The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-27
Two Memorial SERMONS
yered by Rev. DR.. Pearcc and
Rev. Warren G. Partridge.
ANY BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTS
interviewer with Beautiful Sentiments
bv tho Eloquent Ciorgym.n = Ezra
Griffin Post at Penn Avenue Church
nnd Monies Post ut Elm Park.

|
| Elm Park church, although so spa
cious. was crowded last evening at the
memorial services to such a degree
that many persons We're unable to Sc
| cure seats, and returned in great dis
| appointment. Colonel Monies post and
| the Women's Relief corps were present
In body. The specially arranged re-
| sponsive readings We're most heartily
| said by the vast concourse and a pro-
gramme of unusual excellence COM
| prising special music most appropriate
| FOR the occasion, was rendered by the
| choir.
Rev. w. II. Pearce's memorial ad-
dress 'The Sacrament of Flowers"
was the masterpiece of the eloquent
preachers orations. AT many times
during the address the veterans
showed evident signs of deep emotion,
and many of them wept when the rev.
| erend gentleman in a, sympathetic
manner touched upon the history of old
| associations. The following excerpt
from the address will illustrate the
| beautiful thoughts so we'll presented by
| DR.. Pearce:
This nation cannot keep in too sa-
| cred remembrance. nor can 1t by any
| chance or purpose too highly honor the
| men who, during the dark struggling
days between 81 and 65. stood like a
wall of adamant between us and our
irreconcilable enemies, or. laid down
| their precious lives as our daysmen.
| The tongue of eloquence can never pro-
| nounce on them an enconium that
would be too worthily given. The his
| torian can never emblazon their names
too highly or richly on the national
escutcheon. and garlanded procession
In hnn -
hands can never be too imposing or
magnificent; for there, men, fighting as
they did and for what they did. de-
serve to be laureled with fadeless re-
nown and everlastingly enshrined in
the nation'sheart.
Their Gallant Service for Country.
''Since many of these stood through
the last watch of the nations dark
night and saw the hellish monster of
human slavery die: since they have
gloriously attested that the great and
beautiful Mississippi Valley was never
dug for freedoms grave, that the Blue
Ridge that looked down so long on the
bloody strife was never piled FOR lib
erty's monument; since they have
proven that the myriad-tattered flags
now folded away by a grateful nation
did not become freedoms winding
sheet and the staff that bore the Stars
and Stripes so triumphantly did not
become the pail to bear away her life
less corpse. Since this, they deserve a
pageantry, burdened with the truest
and highest honor, and this whole ma
tion ought to be profoundly stilled in
its activities and with flowers of scar
let and crimson that suggest suffering,
and with flowers of white, that suggest
victory, and with wreaths of ever
green that suggest immortality, 1t
ought to take up its grateful march to
the sepulchred temple of the honored
dead. oh, If we could comprehend by
any measure of thought or range or
vision lust what these men have
wrought out for us and bequeathed to
us. we would cover their graves deeper
with summer blossoms than they have
ever been covered with winter SHOWS.
God forbid that the perfume or ma
tion's thanks, the kiss of a nations love
and the shout of nations deliverance
should ever be withheld from these
brave men who set themselves sternly
shoulder to shoulder, making their
breasts a bulwark for the defense OF
their motherland; and If the time
should ever come when this redeemed
nation becomes so mercenary, so alb
sorbed in whatever else, or so forgetful
as to fail to commemorate with appro-
pirate and impressive ceremonies the
valor and heroic deeds of our fallen
soldiers. 1T deserves to be abandoned
of God. and like the prophets role,
written within and without with lamen-
tations, MORNINGS and woes.
At Penn Avcnne Church.
A congregation which crowded every
portion of Penn Avenue Baptist church
attended the memorial services last
"a q ri pa
preached a powerful sermon on PA
triotism." Ezra Griffin post was pres
ent in uniform. The musical portion
of the services, which was delightfully."-
rendered by the quartette and chorus,
was most appropriate for the occasion.
The edifice was beautifully decorated
by the ladies Of the church. The SER
mon was preached by invitation of the
members of the Ezra s. Griffin post,
and over $50 veterans were present,
who thanked Mr.. Partridge for his
mastery address. The following ex-
tracts taken from the reverend gentle
mans address, Indicates the eloquent
terms in which he discoursed on the
subject of the evening:
True Christians are patriotic citi
Zens Christianity Is the safeguard Of
liberty and free institutions. Memorial
Day Is a monument to American pa
triotism, and 1t is pre-eminently fitting
that the nation should revere the mem
ory Of those heroic men who laid down
their lives for their country during the
civil war We owe a debt to these
valorous veterans that can never be re-
paid We should cherish their memory
in perpetual gratitude as saviors of
their country. No government Is safe
without genuine patriotism among it's
citizens, and patriotism is as essential
in times of peace as in times Of war
"In no country is love of country so
paramount as in a republic. The very
existence of democratic government
depends upon the patriotism Of its citi-
zens. Republics have fiourished in the
history of the past as long as genuine
love for country has turned brightly
upon the hearts Of It's freemen. But
when the fires of patriotism have be-
come extinguished the foundations of
free institutions have crumbled and
perished.
1t l. q Christian Virtue.
True patriotism Is a Christian virtue:
It was inculcated by the founder of
Christianity; 1t Is immortaliZed In the
writings of the Bible. 1t must be en-
kindled in the heart of every American
by cherishing the memory of the pa