News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-06-04
DIR. TALMAGE ON WAR
APPROPRIATE MEMORIAL DAY SER
MON BY THE ELOQUENT PREACHER.


WASHINGTON, May 31.-What could
be more appropriate or stirring than
this discourse by the Rev. DIR. Talmage
at the time of year when the friends of
those who wore the blue and the gray
have decorated the mounds of the fallen?
The text was Solomon's Song iv, 4,
"The tower of David builded for an
armory, wherein 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 sec the denied
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, o
walls, with stories of self sacrifice and
patriotism and 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 acerbity
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 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 fight ON the other side, and if
a soldier of the Federal army had been
a month ago at Savannah he would not
have been ashamed to march in the
floral professions to the cemetery. And
if yesterday Confederate soldier was
at Arlington he was glad to put sprig
of heartsease on the silent heart of our
dead.
In battle during our last war the
Confederates were driving back the Fed
erals, who were in swift retreat, when
a 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 !:
"Holdl 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 private, and just before the two
disappeared behind 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 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?
The Lesson of 1t.
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
time of waiting for news! 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, 900 slain, and of the names of the
great generals who had fallen, but no
news about the private soldiers Wait
ing for newsl After many daysa 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 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 hurt? Missing, missing! What
burning prayers that he may yet be
heard from! 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
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, II only remember that mother
swooned away while she was reading
the newspaper, and that they brought
my father home wrapped in the flag
and that good many people came il
the house to pray, and mother faded
away after that until again there were
many people in the house and they tolt
me she was dead "A"
There are others who cannot remem
Der the roll of drum or the tramp of {
regiment or sigh or tear of that tor
nado Of woe that swept the nation agaii
and again until there was one dead il
each house. Now, it is the religious
duty Of those who do remember it to tel
those who do not. My young friends
Ata.., ...,.,g o,,.I, ,,a.,Af,,,,e