Connecticut western news., 1893-06-08
MEMORIAL SERMON.
A Discourse on Memorial Sunday, May
 2S, '93.

lem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
 This sentiment of the Israelite lose none of it's force because it is com mingling of patriotism and religion Jerusalem was at once his capitol anC his temple. Remem brance is an ele ment common to the love of friends, tn, love of country and the love of God Our coming together today, in respons, to the request of the Grand Army, is fo the business of remem brance. remem brance of things that the world should not willingly let die.
 Perchance our minds will naturall, recnr, first of all, to the historic basi of the great thoughts and scenes tha | rise before our memo ories on this occas l ion. l cannot speak to you with tht | eloquence of one who wears the empty sleeve or of him who led the charge nl bristling hills, for the reason that I wa. ten years younger than the younges age of recruit when the war broke out I speak only of the home-side of tho war, of the way it all looked to a boy through those four years of fire an6 blood, from sixty-one to sixty-five. recall the words whispered to awe-strucl | groups on street, !, store. by fireside words whose meaning I did not know | "South Carolina has secededp' A few | days later, on return from school, l saw for the first that little squad, marshalleG | by fife and drum, following the flag and the recruiting sergeant. the re | sponse to the call for seventy-fve thou sand men. A few days more and tho | tent was erected on the parade, within | which men signed the roll, and came out no longer their own masters. bu servants of the state, liveried with hel | uniform of blue. Patriotism blazed il | all the schools, we showed our colors or | our breasts, for every child wore the so called "rosettes" of ribbons, red, whit, and blue. What songs we sang; "Tht | White and Blue" and "Columb bia tht Gem of the Ocean" rang with new meaning and enthusiasm. Military drill and boys companies were formed in all our schools, my own compan, | adopting the dress of the Continenta army of Washington. The city soor | took on the appearance of war life 'here were restrictions enforced at For | Trumbull, there were war vessels seer | in New London harbor, there were sol diers seen in platoons upon the high way. Then began for me the rapture "f military music, that makes the bras hand to this day bring a lump to th' throat and singing in the ears. Twice a week the infantry and artillery band. alternated in public music, and iron out that mystic circle of the coiled bras and snare drums came forth the quick steps, the marches and the charges, tha made the heart of boy beat with ex citement and his nerves become thread | of fire. It was day of fate when tn, nine months men went away, the sta tion blocked by mothers, sisters, wive and citizens, the air ringing with cheers the cheers made husky with tears, tn, sunlight obscured by waving hats ant handkerchiefs, the train windows ob liberated by the scores of soldiers caps l remember we'll the impression mad, by the shipment of horses also rendez voused at that old port, and sent by tn, ship load to the far South Then cam, the day when the officer, Lient Strick land, was brought home for burial wrapped Tn the old flag, escorted to tn, cemetery by the fort garrison, wltl drums muffled by the handkerchief be heath the snares, and the band playing the hymn familiar to us in this sauctua l " as "How firm foundation" I car see, too, that soldier whom I used tt watch at recess time, slowly pacing hi | garden, with dropping form, and arn confined in sling. making stubbori and successful fight for life, the major who had lain three days on the field O Antietam. Twice the great cophic >ent out waves that seemed to breal upon our shores, and we felt for @ sea son the jingle of wars alarms Ono was when the rumor of the "Merrimhc reached us, and it was said that a m on ster of iron plates, impervious to all tn guns of the fort, was meditating a des cent upon New England ports, to bonn bard the town, and shell the ouLlYin, districts Neighbors packed their good for flight, but hardly was the rumo born, when 1t was overtaken by the an swering report of the Monitor. Agai there was consternation when 1t wa thought that the riots in New Tor would produce pillage and outbreak i New London. I was walked one nigh in order to obtain my boys pistol, a insignificant weapon, but it was though to be useful in helping arm the patro How men besieged the bulletin board those days! There were afternoon ed tions and "Extras" common to all ps pers recall even how the Sabbat was occasionally invaded by the shri cries of the newsboys, and how one, wh was strict Sabbatariap, bought an had me read the wild news that Ina come from the South that quiet da, | n Indn Co la, 4l,r brought the news of double victory. tn turn of the tide at Gettysburgh and th entrance of the Union army into Vick burg. On one occasion the ministe said in the course of the service, "I may assist your devotions to learn thf news has just been brought of the ca, ture of the arch traitor, J. ffarson Davisl : There were days of growing confdene in Grant, and days of enthusiasm ovt the march to the sea, and days of silenc and funeral bells that told us of tl 1. death of our Nations Greatheart. Late still were the days of return, "whe Johnnie came marching home agaii hurrah! hurrah" The long lines file out of the trains, marshalled on tI parade and marched up the main stree The old blue overcoats were all fade and dingy, the epaulets were bedraggle and the gold lace gone. the officer swords were dented and their trappine marred, but there was that about the proud carriage and glowing faces ths no uniform or military millinery coul ever have given. The regiment marche mp to the court house, but not, nt the six hundred"
 We had them hnme again with u
 mothers clasped their sons, and wiv, walked proudly by the side of worn all wasted forms. They were the hero
 of the shop, the store, the office, as the told again the tales of the Wilderne
 and Of marching through Georgi
 They were feasted and asked for
 guests. The song of rest and relaxatlt
 was sung to them:
 ''Soldier, rest, thy warfare OCT,
 Sleep the sleep that knows not breakin
 Dream of battled fields no more,
 Days of danger, nights of waking.