Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-06-06
DIR. TALMAGE ON WAR
APPROPRIATE MEMORIAL DAY SER
MON By THE ELOQUENT PREACHER.


APPROPRIATE MEMORIAL DAY SER.
| MON BY THE ELOQUENT PREACHER.
He Calls Down the Wrath Of the Almighty
Arainst war. but Later He Indulgas In
sentiments That win Please Delltgercnt
JIngoes.
WASHINGTON. May SI.-What could
be more appropriate or stirring thar
fhis discourse by the Rev. DIR. Talmage
At the time of year when the friends CT
those who wore the blue and the gray
have decorated the mounds of the falieni
The text was Solomon's Song Nv. 4,
sThe tower Of David builded for an
armory, whereon there hung thousand
buckles. all shields Of mighty men. "
The church is here compared to an
armory, the walls hung with trophies
of dead heroes. Walk all about this
tower of David and see the dented
shields, and the twisted swords, and
the rusted helmets of terrible battle
So at this season, a month earlier at the
south. a month later at the north, the
American churches are turned into ar
mories adorned with memories of de-
parted braves. Blossom and bloom, @
walls. with stories of self sacrifice and
patriotism aud provost
By unanimous decree of the people of
the United States of America the graves
Of all the northern and southern dead
are every year decorated. All acerhity
and bitterness have gone out of the ma
tional solemnity, and as the men and
women Of the south one month ago
floralized the cemeteries and grayeyards
so yesterday we. the men and women OF
the north, put upon the tombs of our
dead the kiss of patriotic affection.
Bravery always appreciates bravery,
though it fight on the other side, and ii
a soldier of the Federal army had been
a month ago at Savannah he would not
have been ashamed to march III the
floral professions to the cemetery. And
if Yesterday Confederate soldier was
at Arlington he was glad to put sprie.
of heartsease on the silent heart of on
dead.
In o battle during our last war the
Confederates were driving back the Fed
erals, who were in swift retreat, when
Federal officer dropped wounded. 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 COnfed-
crate muskets were aimed at the young
man who was picking up the officer.
But the Confederate captain shouted !:
Hold Don't firei That fellow is too
brave to shoot. -" And as the Federal
officer, held up by his private soldier,
went limping slowly off the field the
Confederates gave three cheers for the
brave private, and just before the two
disappeared behind a barn both the
wounded officer and the brave private
lifted their caps in gratitude to the Con-
federate captain.
Shall the gospel be less generous than
the world? We stack arms, the bayonet
of our northern gun facing this way,
the bayonct 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 wal
times have blended at last, and they
quote in tho language Of King James
translation without any revision, ''Glory
to God in the highest, and ON earth
peace, good will to men. Now, what
do we mean by this great observance?
The Lesson of 1t.
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 PEG.
pie were born since the war, or were sc
young as to have no vivid appreciation.
No one under Al years of age has any
adequate memory of that prolonged hor-
ror Do you remember it? well, . you
say, 81 only remember that mother
swooned away while she was reading
the newspaper, and that they brought
my father home wrapped III the flag,
and that good many people came in
the house to pray, and mother faded
away after that until again there vert
many people in the house and they told
me she was dead.
4ItIt OAiEIS W III Ottlli2Ob
Der the roll of drum or the tramp of a
regiment or sigh or tear of that tor.
nado Of woe that swept the nation again
and again until there was one dead in
each house. Now, it is the religious
duty of these who do remember it to tell
those who do not. My young friends,
there were such partings at rail car win
dows and steamboat wharfs, and al
front doors of comfortable homes as
pray God you may never witness. Oh,
what a time it was when fathers and
mothers gave up their sons, never ex,
pecting to see them again and never did
see them again until they came back
mutilated and crushed and dead!
Four years of blood. Four years OF
hostile experiences. -Four years of ghast-
illness. -Four years of gravedigging
Four years of funerals, collins, shrouds.
hearses, dirges. Mourning, mourning
mourning! 1t was hell let loose. What
a time of waiting for newsi Morning
paper and evening paper scrutinized for
intelligence 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 follow
ing day still going on. Then news of
80, 600 slain, and of the names of the
great generals who had fallen, but no
news about the private soldiers. Wait
ing for newsi After many days load
of wounded going through the town or
city, but no news from our boy. Then a
long list of wounded and long list of
the dead, and 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 hurt? Missing, missingl What
burning prayers that he may yet be
heard 'FRONT.' In that awful waiting for
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 and anon she walks the
floor of the asylum or looks out of the
window as though she expected some
one to come along the path and up the