Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-06-04
MEMORIAL SUNDAY SERMON
The Following Eloquent Address De-
livered by Rev. w. B. Ciemmer
is Published at the Request
of the g. A. r. Post.

women OF the Relle1 Corps, members OF That
grand army whose banner is the cross, whose
commandant is Jehovah. should indeed be
lacking, did not express my appreciation OF
the high honor conferred upon me and upon
the congregation whose Especial representative
l am. But rs address to you may represent,
not only that congregation and the citizens OF
this community in general, bnt in a particular
sense. speak for that younger generation whose
ears have never heard wars wild, loud toe
sin, whose eyes have never beheld the smoke
of conflict and the icarnage of battle, whose
hearts have never beat high and Cumultously at
the glad, peals Of victory nor have sunk low at
dismal cries of dire defeat.
Soldiers of the Republic, shall speak to you
not only as individuals but as representatives
of that grand army upon whose banners the
finger of a gracious God inscribed Victory.
In the volume OF the Book it Is written--"Hod
such in reputation" The words of Paul the
heroic, which are, indeed, but an echo from
God to Moses, -"This day shall be kept unto
6ou foa a memorial" expressing the divine
knowledge of human need. The past a fOun-
tain Of sweet or bitter, from whence flows forth
blessings or cursings The past in its right use
Is a moral uplift
1 am impressed, again and again, with the
large place God has given history in the Book
Divine. In the Bible we have book upon book
of history. The old testament opens its sacred
pages, with hiStOry-eighteen books, intersper-
sed it is true, with law, but history its chief com
ponent. History of grand men whose lives i'm
pressed indelibly the nation and furnished in
spration for succeeding generations. Then
comes a book of song-such song lyrics many of
which are history from beginning to end His
tory Of special deiverance wrought by an ON
InipOtent, omnicent Saviour. History which
thrills and inspires us to-day as ever, Follow
ing Psalms comes Proverbs. Then touch
of pottery. Then seventeen books of pro.
phecy. But what is prophecy, but history
in the form of a vision, the lifting up of the veil
which curtains the future.
| The New Testament opens with five books
of history. Four gospels, realistic pen portraits
of the MAN Of Galiee," tender traces OF His d.
vine footsteps among men. Acts, history of he
roc apostles divinely impelled; history of All in
FAINT church, His minister, whose leaven has
permeated the mass, of humanity with righteous
ness. Then follows few eplstles, the volume
closing with the Apocalypse. But what is the
| Apocalypsee History of "a glorious future, the
revelation Of the destiny of Man. All, history
piled OH history. Significant to me as the voice
| OF God crying to man, study history. Truth is
In history The expose :of error is in history.
The exhibition OF the potentialities of man is in
| history. The reward Of merit and fathfulness
is in history. God is in history.
IL history were yet written as Scripture and
| by the pen OF inspiration, hesitate not to say
| that in the rise and fall of nations would be re-
| corded the facts Of the handwOrk of God For,
| II doubt not through the ages one increasing
| purpose runs" In scripture Is that purpose de-
clared, and In history Is it fulfilled. The rise of
| the Roman Empire was part Of the scheme Of
human redemption; its fall, when the work al
| loted was completed, to give place to n condi-
ton which should be embryonic OF higher civ
iliZation. In the eight century the all victorious
conquering saracens, having completed the sub
| jugations of civilized Asia and Africa, planted
their standard in France, having Oyerrun Spain,
determined also to accomplish the Subjugation
OF Europe and the determination of Christian
ity. Charles Martel was the chosen champion
of Gods hosts and on the plains near roiters
settled forever the encrOachments OF Moham-
mechanism and mode liberty possible.
The defeat of NapOlean at Waterloo ment an
other decided step i'll the advancement OF free
dom and it was that victory that became the
"hinge of the Nineteenth Century" era of pro-
gress. 1t is especially pertinent to state, to-day
that in ourOwn national history Gods hand was
plainly visible In the victory at Saratoga, which
FASTENED the alliance with France, lnadejYork-
town possible sealed the triumph of right over
might, and ushered into being this nation OF
destiny. That life was prolonged and perpetu-
ated by the fact, that in our recent war, deter
mined rebellion received its death blow at Get
tysburg. The yictorp of the loyal troops meant
the triumph of freedom over oppression, of
right over WRONG, and upon the wings OF that
day, was born the practicab,lty of The release of
100000 serfs while the manacIes fell from their
hands AS by the power of the Spirit.
As read history, l, invOluntarily cry out,
blessed Is that nation with Il grand ancestry,
which has true manhood for its foundation stone
and God for its cap-stone. Believe me, that the
strength os nation does not consist in its stand
ing armies, its coast defenses, "its flying squad
rons its iron clad navy but in the spontancity
with which its manhood responds in time of
danger and uprising.
That was fatal day in the history of our
country, when almost simultaneously with the
landing Of the heroic Pilgrims at
Plymouth Rock, there swung into the James
river barge, whose cargo was twenty slaves,
from the shores OF Africa. Thus the traffic in
human chattels was introduced, as tares sown
ny IhC cuClHy, WHcI uOuc might IIL u voice or
raise hand to object. That crime was only eX-
plated by the civil war and paid by the sacrifice
of million lives, untold misery and woeful des-
olation.
The power Of slavery ruled as a despot, this
fair land whose every behest was obeyed, whose
every desire was held sacred. At its demand a
line was drawn through our country, east and
west, creating two sections with bitter ami
mosities. TO requite it, in the words OF another,
tive wrote into our statute books that most in
famous and abhOrred Of all laws that republic
ever passed-the fugitive slave law. Under its
devilish provisions we drove the black fugitive
fleeing from bondage and the lash, back into
slavery, ignorance and degradation; we sealed
the lips Of our press and demanded silence In
onr churches" The conscience Of the nation
was stified. The few brave spirits who, dared
utter truth were Kissed, slandered and ostra-
cized. "Incompetency reigned in the White
House, while traitors hands sowed the seeds OF
discord, scattered the nations strength like
chat and plundered the nations treasury"
In the halls of legislation treason shot up her
head, displayed her venomed fangs while the
atmosphere was foul with hellish Kisses. Ger