The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-25
VETERANS OUT IN FORCE
G. A. r. Memorial Services at Simpson
Tabernacle
A Protest Against the Desecra tion Of Memorial
Day by Turning II Into Holiday-Ap'
propriate Song Service

| The veterans were out in force at the
| G.. A K. memorial service at Simpson
| tabernacle yesterday morning Inc
| main floor of the church was given up
| to the members Of the various posts,
while the members of the Women's Re
| lief corps and their friends occupied
seats back of the old soldiers. The con-
gregation was seated in the gallery. The
stars and stripes were draped back or
the pulpit while large flag was draped
from the gallery, and smaller flags were
also displayed about the edlfice. Inc
floral decorations were not numerous,
but were in good taste, and added much
to the general effect.
The services opened with an organ
prelude by the organist, Frank II. Col
by, after which the doXology was sung
by the congregation, all standing. The
Heavens are Declaring CBeethoven) was
very pleasingly given by the quartet
choir, consisting of Miss Delphine Todd,
soprano; Miss Rosina Rosin. alto; r.
Y. Mayer, tenor, and Robert P. Shilling.
bass. \ patriotic hymn, God Bless Our
native Land, followed after which Cap
tain +. j. Cressey offered up fervent
| prayer Soldier. Rest, by Robert Skill.
ing and the choir was the next musical
number after which there was scripture
| reading by the pastor. Rev. c. c. Me-
Lean. The Star Spangled Banner. by
Miss Delphine Todd, with the congrega-
llOIl JOIlIS Ill tIt cll'IuS. was ucAt
given, after which Mr.. Mclean preached
an eloquent and patriotic sermon. suit
able to the occasion, taking for his text
the twelfth verse of the eighty-ninth
Psalm, The north and the south, thou
hast created them"
Mr.. Mclean. after referring to the
great struggle which had saved the
country, and made the grandest nation
on the face of the globe. said If there
was an American heart that did not beat
for the American flag and all that it
stood for, this was not place for it. and it
should be shipped to some land where
the institutions We're more suited for its
liking. He did not mean by an Amer
lean one who was necessarily born in
America but he meant any one who
loved America so we'll that they were
willing to forsake their own country
and enroll themselves under the stars
and stripes, the most glorious flag that
floats today on the face of the earth.
None of us have to go very far back to
find our ancestors in the older countries.
His ancestors came from Scotland. ard
he loved that bonnie land. But he loved
America more he loved that dear old
flag, and all the principles for which il
stands. and if he had his way, except on
international occasions, no other flag
should float in this country which should
ever be the home of liberty loving peo-
pie from every quarter of the globe
who should be made to feel welcome ana
at home so long a S they do not prostitute
their privileges and turn liberty into
license. AS the immortal Lincoln has
said that the time has arrived when no
man who spelled negro with two
gs could be elected president
so he believed that the time
had now arrived when no man
could again be elected president who
vetoed pension bills after they had pass
ed the closest scrutiny, thereby keeping
veterans out of their hard earned pen
sions. The men who had saved thu
Union deserve all the pensions and all
the honors that grateful nation could
bestoW and they should be given with
a free hand. The speaker entered his
protest against the Dissertation of me-
mortal day by turning it into a holiday
with games, and insisted that it should
be kept sacred, in memory of the heroes
who have gone before The speaker
then described in graphic language his
experience when a boy at the breaking
out of the war, of how he tried to enlist
as a drummer, and was refused. after
the departure of his father at the head
of his regiment for the front, and paid
glowing tribute to the men who hal
made this great nation one united peopl,,
when there was no north. no south. no
east and no west, but one brotherhood
knowing hut one flag and one God That
this was best all now agreed and he
thanked God that it was so.
Cor the offertory DR.. Sherwood Dunn
and Miss Todd sang The Cross, after
which the national hymn. America was
sung by the entire cOnSrega ton, the
services closing with the benediction