News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-05-26
Memorial SUNDAY.

/
Powers, Mrs. Fisk and Messrs. Gates
and Fleetwood, with Miss Irish at the
organ, rendered a patriotic anthem
with fine effect. Rev. j. H. Wallace
of the Methodist church read por-
tion of the Scripture, beginning with
the words FINALLY my brethren be
strong in the Lord" and prayer was
offered by Rev. q. |. Lowe. The
choir and congregation then sang
"America" and Rev. G. N. Kellogg.
pastor of the church in which the
service was held, arose and prefaced
his most excellent and practical dis
course, by expressing his apprecia-
tiOn of this annual custom of the
Grand Army, the Relief Corps and
kindred organizations, and all the
friends of the living and the dead, in
the setting apart of one Sunday in
the year and assembling in some
house of worship for a religious SER
vice, rendering unto our Lord thanks
giving and praise.
In this recurrence of such day he
esteemed it an honor and a privilege
to speak to the large congregation
present, and would invite attention
to the fruitful theme --"Patriotism. "
Basing his remarks upon the Scrip
ture "HonOr to whom honor" found
in the 18th verse of the 18th chapter
of Romans, he proceeded. The SER
mon was replete in patriotic spirit
and cannot be given Justice in a brief
synopsis, but in listening we extract
ed few thoughts.
Honor paid to virtue is an iucen-
tive to it. Next to God and kindred
in our hearts, stands country, and it
is well for all the people of this land
to turn occasionally to the place of
graves and listen to those, who
though dead, yet live-as in the
silence they discourse to US of patri-
otism. Here the speaker paid tribute
to the spirit of memorial occasion,
the time of renewal of natures best
gifts in flowers, fitting emblems to
express the reverence of honest
hearts, as they are streWn by loving
hands upon the silent graves, and
which, not wreathed in garlands,
may yet grow fresh from natures
God, upon the unknown resting
places of many of the heroic dead.
There is something grand in this
national tribute to our dead, it is a
custom peculiar to this nation
Other nations have paid tribute TO
those high in rank aud title. but
here, the private, the general the
drummer, are all heroes and are alike
subjects Tor our reVerent attention.
1t is all an expression Of good gov
eminent, it is pledge of further
loyalty, prosperous peace is insured
by this very observance of our au-
nual memorial occasions. Then all
honor TO patrioti5m-sutf4r it not to
decay. Let us not forget that our
tribute is a solemn pledge to perpetu-
ate these institutions of our country.
| bid you to believe fully ia the pos
slbiIities of tomorrow but achieve
them to day-every advance Of every
sort is tributary to our greatness.
In the providence of God this nation
is to play a prominent and leading
role in future International life.
America America is another word
for destiny-as goes the United States
of America, so goes the world.
Veterans of the Grand Army, yours
is an enviable privilege. You played
prominent part in that conflict
that united our country. All the
scenes of those days of your coun-
try's trial, you have lived to see
changed. A cemented country, liv-
ing one life, equipped for leadership
among the nations of the earth, re-
mains tie heritage of generations to
come. You have lived to see the
dear old flag, which was trailed in the
/ dust and torn by shot and shell, float
once more over an undivided and
peaceful country, every star state
and every state star. You enjoy
the fruits of your own history. We
rejoice together to-day in the peace
that is ours to enjoy, but there are
other battles to come. There are
arrayed before us the hosts of vice,
the hosts of ignorance, of irreligion,
of social fermentation. The call of
our country is not now for good
bayonets, but good ballots. Let this
great instrument, that is destined to
meet all the forces we face, be placed
in the hands of an intelligent, pa
triOtic people.
Here the speaker told in an interest
ing way some of his former ideas of
and experiences with the class famil-
iarly known as "copperheads" dur
ing war days, also to the well-known
treatment sometimes accorded to
towards in the service and hoped
that the man who feels squeamish
and cowardly about an independent,
intelligent personal use of the ballot
might be given the same treatment
drummed out of camp. He also
made emphatic declaration of his
own determination in the past, pres
ent and future, to vote without fear
or favor, as his conscience might
dictate. 1t is the highest priv
ilege of our lives as citizens /;
the same privilege is duty we
owe our God. All the great moral
questions of the coming years must
be settled at the ballot box. The
battle is to be won by count-one
clean, wholesome, intelligent vote,
counts no more than the most dirty