Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-29
MEMORIAL SERMON.
REV. DR.. A. BRIKER DELIVERS Tbs ANNUAL
DISCOURSE TO TIE G. Ar
The Congregation Tests the Capacity Of the
Edifcs-Synopsis Of the Thoughtful and
Elcqaeni Address.

kew. Ut. "A. D. Alhcls P0oeoA " 49,
Fourth Street NJ. E. Church, last night
preached the annual memorial sermon
to the comrades Of the Grand Army
Posts and members OF kindred organiza-
tions. The two hundred seats reserved
for them were all occupied. The edifce
was crowded. Every seat was TAKEN
chairs were placed in the aisles' and
many were compelled TO stand during
the services, In the rear OF the ehurch'
shortly after seven o'clock the CON-
rades Of Stephens and Holiday Posts,
and several eomradeSof Hancock Post,
of Benwood, L. 5. Grant Camp, Sons OF
Veterans. the Veteran Legion, and
diners. assembled at G.. a. L, Hall, on
Main street, and marched Ia oody 70
the church, taking the seats reserved
for them. Tho music was feature OF
the services. Before delivering his SER
man. DR.. Riker asked the choir TO sing
the BATTLE Hymn Of the Republic.
Mrs. Frank Stanton sang the solo part
in an excellent manner, and the entire
congregation Joined in the chorus.
DR.. Rfker greeted the comrades or the
G. A. r., and stated that he accepted
the Invitation 10 preach memorial SER
mon commemorative of the comrades
who fell upon the battle field, with a
deep sense Of his inability TO do justice
10 the great task. He felt that no man
could ftly portray the grandeur Of the
work represented by the q. A. r. lie
thought God had something 70 do with
the civil war, and with all the wars In
history. HIS text was chosen from Mat
thew Path CHI, 9th v, aud Revelations
18TH ch. 11th v.
THE SERMON.
The TWO portions OF the Divine Word
read by DR.. Riker. Indicated, he said,
that God eKerts his Divine power AID
Divine leadership in shaping the deSti-
MES of humanity. We are here to-
night 10 think of the more than i've
hundred thousand Union soldiers who
died as q result OF either q death blow
in battle, or from exposure after re-
turning home. Thousands OF that num-
Der rest in the National Cemeteries.
One hundred and sixty-fOur thousand
are lying ia graves marked by head
stones inscribed with the single word
unknown"
Ii cannot be forgotten that any words
of praise spoken OF the fallen soldiers
OF the Republic, are applicable as well
TO the survivors. These ran the same
risk as the others These withstoOd
the battle, aud came out safe. The
others fell. AS we gather tonight
strange memories come through our
minds. These old soldiers remember
the war from a different standpoint
from us, who from yOuthlulnesS or
other causes, remained at the rear. The
survivors are thinking tonight Of scenes
OF carnage. 1 apDrehepd they are
thinking Of the awful struggles, with
the dead lying about them, and streams
of heroic blood flowing from their
wounds; OF the night after the battle,
when the roll was called, and comrades
answered not; OF the Southern prison
places, AndersOnville, Libby. Others
remember how il was in the rear, that
We eagerly seized the newspapers after
the battle, and read the names OF the
wounded and dead, aud how, ever and
anon, a wall OF anguish was beard,
as the evidences came Of a true heart
which mother sacrificed &c save the
country.
The result OF the great war Of the Re-
bellion was
WORTH ALL 1T COST.
The cause was the cause OF God in the
world. Gods cause is always the cause
OF humanity. Never has 1t been better
expressed than 10 the opening words OF
our Declaration OF Independence-"We
hold these truths TO be Self-evident:
that all men are created equal; that they
are endowed by their Creator with GER
tain inaliensble rights; thatamOng these
are life, liberty and the pursuit OF hap
pipess." That doctrine was emphasized
on Calvary, when Christ died that ne
might uplft the standard OF the broth
erhoOd OF man. 10 was emphasized by
every war waged in the years gone by.
I cannot think of a decisive battle In
the history OF the world that has not
somehow contributed 20 the great cause
Of God to man, with respect to the
rights OF man.
The position Of the South before the
war. was extremely illogical, with re-
ference to the Divine purpose. The
South held two views which were
State rights, That was not Gods
thought. II anything sis clear in the
perspective OF history, it is that God
had a hand in the formation Of this gov
eminent. He decreed that the thoughts
and ideas OF all the nations OF the old
world. were TO be crystallized into the
highest civilization Of the world, In
America. So il was wrong to say that
that compact could be broken.
The second question was that OF
HUMAN SLAVERY
the doctrine that one man could own
the body Of another, and control his
will. God says no. l am aware that
there Is no legislation in the Bible to
this effect. Jesus Christ did not legis-
late. or speak the words that laid the
foundation for legislation against slav-
erv. but while on earth He practiced
principles opposed to that monstrous
doctrine.
These two doctrines differed in them
selves, but they came TO be intertwined
in the South. It became an irrepreSSi-
BILE conflict, which would not be Quelled.
Legislation checked the inevitable con-
fict only temporarily. Then the South
seeded. The boys In blue went down
10 invite her back. They invited her
with the thunder Of musketry, and az
ter FIVE years OF awful earnege, she
came back over the graves OF her hopes
aud ambitions, over the graves OF
heretical doctrines, buried so deep that
they will never have q resurrection.
If the issue Of the war has been the
other way, this Commonwealth would