The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-03
@. "A. r. CHAPLAINS.


| Symposium on Memorial Day and Sunday
Preceding.
address all communications for this column to
Editor Chaplains Department, THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE
The Kansas Department Chaplain presents
Us the following suggestions:
| One effective way we have found by actual
experience in the last year is where rural
| church is found to go and see the pastor or
priest and lay the matter before him and his
| people, especially the young, and invite them
| to hold Memorial service from $50 to IL a. ne,
arranging their own decorations, addresses,
| prayers, patriotic hymns, songs, etc., and out
side of these congregations In every rural
school district invite the teacher and patrons to
hold in their school-house a service at this same
hour, consisting of National hymns, prayers,
| and addresses, and especially patriotic dccla-
nations, recitations, and songs by the children
and young people, having previously decorated
the house, and if there graves to deco
rate, then cenotaph or rude cross can be erect
ed to hold wreaths and bouquets offered in
memory of "our unknown dead" or sour Ma
tons dead
Empress upon each teacher the fact that
the Government made this legal holiday for
the express purpose of having them teach
patriotism, and they will certainly devote two
hours to service for which the whole day is
given them. If possible, have one or more
courage the children and bring all to the after
noon public services.
A LETTER FROM MISSOURI
If in all incorporated city try and get the
day set apart for the purpose; elsewhere get
School Boards to dismiss schools, promising
each scholar flowers with which to adorn the
graves of the dead. Let churches announce
and encourage the attendance. Let some
youthful person, male or female, be selected to
deliver proper selections declarations, or read
ings. Have some singing by young people or
children Secure one or more lively but patri-
otto speakers TO make short but pointed ad-
dresses suitable to the occasion. Have some
vocal and instrumental music, if possible. Let
it be proclaimed that this Memorial commence
ration keeps green in memory the virtues of
one of the most important armies in the
worlds history, and that the object is to main
taiH peace through all the future by the prac-
Nice of loyalty to properly constituted author
ity. Let it be proclaim med, as the highest honor,
to be thus engaged in embalming the memory
of the worlds benefactors and proud Nations
honored dead through all coming time.-T II.
HAGERTY, ex-Department Chaplain of Mis-
souri,, st. Louis, Mo-
CHAPLAIN HELMs's LETTER.
Chaplain Helms has just met with sad
bereavement in the loss of his daughter, an
only child a great sorrow indeed, and all our
hearts will be touched in sympathy with him.
Yet, laying aSlue Ills 8Tleip lie WrlIeS Us WIN b
courageous heart as follows:
How can the rosebud be made more sweet,
its charms more attractive, its fragrance per-
fume more space? Only one way-develop it,
let it expand into greater perfection. 1t has
the elements in itself of all that God intended
for the sweetest, richest beauty he ever made
without soul.F
These two days are peculiar plants, set out
by loving hands of the Grand Army of the Re-
public.
They were sown into the track where army wagons
went;
They grew in the space where stood the soldiers
tent.
Without meaning it, we sometimes found
regarding these days az opportunity to at
tract attention to our uniforms, badges num-
bers and martial display. The orator attempts
eloquence of words, pathos of sentiment. We
enter the sacred precincts OF Gods sanctuary
to hear something fine, 1owcry, rapturous.
Pleasant, indeed, but missing the mark. We
form our lines gather our flowers, make our
procession more for numbers, effect, than for
expression of our deep, unchanging esteem, our
perpetual memory of deeds, sacrifices, heroism
and suffering. Too often, by some, it degen-
crates into lowest forms of dissipation, and few
can give contempt to all the noble expressions
the days intended.
Can anything match the opportunity? Can
any other equal the things originally intended?
These days memorabilia our motto as much as
exhaustless fountain of perfume is bottled up
in our word Fraternity. To how many it is
the "Alabaster box of very precious ointment"
poured forth at the sad days of our wearyng
travail and loneliness.
Open this sacred box on these days. Let its
perfume fill the sanctuary no our Memorial
Sunday, and hush the repnings of lives bereft
and lonely here as we'll as vanish on the rest
less air of our cemeteries. Our dead need not
this sentiment; our living demand it; our Or
der displays it in the hand-shake the familiar
greeting 1t is day to crystalline our feelings
toward one another. Our charity puts pail
cloth over faults and foibles of our departed
comrades, and closes down, like casket, the
lips that would speak of their misdeeds.
We are to remind the rising generation of
what beauty came out of sacrifice.
We are not even DESTROYS of wasting the
hours in claiming the wrongs of our enemies,
Our Fraternity is cement made out of mix
ture Of the blending charity and brotherly
kindness.
Let the two days be wholly devoted to i'm
pressions, as best we may, by crutch and empty
sleeve and enfeebled steps, yea, and diminish
ing ranks (but imposingly recruited by Sons of
Veterans. Woman's Relief Corps, citizens, and
childrens children), how much we prize the
Penuel of our liberties and how much we ven
crate the memory of self-sacrifcing heroism
that bequeathed to us the Loyalty that saved
our Nation and set it as the beacon-star in the
galaxy of our noble Order.
Secession has lasting monument In An
Jacksonville, the Revolution has an undying
memorial in July Fourth, of Independence de-
clared. "The Father of his Country" has his
memorial in Feb. 90. Days are better than
marble; deeds better than monuments. Let
the G. R. have living, growing memorial,
built Of God-ordained and imperishable ada
mant.
1t can be increased every year at its base; its
hight can be augmented; its strength solidifed,
as we lay it in Loyalty, build of Fraternity,
and cement 1t with Charity.
They are destined to be the historic monu-
ments of war for liberty and an increasing
love for the flag, and perpetuate to all ages our
land of the free and home for the brave.
Let all our proceedings on these days be dig
niiied, cheerful expressions of our high pur-
poses.-W. RILEY HELMS, Past Department
Chaplain, New York.