The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-01
VETERANS DAY
AT ASBURY
Veterans Attend Asbury M. E.
Church and Hear DR.. Tinker
Preach.

The veterans Of the city yesterday at
tended Asbury Church, the occasion bein,
known as Veterans Day." The thret
services were especially for the old sol
oilers, and large number attended. In the
morning the Rev. Ezra Tinker, D. D., LII
D., preached an eloquent sermon. In the
afternoon there was love feast, conducted
by the Rev. ]. d. Rigg. while the evening
sermon to the old soldiers was preached by
the Rev. Edward Alien, D. D., ex-chaplair
Of the New York Department of the Grand
Army. The church was crowded at all
services and much interest was manifested
DIR. Tinker took as his text at the morn
ing service II Timothy, 80: "a good SOL
der of Jesus Christi He said in part
II am glad to greet you within these
.consecrated walls. To a cold observer 1t
may seem a little strange that our greet
ings are always so cordial. Since we stood
upon the field of conflict whole generation
has come upon the stage Of action, to whom
the stirring scenes of thirty years ago and
more are but dream. The story Of those
warlike and bloody times appears to the
young men Of to-day like fairy tale. But
to those who participated in them and
were in the front they wear the rugged as
pect Of reality.
I'VE do not assemble for the purpose Of
keeping alive the animosities which were
cngendered by the bloody strife. 1t is
not the old soldier who would reopen the
wounds of the past. The best friends our
brethren in the South have to-day are the
heroes of 1861 and 1865. If there are any
disturbers of our nations peace they belong
to those who have risen into prominence
since the civil war. or to those who in the
hour Of our country's peril remained at
home or sought q safe retreat across the
seas or amid the woods of Canada.
Il have taken for my theme "A good
soldier have taken these words for the
moment out of their immediate connection
in order to replace them at last In their ap-
propriate relation where we shall see the
beauty of their environment, and be led
to admire and even revere the ideal soldier.
In order to be an ideal soldier man must
have before him an object worthy Of his
hest endeavors. Many of the battles of the
world have been fought without the high
est and best motives in view. Study the
history Of ancient and modern conquests
and you will discover that there is much of
hay, wood and stubble in them. When
Nebuchadnezzar over-run Palestine, cap
tured Jerusalem, destroyed the temple,
carried away the sacred vessels and trans
ported the chief Inhabitants he had moth
ing in view but conquests, and the increase
of his own power, When Cyrus in turn
overthrow the Babylonian kingdom, liber-
ated the captive Jews he was mainly gov
erned by his desire for conquest. 1t was
Alexarder's Unsuitable love of power that
led him to marshal the Macedonian bat
talions on the plains OF the farther Ea it.
The Roman Caears were likewise spulred
by the same ambition as they planted the
Italian ensign over land and sea and made
the Roman Iegions a terror to the ends of
the earth. Napoleon the Great was actu-
ated by the same motives and had before
his mind the coreuests of Alexander and
of Caesar.
Tho motives that actuated the heroes
of 1876 were not the desire of conquest
but rather the desire to keep the glorious
Inheritance bequeathed to us by our heroic
forefathers. 1t is now admitted that the
victories won in sixty-one and five were
victories won FOR our entire country. 1t
is now conceded that the reversal of those
victories would have turrod back the hand
on the dial of time for centuries. A good
soldier Places his country before personal
emoluments, honors or comforts A hire
ling sodiery can never be an ideal soldiery
When man engages In war for monetary
consideration or for military renown or
glory the very terms preclude the highest
mr. nd ba n triD
ism is the highest motive aid patriotism
is not mercenary or selfish.
AN ideal soldier is a good soldier of
Jesus Christ The nobIest hero of them all
is the one who has added to his natural
bravery the courage of true Christian.
The qualities and characteristics Of reli-
gious life. Who has not heard of the
famous ronsides, the praying saints of
Oliver Cromwell? Methinks the heroic
lIavelGck would never have had quite so
illustroua name if he had not added to
his other superb characteristics those Of
humble Christian believer The hero of
AppomattpX never seemed quite so heroic
as when in his last days fighting, an I'M
equal battle with the grim monster death,
he calmly and humbly committed his in
hands of the living God, and quietly, but
beievingy awaited the final issue, and
closed his eye with the firm faith that
Jehovah was his rock and refuge.
at is not the sign of cowardce for an
old soldier TO acknowledge his obligation
to God. 1t is the sign of the greatest va
lor II it is heroic for man to recognize
his duty 70 his country and TO be ready to
render the most self-sacrficing service,
how much more heroic it is for man to
acknowledge his obligation to God ard be
ready to perform his duty at the loss Of all
things. Feilow-soldicrs, we are passing
away, ! am exceedingly anxious that my
Old comrades shall also be true soldiers Of
Jesus Christ Then when the final roll
call is had on the plains of light we shall
answer to our names and be crowned vic.
tors forever more"