The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-07-28
JUDGE WIN. r. RHEA
Addresses Daughters Of the
Confederacy"--His Elo-
ouent Tribute to the
Ladies Of the
South

DUBLIN, Va, July 2i.-"The Daughter
Of the COnfederacy" held their annua
picnic at Dublin Grove on yesterday snC
Judge Rhea, who bad been invited Il
address them. was present. A large GROVE
Of ladies and gentlemen had gathered Il
hear the eloquent "Son Of the Conleder'
acy" aud democratic standard bearer oi
the 9Th district All, and especially the
ladies'. enjoyed his appropriate and
pleasant address. II the Judge can please
the voters as we'll as he did us our district
will certainly he redemmed, and once
more we will he represented in congress
by an eloquent, able and true SOD. Below
give his closing remarks, a beautiful
tribute to the women of the south-"A
Confederate Daughter"
JUDGE RHEAs ELOQUENT rRrBrTE.
What would the war have been without
the women In III Its memory would have
been robbed of its chief glory.
What has the human race ever accom-
plished without her influence and her
power?
To 90 10 further back than the
Christian era, her history since that
time has been history of wonderful self
sacrifice aud devotion to all that was pure
and noble.
At the cruci6Iion Of our savior, in all
that angry mob, no woman's hand could
lie found to plat the crown Of thorns and
place it upon His sacred head; no woman's
arm could he found to raise the bitter cup
TO His cOnsecrated lips.
She was there as she always is, where
suffering and sorrow is greatest, but she
was there to weep and not TO scof.
She was at the sepulchre, but she was
not there to rob it Of its dead, but to battle
it's sacred ground with her tears and to
testify to her never failing faith and de-
votion.
Since that day she has been at all times
and everywhere messenger OF mercy and
of love.
Where sadness, pain and sorrow have
been the greatest, she has been there to
cheer and sympathize and relieve. Where
JOY and hope and happiness exist, she is
there to share it and promote it.
She follows those who are near and dear
to her like, Ruth followed Naomi, and
without her the home would be mockery
and PARADISE Lost"
She is the ornament Of every church,
the hand maid of the Christian religion,
and in all the walks of life she scatters
the sweet perfume ola Christian character.
In states she shapes and mUulds the |
minds and hearts of those who rule and
control the destines of nations.
She loves to perpetuate and keep sacred
he memory of her loving kin and friends. |
In peace, she wants to preserve the
-enown Of her cOuntry's brave and patri-
,tic soldiers, and in her superb unsel6sh-
less, il never seems TO occur TO her, that
/ woman has any war record worth re-
nembering.
While our southern women since the
var have labored in every way to keep
,reen and sweet in our memories the
lerOic achievements OF our soldiers upon
he battlefield; and while they have toiled
necessarily to erect monuments all over
ur southland to the memory of our
lorious dead, and each returning spring
over their graves with sweetest flowers
nd eyergreens, what has been done by us
0 preserve and perpetuate forever, the
devotion and divine hero
SIN Of oar Confederate mothers, wives,
listers and daughtersl
They cheerfuIly gave the idols of their
carts to the southern army, while they
emain in their homes, constituting the
reat reserve force; and in the hospital
ere angels of comfort any Mercy.
hough history may he silent, yet her
entleness aud sweetness, her courage aud |
,rttude and sacrifices, will live in the
inds and hearts of coming generations,
nd continue to challenge the admiration
the world; aud believe that God, in
is own good time, will raise up some &
reat historian. to write into the worlds
stOry a Just tributA to our Confederate
omen, and there remain as its brightest I
,ge forever.
would not take from, but add to and 1
Icourage every effort to perpetuate the a
livalrOus deeds OF our soldiers, both liv-
6 and dead, still hope | may live to
e, somewhere in our beautiful southern :
'uHtry, a great monument erected and q
to the mothers and daughters Z
the Confederacy, for in giving them to D
e world was the browning effort OF divine u
'ovidence, in behalf of all that was gentle 81
ID noble and sublime in the human q
ce. u