The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-28
VETERANS At SERVICE
Sermon in Commemoration Of
Decoration Day.
A PATRIOTIC DISCOURSE |
of the Grand Army of the Re
public and Its kindred Organizations
Partake of Feast of Patriotic Sentiment
and wholesome Advice.

It is the custom Of the Grand Army of
the Republic to have sermons commemora-
tive of Decoration Day preached in the
churches of all the towns and cities in the
United States on the Sunday preceding
that day, and in accordance with this
custom the members of Watkin Waters
Post, No. 146, G. A. r., Henry Horncastle
Camp No. 40, Sons of Veterans, and the
Women's Relief Corps and Ladies' Aid
Society connected with the respective or
ganizations assembled in the Presbyterian
church, corner of White and Oak Streets
last evening and listened to a sermon by
Rev. Z. NJ. Morrison.
The pretty ediflce was filled by a large
and attentive audience, the front seats
being occupied by the societies, members
of the congregation and visitors occupy
ing the other seats. The wall of the pull
pit was decorated with a large American
flag, the post colors and guidons, making
very pretty combination. The discourse
was an exceedingly interesting one and
abOunded in patriotic sentiment.
Rev. Morrison preceded his discourse
with few formal remarks to the mem
bers of the organizations presentln which
he said that in the name of the First Pres
them welcome. He added that when the
committee of the G. A. r. asked him to
preach last evening he hesitated, but had
they asked him to deliver an Grafton he
would undoubtedly have refused. He
would have felt himself unable to take
up such a task and do justice to it, But
they asked him to preach patriotic SER
mon and he believed he could do that-in
some way at least, for the Master-Jesus
of Nazareth-has furnished IA gospel of
! patriotism. Rev. Morrison continued 81
can tell you what He says on the subject
| of our duty to our country and | shall try
| to tell it to you in plain way. When
| turned to the Bible to look for a passage
| that would seem suitable turned to this :
Other men labored and ye are entered
into their labors. ,"
The text was taken from St. John 8,
| last clause of the 3Sth verse. Rev. Nor
rison said these words must have been
very impressive when spoken by the
Master. He had been journeying across
the country of Samaria and came to
the city of Sychar. He sat down at
Jacobs we'll and while his disciples had
gone away to buy bread woman came
out to draw water. Jesus entered into con-
versation with her and revealed Himself
as the Messiah Then his disciples re-
turned and the woman withdrew After
a while she was seen coming out again
followed by a host of men. She told
He was sitting at the we'll Jesus was in
conversation with his disciples and seeing
the host coming He changed the sub
iect and said, Say not ye there are
yet four months and then cOmeth harvestY
Behold, | say unto you lift up your eyes,
and look on the fields; for they are white
already to harvest. And herein is that
saying true, one soweth and another
reapeth. / sent you to reap that whereon
We bestowed no labor: other men labored,
and ye entered into their labors."
Following the line of the text Rev.
Morrison said 1t is not infrequently the
case that one man may plant tree and
stands alone in this world, so no age of
generation stands alone; the succeeding
ages and generations reap the fruits.
Every age is dependent more or less on
the age that has preceded it and it was to
this that Christ referred when he said
"Other men have labored, and ye are en-
tered into their labors" One of the bless
ings which we have received from our
fathers is a form of government, which,
if followed will make more perfect our
nation, establish justice, insure domestic
trauuility, provide for common defense
promote general welfare and secure the
blessings of liberty to every inhabitant of
the land.
Rev. Morrison referred briefly to the
many occasions upon which our fore
fathers had to defend the government
and the principles upon which it is
founded. And in speaking of the re-
bellion he said the southern forces were
the very strongest because they fought
for what they considered was principle.
Had not the principle been the thought
and inspiration that drove them on they
would have been suppressed long before
they were.
The pastor urged upon the congregation
that the people of the nation are duty
bound to keep bright and green the
memory of those who fought and died for
them. AS David gathered together and
and handed down to Solomon the material
with which to build the temple, SO the
people inherited from their foretathers
the material which TO build this vast tenn
pie unto God. They have given 1t TO us
and il is ours to carry out and to work out
| the character of the nation. Ihls
| depends largely upon the character OF the
| families that 90 to make up that nation,
| 1t was the families and not the indiyid-
uals that bequeathed the traits of
character. In both the revolutionary war
and the war Of the rebellion the majority
of those who first enlisted were the yOung
men and those free from family ties,
but it was the husbands who went in and
staded disaster and perched victory upon
our banners, The philosophy is that the
husbands felt more keeIly their RESPONSE
bility. They were lighting for home In
the deepest sense
AS heirs TO that which their forefathers
have labored the American people must
at all times defend and care for the
I'country which has been handed down to
them In pursuance of this they should
try to assimilate the immigrants con
stantly pouring into the country. To
have separate colonies throughout the
country is to permit danger in their
midst. Every American should stand out
a ha inc M ont m L.
and try to Americanize them and work
upon them TO learn the language of the
land And every American citizen ought