People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-06-01
MEn0RIAL SERMON.
The Battles That Are Past and the Battles
That Are to Come"
BY REV. ARTHUR S. HENDERSON.

rum uuudu ulSUOTlS beginning
in the dimness Of the unknown past
through all the ages to this present
day there has been an irrepressible
conflict between Right and Wrong.
Every human being is involved In that
conflict with freedom to choose on
which side he will array himself.
Sometimes the conflict assumes one
form and sometimes another out be
the form what it will, it is the same
old fierce contest Of the ages in which
Wrong seeks the supremacy over
Right. At times Wrong has seemed
to triumph, but Right, being a divine
principle, cannot be defeated and so
has risen and asserted itself. Right
has its ground in the eternal nature
of things. Upon it Gods government
rests. Wrong is rebellion against the
government OF God. Hence. while
wrong exists there can be no ceasing
from conflict. The issue OF this age
long battle is not uncertain. Right
will ultimately triumph, but the
battle will not be soon or easily
gained, for while human nature Is
sinful and imperfect, wrong, though
conquered in one form, will stubborn.
ly assert itself in another, striving
for the mastery Of human hearts and
lives, and Of human society and gov.
ernment.
The time came in the course OF our
country's history when wrong as
sumed the form Of an unhOly rebell-
ion and our country was compelled to
pass through the horrors OF civil war.
Men In defense Of unjust principles
and unhOly institutions lifted their
hands against the nations life. To
crafty sectional pride and Selashness.
to preserve vested interests in human
flesh and perpetuate an institution
and order of things which bound a
race in the chains OF a bitter bondage.
they sought to dismember our coun.
try and erect new nation embody-
ing the principles Of Wrong in its
basis and superstructure.
War is always terrible and men
who love the right will not engage in
war save when the interests of hu-
manity are in peril and then only as
a last resort. but in that hour of
gloom and dark forebOdings, Wrong
forced the conflict and right was justi-
fled in striking with armed might
against the treason and disloyalty
which aimed by force to destroy the
nations honor and life. When the
news flashed through the land that
on American soil men had renounced
their citizenship and that on Fort
Sumpter's flagstaff treasOn's banner
had Supplanted the stars and stripes,
how every loyal pulse Quickened and
every loyal heart thrObbed. Then
came the call to arms and forth from
farms and factories, from workshops
and stores, from the halls Of learning
and from every occupation in which
men were engaged came a mighty
host of men, some of them the best
and bravest Of the land, and arrayed
themselves under the old flag to de-
fend the right if need be with their
lives. They left fathers and mothers,
brothers and sisters, wives and
children, or maidens sweet and fair
to whom their troth was plighted and
the sweets and joys of home life to
endure the hardships and privatiOns
OF the camp and face the horrors of
the bloody field to preserve their
country from the peril that assailed
her then. A grander army never
marched to martial music. On a
hundred dreadful fields mid hurtling
shells and bullets speeding on their
mission Of death, mid the mangled
dead and the groans of the dying, and
blood running like water, they fought
good fight for liberty and right.
They knew that right and Justice de-
manded the preservation OF the na.
tional unity and honor, and though
to do it took the r hearts blood, and
desolated their homes :and broke the
true hearts that loved them, they did
not hesitate to make the sacrifice.
And what was the result? After four
years Of internal war such as would
have shaken the foundations OF any
ether government under heaven vic
tory crowned the national arms.
The volunteer soldiers who donned
the livery Of war and went forth to
battle, not from love of war, neither
as the hireling soldier goes, but only
TO preserve their cOuntry's free insti-
tutiOns and defend what they held
dear, had indeed fought a good fight.
But In fighting it thousands in the
very strength Of their manhood were
overcome by the rigors of the march
or camp, or fell where steel crossed
steel and bullet and shell found their
victims. We are hidden in Holy
Writ to render honor to whom honor
is due" These deserve our honor. II
our cOuntry's cause had been a wrong
cause and men had died for her, de-
Tending that wrong cause they would
not deserve our honor, for no true
mans arm should be lifted in a wrong
cause, but in this case the cause was
just and nObly champiOned and those
who fell certainly should be he'd in
honor by grateful people. We
should not laud them to the skies nor
speak Of them as il they had no faults
as is often done, but we should al
ways remember that in our cOuntry's
cause they fought good fight and
quit themselves like men, and did this
duty as true men do, and died in do.
ing it. We whose heritage of liberty
they preserved should always begrate-
full for their loyalty. We hold this
service to-day in their memory. Bdt
to think only Of the dead without
gaining Inspiration from their lives
and deeds to make our own lives grand
and useful is an empty honor to them
and improbable TO US. When the
war was ended and wrong In the form
OF rebellion was crushed those NJ tb.