River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-06-03
THE SOLDIERS HoNoRED.
Memorial Sermon at st. Bridget's
Church Sunday. and Parade,
and Patriotic Exer-
cises on Mon


At the far, and somewhat triumph
ant, end of this nineteenth century,
the old soldier is always very much in
evidence. This is as it should be, and |
nobody grudges him his high place in
the walks of government or his firm |
holo upon the hearts of the people. |
But the day of days for the surviving |
soldier is undoubtedly the thirtieth of |
May Then, even more than on the |
Fourth of July, he is1ifted out of his
everyday toilings, however prosy or
however unheroic. and for day at
least, the equal Of all men, parades in
company with old glory and lives over
again the drums and tramplings of
courageous past.
On Sunday, accordingly, occurred the
annual religious ceremony in honor
of the departed soldiers, an exercise
that is always, either by direct inten-
ton or accidental inference, as much
tribute to the living soldier as to
the dead. On this occasion, for the
first time in the city's history, the
Memorial sermon was preached by a
Catholic priest, and in the Catholic
church. The c. A. r. post having
accepted Rev. Father Duren's invita-
tion to meet at st. Bridget's, the other
churches of the city held no special
services at that particular session,
and the Congregational, Methodist
and Baptist churches announced
their adjournment. In Trinity
church the usual services were held,
but no effort was made to detract
from the larger gathering, 1.-THE in
tention being to afford a place of wor-
ship to those who preferred the quiet
of their accustomed pews, or for other
reasons might not be accommodated
at st. Bridget's.
This arrangement was especially
fortunate, since long before the hour
for the opening service people began
to file into the church, and by ten
O'Clock the pews were already filled.
Many turned away from the doors for
| lack of accommodation and a con-
siderable number of people stood up
during the entire service. Fully seven
hundred people, by actual count OF
the ushers, entered the church, many
TO worship, some but to see and hear.
The interior of the church present.
ed a glittering and very active scent;
| flaming wax tapers stood in SYM
metrical figures behind the chancel,
the regalia and sacred emblems lay in
their wonted places here and there,
and on either hand stood the crucifix
and the image of the Virgin Mary.
Festoons of fir hung between the
windows along the sides Of the church,
aud these, together with many
flowers. wrought a softening and very
refreshing influence upon the garish
flood OF sunlight that streamed in
through the tinted windows.
Rev. Duren was singularly com
PLEASANT to the stranger within his
doors. He explained the significance
of the various emblems and cere-.
monials, announced the beginning of
mass and made things as plain as
could we'll be expected. 1t Is'safe to say
! that most of the non-Catholics in at
| tendance learned more Of the merit
and intent of the mass and its acces-
sorry implements, than they had ever
known before. The singing added
much of both beauty and solemnity
to the service, and the responses to
! the intnnations Of the priest during
mass were especially effective.
Rev. Duren's Grafton was at the
same time an enthusiastic tribute to
the soldiers and an exposition of the
Catholic idea of patriotism. The
attitude OF the Catholics, he declared,
was one of cordial gratitude toward
the soldiers and of-implicit loyalty TO
the State. He often addressed his
remarks directly to the ranks of the
G. A. r. and to the ladies of the
Relief Corps, who occupied pews in
| the midst of the church, and spoke
| with much Zest and earnestness. He
seemed especially anxious to please
| this factor Of his congregation, in
whose honor the meeting was arrang-
ed, and succeeded signally in doing so.
With the singing of the national air,
America, the service was brought to a
| spirited conclusions.
On Monday occurred the usual pro-
cession and open-air exercises, carried
out under an uncongenial sky with a
chill wind blowing, but with all
manner of martial spirit and still
more martial music. The G.. A. r.
were out ia force and gave direction
aud the true tone of dignity to the
procession. The place at the head of
the line of march they yielded, with
| soldierly grace. to the Amateur Band,
and for the first time since their
organization the boys blossomed out,
to the unceasing delight of all be-
holders, in a great glory Of navy blue
and gold braid. Throughout the day,
whether on the march and blowing
their liyeliest quick step, or lounging
oibh OouSNlOuS CdoC aocob ohC A0'DS,
they were the observed of all observers.
Next behind the 6. A. r., who
followed the band, came the Modern
Woodmen, succeeded By the model
grades of the High school, 1.-The Relief
Corps, the singers and speakers. and a
long line of vehicles. On the forelawn
of the Greenwood cemetery a
temporary stage had been built, and
about this the procession dispersed
itself TO listen to the following pro-
gram: Services by Commander, sing
ing by tue choir, prayer by Rev. Be-
wick, Lincoln's address at Gettysburg
by Chas. Houston, recitation by Mrs.
Marshall. address by Rev. Mcintosh,
singing by the choir, defamation by
Lyman Weld, services by Commander,
rifle salute, singing of America, and
benediction by Rev. Mcintosh.
In conclusion the graves or the
soldiers were decorated, and the usual