The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-29


+. church, the pastor, Rev, DR., A, u.
Riker, preached to an immense congre'
cation, including Holiday and steph-
ems posts, G. A. r., U, S. Grant camp,
Sons OF Veterans, and the Womans'
Relief corps. The sermon was memoir
ial one, commemorative of the hall mill.
ion Union soldiers, who died from
wounds and disease that this nation
might be one and undivided, and was
delivered at the invitation OF tbs local
q. A. r. posts, The congregation was
80 large that chars had to be placed
along aisloe,
Before commencing the sermon DR..
Riker requeaIed the congregation to
ioin in the chorus OF Julia Ward Howe's
Battle Hymn OF the Republic" which
he said was appropriate TO the occasion
in itself, and was written by woman
whd was born and lived among scenes
nj the late war, Mrs. Frank Stanton
sang the hymn, and the large congrega-
ZION took up tho chorus, the volume OF
the latter filling tho church to Its ut
most,
Dr. Riker said that he had accepted
the invitation to deliver the memorial
sermon with feelings OF reluctancy and
nadequaCy. lletelt that no man could
portray the grandeur OF what the old
veterans represent, He believed that
God had
sONErHNd TO DO WITH THIS WAR,
as well as with many others before it,
lie took for his text Matthew 24-B:
And ye shall hear OF wars and rumours
OF wars; 500 that ye are not troubled,
for all these things must come to pass,
but tho end is not yet" Also, Reyela'
tons l0-ll,
I'VE are communicating the memory
OF tho 100000 Union soldiers who died
in the late war from the results OF
wounds on the field OF battle, or from
exposure after the struggle; Of these
3l6,30l rest in the national cemeteries,
while l4S,SG4 lilo in unknown graves.
We are here to remember these heroes,
and think OF their glorious deeds. We
must not, however, forget those who
survived 1t is but un accident that
those who survived and are present to-
night did not meet the same fate. They
took the same risks, but these VI TIL
stood the battle; the others telI. Use
VINO are here this evening remember
the war from different standpoints; the
old soldier went through the scenes OF
carnage, but
THE SONS OF VETERANS
by reason OF youthfulness remained
behind but their hearts beat in sym.
patty with those at the front
These old soldiers think tonight
OF the awful scenes OF carnage; think
oil the struggle, the dead lying around
thom, the streams Of flowing blood and
OF the night after tho battle when tho
dead comrades were gathered and
buried in the trenches; afterwards OF
the hospital, with the surgeons with
buckets OF water Redeemed with blood;
OF women on their errands OF mercy,
bearing messages for loved ones at tho
distant home, Some, perhaps, are
thinking OF experiences in the southern
prisons, Libby, Andersonville and
others where scenes were enacted that
We can scarcely think true, but were
fearful in their reality. Others who
remained at the rear remember OF read
ing tho news Of the battles in the
newspapers, and OF the wall that arose
anon for u father or brother at tho
front.
"The question arises whether the
loss OF half million OF lives aud mil
lions Of treasure sunk, has found re-
suit worthy Of Almighty God, These
men died worthily and VIC do well to
PERPETUATn THEIR MEMORY.
1.-The position Of tho south in the late
contest was illogical in two parts. First
the doctrine OF state rights, the idea OF
which was but loose compact OF states,
the bond OF which could ut aRy time be
severed: this was not Gods doctrine,
for nothing is clearer than that God
had hand in reformation OF this gov
eminent. II was illogicrl for any part
OF tho Union to breal, it up; not part
wrong, half wrong, but all wrong.
The other part OF the position OF tho
South that was illogical was Its advo-
caey ana upholdlng OF human slavery;
giving ono man the rIsht 70 own the
uouy oil another aoa sa'd thas oil
men mad the right 70 govern them
serves, ana Jesus Christ put IN praCtice
I We principle mat slavery ls impossible
me 'imc came Tor these principles to
pe asserted ana thank Gou he found
nerossto battles tor MS doctrines. THESE
Two doctrines came ITO DC lntertwlnedand
lhIerwoyeni the south was IN favor oil
ssate rights ana slavery ana tho North
tpoE a direct opposite wow Az trst
Sne issues were not sectional, Dut they
nhalIy became TO- Tho Missouri COM