The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-06-13
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Lessons Of Patriotism Drawn From
Decoration Day
Love of Christianity Should BIO Inspired
by the Graves of the Nations Dead
"A Blessed Hope of No
More War.

Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage delivered
the following Decoration day sermon
before his Washington congregation
taking for his text:
The tower of David buiided for an armory
| whereon there hang . thousand bucklers. al
shields OF mighty men.-Solomons Song. w., 4
The church Is here compared to an
armory, the walls hung with trophies
of dead heroes. Walk all abou. this
tower of David, and see the dented
shields and the twisted swords, and
the rusted helmets 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-sacrifce,
and patriotism, 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 graveyards, 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 fights
on the otherside; and If soldier Of
the federal army had been a month
ago at Savannah, he would not have
been ashamed to march in the floral
procession to the cemetery. And II
yesterday confederate soldier was at
Arlington, he was glad to put sprig
of hearts-ease on the silent heart Of
our dead.
In battle during our last war the
confederates were driving back the
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 con-
federate captain shouted: Hold
don't fire! 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 pri-
vate; and just before the two disap-
peared behind barn, both the wound
ed officer and the brave private lifted
their caps in gratitude to the confed-
crate captain.
Shall the Gospel be less generous
than the world? We stack arms, the
bayonet 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 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?
First, we mean instruction to one
whole generation. Subtract 1855,
when the war ended, from our 1896,
and you will realize what vast num-
Der of people were born since the war,
or were so young as to have no vivid
appreciation. No one under Al years
Of age has any adequate memory of
that prolonged horror. Do you re-
member it2 "Well," you say, II only
remember that mother swoon away
while she was reading the newspaper,
and that they brought my father home
wrapped in the flag, and that good
many people came into the house to
pray, and mother faded away after
that until again there were many peo-
pie in the house and they told me that
she was dead"
There are others who can not re-
member the roll of drum or the
tramp of regiment, or sigh or a
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 religious duty Of those who do
remember it to tell those who do not.
My young friends, there were such
| partings at rail-car windows and
| steamboat wharves and at front doors
| of comfortable homes as l pray God
you may never witness. Oh, what a
time it was, when fathers and mothers
gave up their sons, fever expecting 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
ghastliness. Four years of grave
digging. Four years of funerals, cof-
fms, shrouds, hearses, dirges. Mourn
ing! mourning! mourning! It was
hell let loose. Whst a time Of wait
ing for newsl 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 $1,000 slain, and of the names
of the great generals who had fallen,
but no news about the private soldiers.
Waiting for news! After many days q
load of wounded going through the
town or city, but no news from our
boy. Then long list of wounded and
long list Of the dead, and long list
Of the missing. And among the last