The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-31

The Memorial Day services at the
First NJ. E. church were concluded last
evening. A large congregation was
present and Pastor Henry preached an
eloouent sermon on Memorial Day
and IFS Lessons The choir furnished
special music both at the morning and
evening services. a special feature of
the latter being a solo by Mrs. Plum
mer.
Rev. Henry's sermon was substan-
tally as follows:
We are on the eve of one of the most
important anniversaries of the year
Important, because it is in commemor-
alton of a period in onr national life
when the very foundations of our re-
publican form Of government were
most thoroughly tested; important, be-
cause no nation can afford to permit
10 sink into forgetfulness such loyal
services as were rendered by our patrA-
otto heroes during the dark days of the
civil war; important, because or the
lessons of loyalty and PATRIOTISM,
which the proper observance of this
day cannot fail to inculcate-
To me there is something sacred
about Memorial Day. 1t is not mere
holiday: An occasion for mere bols-
ferrous sports and thoughtless merl1-
ment. It is fraught with deepest mean
ing ana Is GSleDIdlcQ Will q 1CCA4-6
reverent JOY and gratitude that rs
tinged with sadness. In a quiet corner
of little ehurchyard sloping gently
toward the village where l was born, i'll
central New York, my father lies
buried over his grave tomorrow VIII
float the flag that he followed IN me
field. Loving hands of surviving coth-
rades VII cover the mound with flow
ers. Loving hearts will remember his
loyalty and devotion. 1 can remember
my mother taking me, a little fellow
who knew not the meaning of her tears
to that quiet spot, and telling me he
story of her life and his, and planting
in my heart love and reverence Tor
every true man who wole the blue
There are others among you wao
have similar memories and to you this
day is sacred for personal reasons.
Who is there among us, who cherishes
a love for country and who has the
slightest appreciation of the meaning
of Memorial DaY. who is not stirred
by line thoughts il recalls. 1t carries Us
hack TO the darkest period of American
history When the nation tha- our
forefathers founded was Threatened
with disruption; when the morlrches
OF Europe were looking to see the utter
failure of a republican form of govern
ment: when lovers of liberty ali the
world over were confounded oy the
prospective overthrow of all thei-
honcs. In the issue about to be irie1
by the aIbitrament of arms, there was
more at stake than the mere question
of slavery. more at stake than the
question of states rights and national
sovereignty. more even than the queS-
ton of union or disunion- The question
10 be decided was, in the language of
Iincoln's Gettysburg address, that
government of the people, by the peo-
- "a M TaaTiGh FINN
the earth" The whole civilized world
was interested in the gathering of that
ominous storm-cloud that came rolling
slowly out of the south and that threat
ened to carry before it the truest ideals
of human government that had yet
found expression in the history of any
people Our memories are short. They
are not very vivid after the passing of
a generation. If this were not true we
would not need to be reminded of the
tremendous issues at stake. The world
had Just emerged from the dark
ness of the middle ages; from
scenes of oppression, cruelty and tyr
amy almost inconceivable. But a few
generations separated US from st. Bar
tholomew's day and from the relentless
prosecutions of Puritans and Dissenters
in Holland and England. Men were still
living who had heard the first reading
of the declaration of independence. Our
republic was in its infancy; its char
acter had never been severely tested
It was almost inconceivable to those
who held TO the old ideals of the divine
right of kings that it could stand the
test when it came. For many years
there had been the mutterings of dis
content The word 'disunion" had
been whispered among the dissatisfied
had been uttered aloud in the heat OF
debate, had forced its way into news
paper editorials, had even been ut
tered in the national senate chamber
How magnificent was that preliminary
strife upon the senate floor, when Web
ster and Hayne, Sumter. Calhoun an6
Clay engaged in debate upon the mos
1nomentous political question of any
age. and then the ferment among the
people north and south, and then the
appeal to arms. Like an electric thrill
the word went through every city, vii
iage and hamlet, Fort Sumter ma:
been fired upon
There are many present this evening
who distinctly recall the excitement.
and emotions of those days, when the
call had come from Washington fol
volunteers and the whole north wa:
turned into a recruiting camp" wher
there was everywhere the hustle o.
preparation; when whole companies o.
fathers. husbands, brothers, wer,
marching out of almost every village
Chaplain, now Bishop McCabe, says
I'VE opened the doors of the regimen
lust as we open the doors of the churcl
with prayer and song" What en-
thusiasm that old recruiting song in
spired:
we are coming. we are coming,
The Union TO restore,
We are coming. Father Abraham,
Six hunderd thousand more.
:.
the audience the chaplain said, ''hi
would generally yield when we sing:
IF you look up all the valleys,
Where the growing harvests shine,
You can see our sturdy farmer boys,
Fast falling into line.
-And children, from their mothers knees
are pulling at the weeds.
And learning how TO reap and sow.
Against their country's needs.
and a farewell group stands weeping
At every cottage door;
We are coming. we are coming,
Six hundred thousand more"
Do YOU think that memories of thos
davs do not live in the hearts of tn
old soldiers and of their gray haire,
wives and mothers2 Think of the wear,
waiting on the part of those left BE
hind: the rumors of battle; the cage
search for news; the questions: rs h'
wounded ," HAS he fallen?" rs hi
name among the missing?' The SLOW
letters from the front. The weeks
dragging into months and years. anC
stin the war going on, alternate vic
tory and defeat; the final news of vic
tory; the return-in many cases as sac
as the departure.
Mingled with these different set o
memories. scenes of camp life, face
Of old comrades. long. weary marches