The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-31
A CHURCH WITH A FLAG
PUBLIC PRESENTATION AT THE
FIRST BAPTIST LAST NIGHT.
An Address by Governor MOunt-JOhn
Il. CleIand's Address at Meridian
Street vi. E. Church.

There were special Memorial day services
at the First Baptist Church last night in
conjunction with flag presentation. The
musical services were under direction of
Arthur +. Preston, organist and musical
director of the church. Mrs. Ida Gray Scott
sang a solo. The flag was presented with
an address by Austin II. Brown and Robert
Zener, chairman of the board of trustees of
the church, received it. Captain Wallace
Foster lectured briefly on the American
Patriotic Salute" and sixteen young ladies
saluted the flag.
Governor Mount delivered the principal
address of the evening. He said;
This beautiful banner presented to the
church tonight has a glorious Tory and
a priceless value. The seven Ions years
of heroic struggle and patient endurance,
the suffering at Morristown and Valley
Forge, the battles from Bunker Hill to
Yorktown, attest the cost of our indepen-
dence. thousand battle1elds, with their
wounded and slain, tell of its priceless
ever been esteemed a virtue. The captive
Jews remembered the dear Judean plains
lon, they sat down and wept. They hanged
their harps upon the willows in the midst
thereof, for, they said, How can we sing
the Lords song in a strange land? Da-
vid, with an Inspiration of love and loyal
ty to Jerusalem, exclaimed. If | forget
thee, o Jerusalem, let my right hand for
the roof Of my mouth if prefer not Jeru-
salem above my chief joy.
May devotion to this land OF liberty
create within each heart conservation to
country that will inspire the sentiment, If
| forget thee, my country, let my right
hand forget her cunning and let my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth if l do not
prefer my country above my chief joy 1t
was devotion to the flag that inspired Bar
years and ten to wave Il from her WIN
dow in defiance of rebel bullets
when States were seeding from the
being seized by the seeding States and
armies were marching in battle array, the
flag of the Nation dishonored, General Dix,
treasurer of the United States, sent the
memorable message to a government officer
at New Orleans closing with the patriotic
order If any man attempts TO haul down
the American flag shoot him on the spot
This loyal message touched responsive
throughout this land. For anew was kim
died the flame of love for the old standard
under which our independence had been
won and our government established. What
the crown the king and the flag are to
other lands the flag alone is to this coun-
try; 1t IS to us the rainbow or promise,
for joy when he beholds it
"A wounded suffering, dying soldier said
to his comrades: Turn me over that l
may once more behold the old his voice
faltered, but, in dying accents, he closed
the sentence with glory This new name
for the countryS cOlors christened with a
soldiers dying breath, was caught up, and
old Glory will henceforth be another
synonym for the country's flag.
'In our State Capitol the battlefront and
tattered colors are preserved as souvenirs
of the heroism of the men who carried
them TO glory, honor and peace Precious
memories are stirred in the bosOms OF old
soldiers when they behold these sacred me-
mentOes of the conflict where they fought
and their comrades fell. Sacred to us is
this banner of our Union. 1t represents
all that is dear 10 US as citizens of this
great government = the endearing ties of
home, the sacred privileges Of the church,
the advantages of education. the blessings
of law and order-in brief. all the mmuni-
ties and protection of citizens at home and
flag
at is dear for what it symbolizes; dear
by reason of the precious memories that
cluster round it; for the hope it inspires
and the protection it gives. 1t was pur-
chased by the blood of our fathers, defend
ed by the Valor of our brothers and sons.
coined death in preference 10 liberty and
life secured through its deSertiOn. Is 1t not,
then, opportune to bring this precious en-
blem of liberty into this temple of wor-
ship, where it's lessons of loyalty and pa
triOtism shall be perpetuated? May its
presence inspire us with loftier patriotism
and with holier conservation to country,
to home and to Him who hath given us
Half million freemen gave life, home and
health that this banner might still be the
emblem of united nation.
'Star-snangled banner sons and daugh-
ters of Hlustrious sires will honor and de-
fend thee. Ensign of liberty, beneath thy
protecting folds the manacles of slavery
promise, banner of freedom! Consecrated
on the field of death; bathed in women's
tears; crimsoned in patriots blood planted
by loyal hands on libertys eternal battle
cred signal of hope to the oppressed of
every landi"