The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-06-12
DECORATION DAY. /.
90, Or. Talmage Points Out Les
n sons Of Patriotism
49,. Annual Observance of tho Custom
:, decorating the Graves of the
Nations Patriot Dead-A
Christian Hope.

pas delivered ny NOV. - Do"ioo LII
zoe ~ before his Washington congre-
s.tion The text was.
M. tower of David builded for an armory
icon there hang o thousand bucklers, all
,",s,Ss Of mighty men.-Solomon's Song, w., l.
THE church is here compared to an
,rmorv. the walls hung with trophies
:, dead heroes. Walk all about this
aver of David, and see the denied
.h;elds and the twisted swords, and
Aha rusted helmets Of terrible battle.
Co at this season, month earlier at
.he south, month later at the north,
.hs American churches'are turned into
.rmor,es adorned with memories Of
aenarted braves. Blossom and bloom,
n walls. with stories of self-sacrifce,
and patriotism, and prowess!
Rv unanimous decree Of the people
- The United States of America, the
uayes of all the northern and south
arm dead are every year decorated.
An acerbity and bitterness have gone
ant 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
mon the tombs Of our dead the kiss of
natriotic affection. Bravery always
appreciates bravery, though it fights
an the otherside; and if a soldier of
the federal army had been month
400 at Savannah, he would not have
been ashamed to march in the floral
procession to the cemetery. And if
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
3D. 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-
iederate captain shouted: Hold!
don't firel 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-
rared behind barn, both the wound
cd 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 generations. Subtract 1865,
when the war ended, from our 1896,
and you will realize what a 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
age has any adequate memory of
mat prolonged horror. Do you re-
member it? WELL" you say, II only
remember that mother swoon away
While she was reading the newspaper,
md 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
mat until again there were many peo-
PIE in the house and they told me that
NE was dead"
4here are others who can not re-
member the roll of drum or the
ramp of regiment, or a sigh or
ear OF that tornado of woe that swept
'ns nation again and again until there
"as one dead in each house. Now it
'ne religious duty of those who do
ememoer it to tell those who do not.
young friends, there were such
artngs at rail-car windows and
eamboat wharves and at front doors
comfortable homes as / pray God
W may never witness. Oh, what a
ame II was, when fathers and mothers
ave up their sons, never expecting to
.hem again, and never did see them
ss'n until they came back mutilated,
Ia crushed, and deadl
iour years of blood. Four years of
Isuie experiences. Four years of
aastiiness. Four years of grave
ggng. Four years Of funerals, cof-
!. shrouds, hearses, dirges. Mourn
q q mourningI mourningl 1t was
- net loose. What a time of watt
lor newsl Morning paper and
"ng paper scrutinized for intelli-
-. from the boys at the front
s announcement that the battle