The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-03-03
''VALOR OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS"
Lecture by Rev. W. j. BermiDgham, pa stor
of EIkton Catholic Church, at ODD Eel
lows Hall, EIkton, Md, Thursday
Evening, February 22d, 1894,

From the very cradle of the human
race, the career of arms has ever
exerted powerful fascination. The
clash of spears, the war cries OF
charging hosts, the cheer of victory,
the wall of defeat, have all been borne
down the vale of Time. but to find
their exact counterpart in this, our
modern world.
Each age, each nation has had its
men of mighty deeds, and around
them poets have woven clustering
gems O! words, the brilliant settings
OF priceless jewels. They died yet
are undying, moulded into dust yet
are immortal. Fame may have
stunned them while living, but it
comes and nestles on their graves,
and sings their praises, until genera
tons then unborn catch up and
repeat the melody. Thus the pres
ent S is al the knee OF the past,
listens to songs of deathlesS deeds
till lethargy is swept away and heroic
resolve sits majestic in the halls OF
memory. Thus hero worship is per
petuated, and innate love Of native
land is transformed from a passive
to an active principle. Thus one
great battle, one daring feat forms a
theme for the lay that will not die,
the canvas that will not rot, tn
statute that will withstand the gnaw-
ings of the tooth of time.
Worth makes the man, and undv
ing laurels rest as fttingly on the
forehe ID OF the shepherd David, as
on that of the anointed Saul, while
Wallace has a niche in Fame's
Pantheon as lofty as kingly Bruce
himself.
We are naturally inclined to ad
mire the sky-capped tower without
giving a thought to those whose
hands raised the mighty pile, to
recall the leader, and forget the
humber ones whose weapons carved
his way to greatness. We should
remember, that the obscure spring
not rarely slakes the thirst OF empires,
that one brilliant achievement may
found dynasties, and strike letters
from the limbs of captive peoples.
The wizard of Melrose paints the
feats of Richard of the Lion Heart,
and England's heroric monarch be
comes the embodiment of high-borr
chivalry, not tor an age alone but
forever. The East thus honors hel
Saladin, the West an array of illus
trious ones whose prowess embalmec
in song has become the worlds he'll
loom. Thus France points proudly
to Turenne, England TO a Richarc
and an Edward, Germany to ;
galaxy of glorious sons whom he
splendid literature will cause to liv,
forever. Thus, to-, Tyrolese maiden
| weave chaplets for the narrow bed
OF a Tell and Hotter, whose gallan
example is as enduring as The snoy
crowned mountains within who's
shadows their cradles were rocked
Who forgets the tartan clad legion
of far off Iona, the potent columns {
the Black Prince, the matchless pix
men of Yellow Ford. What schoc
boy is ignorant Of Platea, Therm
opyla, Austerlitz, and Fonteroy
And what singer has not kissed i
imagination the sacred sod Of Bar
nockburn, the blood-soaked re
doubts of Limerick. The portrait
of even Robin Hood, Friar Tuck an
Little John grow brighter with year
because they are the embodiment
a wild species of chivalry that foun
freedom among the smiling glad
and giant oaks of Sherwood torres
Childish love not infrequently fin,
an echo in the breasts of grown |
men, inasmuch as it reveals seer
fountains that unconsciously bubb
up and sparkle when Liberty
Liberty's champions form the them