who midst lie toll
Met death rs brave men meet their foes
They are sometimes found by the cypress tree,
Where a brave boy rests meath the mound alone
They are marked, but o, what pity to see
On the poor pine slab the word "Unknown."
They are sometimes found IN the open field,
No shade, no grass, but Just n moundi
And we ask ourselves "when the grave shall yield
Its dead, will the unknown boys be found2"
There are mounds on mounds, In silent rows,
In silent cities messy grown;
Meath the dropping trees, where the soft wind
blows,
Which cover the dust OF the dear "Unknown. +"
q, the mothers tears which were shed In vain
The wife's fond prayer not answered yeti
The fathers footsteps down the lane,
Waiting for him he could not forget.
o, the sisters hearts which are bleeding still!
The child's sweet words "Will papa come homer"
But through II all, "If II be Thy will,"
Let them rest on In the graves "unknown."
In the beautiful sometime, over there,
The answer shall come TO unanswe red prayer,
In the city above, for God knows best.
Memorial Day was duly observed ut
Audubon. The ceremonies Of the day
were under the auspices of Allison Post
&. A. r., assisted by the WOman's Re.
lief Corps and Sons of Veterans. The
morning dawned bright and calm, all
nature seeming to bow in silent rever-
ence on this sacred day. The work of
decorating the homes and business
places with the national colors was soon
begun and from house top, lawn and
store could soon be seen the red, white
and blue, arousing the patriotism of
our people, and when salute was fired
by the Post cannon In the Park even
the winds of the morning that so silent.
ly had been lowering around awoke to-
carry the lannon's roar to the green hill
tops, there to echo and reverberate, call.
ing the busy hand OF toll to scatter
hf'6h' '"pin gnu B"ih'huo iall oNtl
the graves Of our nations dead. At o
o'clock detail of members Of Allis on
Post in carriages proceeded to Luc-
cocks Grove Cemetery where at lO
O'Clock services were held and the
graves of three soldiers, Jas. Miller,
b. +. Miller and A. NJ. Baldridge
were appropriately decorated.
At 1:30 p. m. members of Allison Post
and Woman's Relief Corps, assembled
at headquarters and were escorted to
the Methodist church where memorial
services were held. The new large
church was soon packed full while not
one half could gain admission.
Commander III. L. Andrews called
order and announced prayer by the
chaplain of the day, Rev. M. Nichols
and such prayer many said they had
navar hard. avae ,uara m altad IN taaro