Smyrna times., 1896-06-03
MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE.
At The Presbyterian Church.

By request, Rev. J. L. Estlin at
the Presbyterian Church preached a
sermon Sunday morning to the Grand
Army men and veterans of the late war.
Just preceding the commencement OF
the services, those who had borne a
part in the war for the maintenance OF
the Union which ended thirty years
ago, with VIM. M. Broadway, who was
an Ensign in one of the Delaware regl-
ments, in the lead bearing the Ameri-
can flag marched to the front seats as
signed them-the company numbering
sixteen. The singing by the choir
was of music appropriate to the oc-
casiOn.
The pastor took for his text pass
age from III Timothy, 2 chap. 3rd vs.
'"ThOu therefore endure hardness, as
a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
With a brief exOrdium as to the rela-
| ton of the soldier to Christ and his
Country, he proceeded at once to the
event that was the occasion of their
| coming tOgether-the cOmmemOratiOn
of the fallen brave in defence of the
Union, and the relation of the living
to the sacrifices then made.
War, as the last arbiter in defending
the life of the nation and the home,
was pictured as one of the most hor-
rible things that could befall a people.
In its track was carnage and desOla-
ton. In the conflict between the
North and the South, 4,000,000 of men
were from first to last engaged In
strife, the North in the four years
losing 25O, 900 and the South 100, 900.
1t were better if possible to have set
tied the questions over which they
! % oil "
but the South took up arms in defence
of slavery and States Rights involving
a dissolution of the Union, and though
making gigantic efforts to maintain
their cause, lost everything. They
fought with a courage that won admir-
tiOn, and were thus an exemplifcatiOl
of the great fact in history as if by
Divine decree, that great wrongs ar'
: always atoned for in blood.
The esprit of the two armies wa
especially dwelt upon by the speaker
| There were very bitter feelings be
tween the partizans of the two section
in many instances, but it did not per
. tain to the men under arms III tn
: field. The pickets often exchange
tobacco, newspapers, coffee etc, ant
in greeting each other as 'Yanks" an
@ Johnny Rebs," it would be with
: kindly, almost brotherly voice, and th
S canteen would often be held to the liz
q of PROSTATE soldier of the Opposin
u army in need of water. And in til
o midst of the carnage respect was man
K tested for the dying and the deat
d In the bloody conflict at Cold HarbC
he remembered distinctly that thrOug
( flag of truce both armies stoppe
is fighting, each to give the other a priv
2. lege to bury its dead.
5. The soldiers who went to battle for ii
lr maintenance of the Union got VIII
y they went for, and are the most fO
g bearing in their feelings of any 9th
le class. The sermon closed with bri
s application of the text as an importal
thing to observe in the great bait
l. that comprises all in the conflict f
AZ the future life.
OF The veterans retired before the di
misal of the audience, as follows:
w. M. Broadway, Geo. W. Tilg
man, Chas. B. Archer, J. Wesley Sta
! John H. Bailey, VIM. B. Marsha
Thos. Hoyle, John g. Garner, Jol
Hayden, Capt. w. FL. Hazel, Tho
, Davis, Jacob Stein, Theo. StrattC
VIM. N. Slaughter, w. w. WhitlOC
q David J. Murphey.