The Portland daily press., 1897-02-22
TRUE PATRIOTISM.
Rev. DIR. Worcester at New Jerusalem
Church Yesterday.

Good Turn Out of the Organizations
An Interesting Story of the Flag.
Bosworth and Thatcher posts, G.. A.
r, and their relief corps, Shepiey camp,
and the Ladies' Aid society. in all some
over a hundred of tbs members of these
organizations, assembled with the mem
bers of the church and parish of the New
Jerusalem church on New High street,
to participate in the special patriotic SER
vices arranged by the pastor ana people
of this church in honor of the birth OF
the father of his country, George Wash
ington.
The service began with the usual or.
gan voluntary by Prof. E. H. Paine. af-
ts which the choir rendered An sppro-
pirate anthem. After the singing of the
hymn, BE Thou o God, Exhalted
High" prayer was offered, the Scrip
ture read, and responsive reading of the
lesson of the morning.
The pastor, Rev. Samuel Worcester,
then read "Story Of Flag" which
was written for the occasion by Com
rade J. L. Skinner of Los Angeles.
Cali.
A STORY OF A FLAG.
July 4, 1864, was an eventful day at
Camp Oglethorpe, Macon, Ga. This
camp, which was located on what before
the war was the fair grounds, was sur
rounded by high board fence, near the
top OF which, on the outside, WAS plat
form extending around the camp, on
which the guards promenaded constant
~ day and night. Some Is or 20 feet in
side this fence was light picket fence
which was the dead line. AT this time
there were confined in this pen 1900
officers of the Union army as prisoners
were all driven TO one end of the pen for
the purpose of roll call. While there
en- masse, one of the smallest of the
prisoners drew from his breast pocket
small silk flag, not more than six inches
in length, which some lady had present.
ed him with when he left home for the
war. The sight Of the Stars and Stripes
in prison created profound sensation.
The prisoners nearest picked the little
man up and set him upon their should
ers. From this exalted position he tri-
umphantly waved "Old Glory" above
our heads. The enthusiasm was spcn-
tansous and knew no bounds. Cheer
after cheer resounded through the air,
each one of the 1900 patriotic men ex-
erting his lungs to their utmost capaoi-
ty. This was the signal for grand
Fourth of July celebrations Fourth
of July celebration in prison pen in
the very heart of the enemy's country.
We had speeches and Rotations inter-
spersed with patriotic songs, in the midst
of which the officers in charge appeared,
stopped the proceedings and posted the
following notice upon the door of the
large hall:
q. 8. Military prison,
Macon, July.4. 1854.
Special ORDERS No. g.:
Lieut.. Col. Thorp is relieved from
duty as senior officer of prisoners for
violation of prison rules. and Lieut..
Col. McCrary will again assume that po-
sition.
1.-The same order and quiet will be
observed on this day as on any other.
III.-A disregard of this order may
subject offenders to unpleasant conse-
auen0es' 's'saa so. .'e1BBs,
Capt Comd'g.
Col. Thorp's "violation of prison
ruIes'' consisted in his making patri-
otto spesch in honor of the flag and the
day. = Il copied their order at the time
and have the original oopy.) Being COM
pclled to stop our celebration We ad-
1ourned by giving three rousing cheers
each for Lincoln, johnson, Grant, Sher-
ann and the flag.
The little silk flag that aroused so
much enthusiasm was owned and dis
played by Capt. H. II. Todd, Sth N. Y.
Vols. It is still in his possession and is
sacredly kept in safe deposite vault ms
one of the banks in Armada. Cali, and
as Mr.. Todd recently remarked to me:
"There Ia not money enough in the
United States to buy it.
j. L. SKINNER,
Late Capt. 21th Regt. Mass. Vols.
Los Angeles, Cali, Feb. 9, 1897.
The hymn "The Mighty Power We
Sing" was then sung by the congrega-
tion, after which the pastor and comrade,
Rev. Samuel Worcester, The text was
taken from John XIV, verses 10 and IA.
The subject of the sermon was True
Patriotism.
The altar and pulpit Of the church
were appropriately decorated with flags,
and two stacks of rifles were. arranged in
front Of the altar.