Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-06-10


fvid builded for an armory. whereou
We're hang thousand bucklers. all
fields of mighty men,"
The church is compared To an mr..
nory, the walls hung with trophies OF
ead heroes Walk all about this tower
~ David and see the denied shields and
che twisted swords and the rusted hel.
NETS OF terrible battle. So at this
season, month earlier at the south. a
month later at the north, the American
churches are turned into armories
: adorned with memories of departed
braves Blossom and bloom, O walls.
with stories of self-sacritice, and patri-
otism and prowess!
BY unanimous decree OF the people
of the United States of America. the
graves of all the northern and south
ern dead are every year decorated. All
acerbity and bitterness have gone out
OF the national solemnity, and as the
men and women of the south one month
ago foralized the cemeteries and grave.
yards, so yesterday we, the men and
women of the north, put upon the
tombs of our dead the kiss of patriotic
anection. Bravery always appreciates
bravery. though it fight on the other
sioe; and If soldier of the federal
army had been month ago at Savan-
nah, he would not have been ashamed
TO march in the floral professions to
the cemetery. And if yesterday n con.
federate soldier was at Arlington. he
was glad to put sprig of hearts ease
on the silent heart OF our dead.
In battle during the last war the
toe IL.
federals who were in swift retreat
when federal officer dropped wound
ed One of his men stopped at the risk
of his life, and put his arms around
the officer to carry him from the field
Fifty confederate muskets were aimed
at the young man who was picking up
the officer. But the confederate can
tain shouted: Hold Don't fire! That
Fellow is too brave to be shot" And as
the federal officer, held up by his pri-
vate solder, went limping slowly off
the field, the confederates gave three
cheers for the brave private: and inst
before the two disappeared behind the
barn both the wounded officer and the
brave private lifted their caps in graft
tude to the confederate captain.
Shall the Gospel be less generous
than the world? Shall we stack arms.
the oayonet of our northern gun facing
this way. the bayonet of the southern
gun facing the other way, and as the
gray OF the morning melts into the
blue OF noon, so the typical gray and
blue of old war times have blended at
last, and they quote in the language of
King James last translation without
any revision: Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth, peace, good will
to men" Now what do we mean bv
this great observance?
First, we mean instruction to one
whole generation. Subtract 1865, when
the war ended, from our 1896. and you
will realize what vast number of peo-
pie were born since the war, or were
so young as TO have no vivid apprecia-
ton No one under Al years of age
has any, adequate memory of that pro-
longed horror. Do you remember il?
We'll" you say, II only remember
that mother swooned away while read
ing the newspaper, and that they
brought my father home wrapped in
the flag. and that a good many people
came in the house to pray, and mother
faded away after that until again there
were many people in the house and
they told me she was dead"
There are others who can not remem-
Der the roll of drum or the tramp of
regiment, or a sigh or n tear of that
tornado of woe that swept the nation
again and again until there was one
dead In each house. Now it is the re-
hgious duty of those who do remember
1t to tell those who do not. NY young
friends there were such partings
at rail-car windows and steamboat
wharves. and at front doors of com
portable homes as pray God you may
never witness Oh, what a time il
was, when fathers and mothers gave
mp their sons, never expecting TO see
them again, and never did see them
again until they came back mutilated.
and crushed. and dead
-Four years of hostile experiences.
-Four years of ghastliness. -Four years of
grave digging. Four years of funerals.
collins, shrouds, hearses, dirRes.
Mourning! mourning! mourning! it
was hell let loose. What a time of
waiting for news! Morning paper and
evening paper scrutinized for intelli-
gence from the boys at the front.
first, announcement that the battle
must occur the next day. Then the
news Of the battles going on. On the
following day still going on. Then
news of 10000 slain, and of the names
of the great generals who had fallen.
but no news about the private sol
diers. Waiting for news. After many
days load of wounded going through
the town or city, but no news from our
boy. Then a long list Of wounded anS
a long list Of the dead, and a long list
OF the missing. And among the last
list, our boy.
When missing? How missing? Who
saw him last? Missing! Missing, Was
he in the woods or by the stream? How
was he hurt2 Missing! Missing,
what burning prayers that he may yet
DC heard from. In that awful waiting
Tor news many life persisted. The
strain Of anxiety was too great. That
wife's brain gave way that first week
after the battle. and ever anon She
walks the floor OF the asylum or looks
out 81 The widow as though she ex.
2ected some one 70 come along the
path ard mp the steps as She soIilo-
3ulses. Missing missing"
WHAT made matters worse. all THE
might have been avoided. There wac
no more need OF that war than a. tbi,
moment : should plunge DAGGER
through your heart. There were fe,,,
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