The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-24
AT THE VETERANS sHRvICM AT
THE CLINT8N AVENUE NJ. e.
CHURCH.
FOUR LOCAL POSTS ATTEND,
A Well az the Kindred Orders, and
a Large Congregation Aside.
From Both.


Of national flags and flowers. The
organ loft was completely covered by
the folds Of two large American flags
draping down to the pulpit. where the
Bible rested upon silk emblem reach
ing to the floor in front. The walls
and ceiling Of the church were likewise
CARRIED In red, white and blue colors,
presenting to the veterans who listened
to the sermon at every turn Of the eye
a remembrance Of the scenes and
events which had given birth to the
commemorative occasion. Seats were
reserved for the old soldiers in the
body Of the church, and at am early
hour the entire auditorium was filed.
The veterans occupied the center aisles.
with the members Of the Sons Of Veter-
ans and Woman's Relief corps flank
ing either side. Special music was pro-
vided for the occasion by male
quartette. which at the close Of the ser
mon led the aggregation in the singing
Of the national hymn. America. The
organizations represen ed in the oongre-
cation were: Gettysburg post, Gen.
Ord post, Garfield post, Acnsr post.
Sons of Veterans, W. r. G. Acker post,
W. r. G. Garfield post, W. r. c. Gen.
Ord post, Ladies Of the G. A. R.,
Ladies Aid Of the Sons of Veterans.
Mr.. Avison chose as his text part OF
Joshua xiv, 49,, aAnd the land had
rest from war" He said:
Thirty-two years removed from the
scenes and events which we commemo-
rate today, we find the time and peace
which pervades the Hand favorable to
the study of causes and results Of the
great civil struggle through which our
beloved land was called upon to pass.
To form correct estimate and there
fore to profit by those sad experiences
should be a part of this day. There
were two principles at stake in that
conflict. First, that which concerned
the person Of man and liberty; second,
that which concerned institutions and
the perpetuity Of the Union. The one
necessary to man as man, and the
other necessary to the nation as a ma
ton.
+ I have chosen this order for the
reason that God is always Interested in
the Individual man more than In in
stitutions. The reason for this primary
interest in man, Is that man in our
world reveals the. divine image. God
created man in His, own image" Not
only has God created man in His -own
image, but He has made Of one blood
all nations Of men to dwell upon all the
face of the earth. Here you have the
origin Of the race, the nature of the
race and the solidarity of the race
revealed. Again, God set man over the
work Of His hands. Every man was
intended to be king, and no pro-
vision was made for slavery. So we
need not be surprised when man comes
before us as the center Of every con-
Ss IL. III I,o
been the problem Of ages. In Egypt,
Babylon, Russia, Ireland. Armenia and
America, wherever the question has
been settled, 1t is always in mans in
terest. The oppression Of mankind has
always sooner OF later come to naught.
God has His men ready for every
emergency. There is Moses in Egypt;
a Daniel in Babylon; a Garibaldi in
Rome; an Alexander II. in Russia;
Gladstone in England, and a Lincoln i'll
America. Your cause triumphed, not
because Of your superior ability or
courage, but because you were on Gods
side of the question. Yours was a
righteous cause.
Where and when did this conflict be-
gin? In 1920 the first installment Of
slaves were distributed at Jamestown.
In a few months the Mayfower
landed at Plymouth Rock. The one
to make that nation of despots and
slaves. and the other to make it the
land Of the brave and the home Of the
free. The one to perpetuate the sys-
tenn Of the old world, the other to
work out the sublimest achievement OF
civil and religious liberty. So in these
cargoes we have the seeds Of the har-
vest which you reaped from 1860 co
1866. whatsoever a nation sows that
shall it also reap.
After the Revolutionary war. Thomas
Jefferson was intruSted with the draw
ing Of the articles Of confederation, reg
their colonies The fifth article pro-
hibited slavery or involuntary servi-
tude Of any kind in the colonies after
the year Of our Lord 1900, and If it
had not been for the absence Of one
member from New Jersey, this would
have carried, and in all probability the
civil war would have been pre-
vented. This compact Of the states
proving Intellectual, a convention was
called three years later to provide
constitution for these United States.
Again the effort was made to prevent
the extension of slavery. Georgia and
South Carolina were again in line for
slavery, no union, could be heard. AL
though the great men Of that conven-
ton were all opposed to slavery, the
crisis was so great that q compromise
was again effected.
To the credit Of the nation, be it sald
she proved herself equal to the task Of
righting her own wrongs. But what
did it cost? You men must say. You
know as no others can the price paid
for the nations life; a price paid in
blood. So far ,fromtthe scene Of war
we are in danger Of forgetting the sac
rifices made, In the War of the Revo-
luton the number killed, wounded and
| captured at Yorktown and Saratoga
was $4,000. You witnessed that loss in
a single battle in aEsingle day.
The rank andtf1le Of the old regular
army stood loyal, even after the Off
GERS, who had beenn educated at the
public expense, and who had taken an
oath to defendd the country and its
flag. had forsworn and turned traitors.
But how unnatural the conflict
Brother against .sbrother; parent
against child; children against the par
ent: q domestic war, cthe saddest Of all
| wars. When Grant was asked why he
did not put down the rebellion in q
few months, heoreplied: 1--WE could, If
we had been fighting Englishmen; but
we have been fighting Americans"
How can we honor the living and
| show a reverence for the memory Of
| the dead soldiers? Monuments fade
and flowers decay. Strew the most
| II - n>Il Mt