The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-04

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| OF the grace OF Christian magnanimity:
| Richard Kirkland was sergeant In the
| Second Regiment or South Carolina Vol
unteers. Tho day after the great battle
occupied the road at the foot OF Marye's
| Jull Tho ground about Marye's house
was the scene Of the desperate struggle
| which occurred the day before. One hun
! bred and fifty yards IN front or the road,
the stone facing OF which constituted the
| celebrated stone wall, lay Sykes diviS
| ion Oh tho United states army. Between
| these troops and Kershaws command
skirmish fight was continued through the
| entire day. Tho ground between the
| lines was literally covered with dead and
| dying Federal soldiers. All day long the
| wounded were crying 'Waterl Water
! Waterv In the afternoon sergt kirt-
| land went to the headquarters OF Gen.
| Ksrshaw, ard. with an expression which
| betokened the deepest emotion sald:
General. all through last nght and
! to-day / have been hearing those poor,
wounded Federals nut there cry for wa
ter. | can stand II no longer. Lot me
90 and give them water. Don't You
know that you would get bullet through
| you the moment you stepped over ina
WALTZ Yes. SIR, he answered, ,out IL
After some reflection. the General saidi
Kirkland, / ought not to allow you
! to take this risk, but the spirit tnat
| moves you Is so. noble l cannot refuse.
! Go, and may God protect you Not only
| with curiosity but with painful anxiety,
| did both armies watch this brave man as
no climbed the wall and proceeded upon
his mission OF mercy. Unframed and
untouched. ne reached the nearest suf-
ferer. lie knelt beside him. tenderly
raised the dropping head. rested II gently
on his noble breast and poured the cool
Ing life-reviving fluid down tho parched
throat. This done, he laid him carefully
down. place his knapSack under his
head, Strengthened his broken limbs,
spread his overcoat over him. replaced
his empty canteen with fun one, ana
turned to another sufferer. by This time
his conduct was well understood by both
sides. and all danger was over. For an
hour and half did this ministering an
gel pursue his work OF mercy, and ceased
not until he had relieved all on that part
OF the battlefield. He returned TO his
post unhurt How sweetly did the hero
sleep that night beneath Gods starsl
have told this story In Gen heIsnaW
find anything In the annals OF our race
more Christ-like and more worthy Of the
admiration of men and angels,
A SPLENDID EXAMPLE.
Veterans, in the few years that re-
main 10 us let II be our constant endeav-
or to emulate the virtues Of these men:
Let US follow them as they followed
Christ. so that when life's battles are
over we may sleep serenely, and in the
morning Of the resurrection awake 10
answer TO the roll call Of those who
fought the good fight and were faithlu'
unto death.
There was nothing that did more "a
promote the growth OF Christian feeling
and rectitude in the Confederate army
than the spirit and bearing OF lie Lead
ers. Never did an army march into bat.
tie differed by men moro loyal 10 christ
than Stonewall Jackson. Robert p. Lee,
and many Of their subordinates. Who can
calculate the power of Jacksons rehgi-
Gus influence upon the men whom he led
t.af &
by IL that he was heard 10 say: If mar
be religion ! must have it, After MAX
ing profession OF faith in Christ he
confessed that his rebcllious heart and
will had been conquered by the power Of
Jacksons Cody life.
Never did the angels Of God descend
from their starry heights TO hover over
| a more touching scene than Stonew<Ii
Jacksons death or TO catch from human
lips language more beautiful and signih-
cant than his dying words: Let US
cross over the river and rest IN the shade
| OF the trees
Though dead. he yet speaketh. The
sun has gone down. but there still fingers
| a blaze OF glory on every mountain pcak'
and tho clouds that hover about the
scene OF his departure are turned to am
Der and gold.
mo euloey that my poor, feeble. lips
could pronounce would be worthy OF the
exalted character and the deathless faine
Of Robert = Lee Al The bsa great yIr
blended IN him. making an almost perfect
man.
"Phldias proposed to make n statue OF
Alexander out Of Mt. Athos-a statue
holding I'm one hand bcauuIul river
embelshed with villages and bridges
ana in the other hand a magnificent city
suspended between the grandeur o. earth
and the glory of heaven The realization
OF that conception would have been a
work Of art surprising the Walls or
Babylon, the Pyramids Of Egypt CT the
Colossus al Rhodes Such was the trlb-
ute which the great sculptor believed his
hero worthy TO receive. a nero ne vas,
hut not the type that Christian men
delight to honor. After he had climbed
the dizzy heights Of his ambition ana
looked down upon "a conquered world. ne
died in the midst of a shameful debauch.
He mastered all things but himself
RULED HIMSELF.
There IS an inward rule Of man
a government Of the thoughts ana pas
sions-which is an object Of loftier am
hilton than any earthly crown or king
dom He who rules himself and holds
the castle of his inner being against
every outward foe is the only real poten-
tate. There nave been such monarchs
on the 1rth. and conspicuous among
them was Robert +. Lee. Neither man
nor angel ever saw him when he was NOT
master of himself. To that high degree
Of moral majesty and repose he ascended'
not by the power OF any human philoao-
nhy. but by a living faith IN the eternal
Son of God.
"Feliow Christians, can we doubt mat
such men are immortal? The names OF
their traducers will be forgotten, but
they shall be IN everlasting rem eTnD Iance'
Fellow Veterans. / should be lacking
| In fealty TO God and your most sacred IN
terests If I did not say to YOU IN con
Guiding this message, that your patriot
ism will not save you from the conse-
ouencos Of sin and secure for ycn honor
| and glory IN the life 10 come.
Lee and Jackson were tranquil ana
happv I'm death, not because they were
patriots. but because they were chris
| tians They are crowned and sceptered
i'm heaven. not because they were brave
and loval soldiers, but because they We're
faithful followers Of Jesus Chrlsl ,-...
"A few more years ana these reunions
on earth will cease. Tho youngesl man
of tho Confederate army now living IS
old. we are veterans. indeed. Soon not
! one Of us viii be LETT 10 answer roll eau,
Let us die in the faith OF the G0sPeI
and beneath the banner OF our DIVINE
Captain. so that when he end comes We
may cross over the river ana nave an
| everlasting reunion and rest with Jack,
| SON and Lee and Johnson ana EWeil anu
| Hnl and an who were loyal 10 truth ana
| country and God over there IN INC
| shade OF the trees Of Paradise beauty
| siniles eternally and pleasure never dios.
| "Thc virtues which lost cause hha
| created and consccrated can mover be
| lost Thcy are " the cause he nome,
| such virtues as bravery, patriotism SELF
| sacrifice LOYALTY TO duty. These are
| GREAT. whatever cause they serve. sup
| nose the cause which enlists them goes
| down I'm defeat rhoy survive. bravery
| fas not lost its soul because II dwells IN
the breast of the vsnQuished. Self-sac-
rifce Is not dishonored because II is cru
| c'fed on the cross Patriotism - not
| - ,,-,,,~a a. chf1dren re in the mi,