The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-05-28
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.
Special Services at Peaks Island and
Free Street Church.

sermons by Rev. FRANK smith and L. S.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Post Takes Pleas
ant Excursion Down the Island
Thatcher Post at Free St. Church
Yesterday was better day for Memorial
Sunday than the morning promised. The
wind, which gradually worked around to
the northwest, kept the clouds from ma king
the forenoon too dull, and finally afforded
sunshine.
Bosworth Post and Rosworth Relief Corps
had been invited to attend at the Methodist
church at Peaks Island Rev. Frank Smith,
pastor. About 9 O'Clock the members of the
Post to the number of about 140 gathered at
the hail. and led by Commander L. H.
Tobie, marched to the boat There they
were joined by about dozen members of
the Relief Corps. The Whole party took the
Emita and arriving at the island, marched
directly to the church.
The arrangements at the island had been
In charge of Messrs. John Dimmock and G.
L. Bracket, of the Post. They, with the CO.
operation of members of the church, had
decorated the church very prettily with
evergreen, flowers and banners. Stacked
arms, drums, bugles and other paraphernalia
of war were arranged around the pulpit
Five memorial wreaths were hung on the
wall by friends of W. a Mcintosh, Co. G.,
18th Infantry; Charles H. Libby, Co. B, LIST
Infantry; Andrew Fisher, Co. M, LIST
Cavalry; Wesley Scott, Co. G, LIST Cavalry;
John G. Libby, Co. I, 18th Infantry.
The preachers text was from the Goth
verse of the 18th chapter of Exodus: "What
mean We by this service He began by
saying that there is sadness and gladness
about this service. A sadness at the thought
of those who fell in the conflict; gladness
as we think of the glory and strength of the
nation. Today the stars and stripes wave
over nation free from human slavery; and
we hope soon that the white banner of total
abstinence will also wave over the whole
country. Here, fellow citizens, is new
banner under which we can enlist for an
other great conflict.
The old time memorial services all had
meaning, typical of some great truth of his
tory or of life. The Jewish memorial days
commemorated the Passover, the Penticost
for completion of the harvest, the feast of
Tabernacles at the gathering in OF the
fruit.
With us the 30th day of May commence
rates the freeing of the slaves. Fast day
was once a day of solemn religious service
but with us, Notwithstanding the Governor S
proc lamation, it has because day of base
ball, horse races, etc. 1t is to be regretted
that the old observance of the day, and in
some states the day itself is disappearing.
The preacher recalled some OF the scenes
of his youth in war times. He was lad and
his widowed mothers tears kept him at
home. He remem bered one day in the sad
dest portion of the war the Congregational
minister in the little village-a man, beyond
the age for military service-was coming
down the street singing loudly: 'We are
Coming, Father Abraham Three Hundred
Thousand More.'' An Irish girl who worked
in his mothers house, and whose lover had
gone to the war, heard the minister coming,
and impulsively sei7ing her broom, rushed
out, brandished it in her face, and stopped
his song with an impromptu grafton as fol-
lows: 1T isn't the likes of We that be for
goin' down to hip quench the great re-
bellion; it's asy fur We to be a singing that,
whin ithers do the fighting
The preacher spoke of the good work the
Woman's Relief Corps is doing and will con-
tinue to do, adding: while we have many
a battle to fight over the woman question,
l find that woman in coming to the front,
and if she is not yet on the throne she is
behind it.n
He recalled in conclusion, the sacrifice of
Sergeant Plunkett, who c1asped the banner
of his Massachusetts regiment when a can
non ball had taken off both his arms. The
blood stained flag hangs today in the State
House at Boston, touching memorial of
the devotion of the Union soldier.
The services closed with the singing of
my Country, IT'S of Thee,'' by the congre-
cation.
When the Post returned on the boat the
sunshine had come over the harbor, and the
sail was very pleasant.
Thatcher Post Services at Free Street
Baptist Church.
The Sunday services of Thatcher Post
at Free street Baptist church last even
ing were slargely attended. On the
platform were stacks of guns and bust
of Abraham Lincoln, draped with the
flag. Above were flags. The order of
exercises was as follows:
Organ Prelude
Singing of Hymn.
Responsive Reading of Psalm 147.
Gloria Patri.
Reading of Scripture.
Singing of Hymn.
Prayer.
Singing of a Hymn.
A sermon by the pastor, Rev. Mr.. Sam
son, followed, of which the following
is an abstract:
BLESSED is the nation whose God is
the Lord" Psalm 1912.
A nation is composed of individuals.
Society has no religious nature except
that of the individuals who compose it.
God is the God of nation as He is the
God of the individuals who compose the
nation. In every community of men
| majorities rule. Therefore If majority
of the people of a nation ackE owledge
| God He becomes the God of the nation.
| At the same time minority of those
| who acknowledge the authority of God
may override a majority which does
not. Truth is mightier than error virtue
| than vice, religion than religion. Ten
righteous men would have saved Sodom :;
not physically, but morally.
| In what respect will nation which ac-
| knowledges the authority of God be
| blessed? 1t will be. free. What is that?
A child would answer, ITO do as we
please" The child peases to play with
| edged tools. He soon finds that he is
not free to do so. A man would answer.
"To do as we please" He pleases to APP
| IN 10 l.; ~, q