The Portland daily press., 1897-05-31

the veterans OF the Grand Army of the
Repu bic, are slowly but surely disap-
pearlng. from the earth, while new
generation has arisen, too often forgetflll
Of that wars lessons. The Grand Army
will soon have passed away, and while
they remain, it is appropriate that they
meet, thus yearly, to impress on our peo-
pie the lessons then learned in the storm
| of shot and shell.
| Remarks on the new dangers threaten
| ing our country would be appropriate
! today. as also words OF commendation
| of those who laid down their lives to ac-
complish what was then done. For,
| though early in that war, / learned that
as a Christian / could have nothing to
do with it, / also recognized the fact that
as the world now is, war is sometimes q
grim necessity. And if there was justi-
fable war, after once the south had made
peace impossible, the war to suppress the
Rebellion was one But today l feel like
talking in personal fashion to the vet
Grams, for their personal help, encourage
ment.
We have most of us discovered that life
is a conflict, not less real and tragic than
so-called war; Everything, even existence
Itself, means a struggle for attainment
and perpetuity Men succeed and men
fail in this struggle, and the fight goes
on. This is specially true in the realm
OF morals. Right and wrong are In per-
petual conflict. This thought underlies
the f1rst text. And we may understand
by it that in this line life is a conflict,
that 1t is good cause. that faith =
as IN all battle-is necessity for success,
Paul here referring to Faith in Jesus,
and finally the outcome is eternal life. .
1t is fight for existence and eternal
existence at that. ''The survival of the
httest, "a hard law, yet recognized in ma
ture, is also the law of the spiritual
world.
But, not as in other conflicts, all have
winning chance. The servant girl may
win, while the millionaire may miserably
fail. And that because she recognizes her
weakness and seeks the help all must
have, and he trusts in his own strength,
and loses the prize. sis life worth liv-
ing is common question. Ii life is the
theatre of such conflict and the poor
and doWntrodden have fighting chance,
l say it is.
The second text is the cry of victory
from the same man, Paul, the Apostle,
when the warfare was over. He, enlist
ing under the banner which he had once
opposed, giving up everything, position,
wealth, friends, social and educational
advantages, even life itself, with courage
mistaken, and faith in success still
bright, just as ne was to fall in the con-
fiict, could thus shout in token of his ex-
| ~ -
said this he was a prisoner at Rome,
chained in a dungeon, old and feeble,
urging Timothy to bring his ''cloak' be-
fore winter, that he might better meet
sunny Italy's chilly air, and calmly
awaiting, not worldly triumph, but the
swift descending stroke of the headman's
ak! How could he do this? Simply be-
cause he knew that the Silent Comman-
der, sitting in the shadows of his heaven
ly headquarters, would turn this apparent
defeat as He had done in His own case,
into glorious victory. Not victory then,
but when right shall prevail over might,
and the wrongs of the earth shall be
faith in Him. Paul expected complete
victory, and while our victory over rebel
lion is celebrated about the graves of the
men who died that victory might be
ours, in that day, all the warriors will be
there, to receive the "Well done' of the
now absent Commander-in-Ch Chief.
The sermon closed with an exhortation
for all to fight manfully in the good fight
of faith and the reading of Faber's poem,
The Eternal Years. -
In the afternoon the Portland Light In
fantry, Capt. Dow, Co. A, First Regi-
ment, M. S. N. G.-and the High School
Cadet battalion, Major Norton, attended
Pine street M. E. church. The infantry
numbered about IS men and the Cadets
about so. They were accommodated with
the front seats of the church. There was
no attempt at decoration. Rev. F. E.
Rogers the pastor, delivered an able and
Impressive sermon from the text Matthew
XXI, 81: "Render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars and to God the
things that are Gods"
Memorial Sunday was also observed at
the Free street Baptist church, the West
with addresses appropriate to the day and
fine music.