The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-06-04


God.
Some of you have seen the famous
painting entitled "Yankee Doodle" which
was on exhibition at our National Centen-
NAL, one of the most inspiring of all war
pictures. (And let me say right here that
if you ever have occasion to 90 to Marble
head, Mass, be sure to visit Abbott Hall,
where the painting now has its perma-
nent honey 1t illustrates the spirit OF
1776. Three figures are marching in the
foreground at the head of the line. An
old drummer is the centre of the heroic
group. Without hat or coat, his shirt
open at the neck and one sleeve rolled
back and hanging loose as if he had just
turned from his labor, his white hair
streaming in the wind, his face set in
lines of fierce determination, with drum
sticks appraised to beat the martial melo-
dy, he is the personitication Of fearless, in
spired patriotism. On his left is the fifer. a
younger man, his son perhaps, with the
same passion of feeling and grim resolve
written upon his features; while at the
right is a little drummer boy, the grand
son, we think, keeping time to the beat OF
the other drum as he gazes in rapt devo-
ton into the old man S face. 1t is pic
ture stirring with life and energy, thrill
ling with heroism. No wonder that it
touched nightly the heart of a nation.
But it represents, | take it, no more the
spirit of 10 than it does that of 81. In
deed, it portrays a universal spirit. The
artist has caught upon the canvas and
fixed Il moment true in its idea for any
time and any land where men have found
it sweet and noble 10 die for their coun-
try. What do you read in that far away
ecstatic look but hope in the unseen, the
vision of an ideal, an undying faith in
the right, a God-like devotion to the
truth, ''Who through ,t0uh subdued king
doms and wrought righteousness. - There
is nothing else, | tell you, that really
wins.
There is very much that we are think
ing of in this sacred anniversary time.
You soldiers OF the Grand Army of the
Republic have your vivid memories, which
glow with fresh brightness on each re-
curing Memorial Day. You recall the
particular battles III which you were and
the leaders under whom you fought
You live again through the fierce combat;
you smell the smoke and hear the shout
and see the awful carnage. You re-
rember the display of carnage, the special
amusing predicament, the good feeling of
comradery, the recklessness and abandon
and hardship of army life. A thousand
and one circumstances and incidents
throng to your mind and you cherish them
all and you ought so to do as long as you
live. And you have your sad memories
as well, as you think of the comrades
gone ana your fast thinning ranks. Others
of us, too, bear in our hearts memories
precious and pathetic. Some one very
dear to us went as you went and never
returned, OF came back only to die. Now
it would not be Memorial week unless We
thought of these things, and these are the
chief things OF which to think, but yet |
shall feel that my word this morning has
been spoken amiss unless we shall re-
member, with all else that we remember,
that a kingdom was subdued and right
eousness was wrought and the sovereign
purpose OF Almighty God accomplished
through the power of simple faith.
1t is difficult for those of us who were
born since the war, or at least whose per-
sonal memory does not 20 back to the
days of the great conflict, to feel about
the war and much that it suggests just as
you do who are older | say "dtticult'-
it certainly would not be quite natural
that we should feel the same-for it seems
to me that We ought to be, in a sense more
alive to the reality of the thing and it's
significance than We are commonly per
haps. We honor the soldier We are in
teusely interested in the recital of lis
army experience We know our Ameri-
can history well-that study is seldom
Sighted in school days. And we have
read, again and again very likely, the thrill
ing detail of battles and the biographies
OF eminent commanders. We are patri-
otto in sentiment too, particularly on
special occasions, and more or less at all
times. But still we haven such genuine
glow of feeling, such burning OF enthusl-
assn, and such strength of conviction about
certain things, as seem to possess the old
soldier. Surely it is all there, only latent,
and would find expression ii the need
We're insistent. But | wonder if we of
this other generation might not come into
the constant deeper, intenser feeling
through clearer appreciation of Just
what true heroism is, whence its spring
or inspiration.
You perceive what l mean by this
deeper intensel feeling. 1t is not keeping
alive unpleasant memories OF tanning an
Old flame. The sooner every bit of sec
tional distrust and bitterness and hate is
buried beyond recovery the better. There
ought to be no North or South or East or
West, but Jnion as the immortal Web
ster said, now and forever, one and insep-
arabic" The war determined that, to be
sure, but we have still great need of a
quickening of our National sense. Misun-
derstandings are yet to be removed, preju-
dices abated and temper of greater for
bearance and Cancellation and mutual
sacrifice cultivated. Nor it is my idea that
we should seek a more strictly martial
feeling. | do not believe in war spirit
as spirit, that is, independently of the
justice or righteousness of some cause
which concerns the welfare of humanity at
large or the real honor-not fancied mind
you-the real honor and integrity of the
nation. [ can not but disapprove any at
tempt to build up navy one hit more
effective and imposing than such one as
we have already. l think it is mistake
to introduce military drill into our public
schools. War as war, and all that cult
Yates delight in it and makes the occasion
of it casy,is opposed to the true progress of
civilization and is anti Christian | think
the soldier who has been through battle
and knows the horror of it and remembers
the sorrow of it, is usually the very first to
agree with such idea Rut the need of