The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-05-17
Memorial Day.

Department Commander w. j. Patter-
son, in his General Orders, No. l3, rela-
tive to Memorial Day, makes use of the
following patriotic words:
The blossoms of spring time remind us
that Memirial day is again at hand, Our
Memorial Day is one of sacred memories
and is to be devoted to the loyal dead of
the land day in which grateful peo-
pie pay loving tribute to the men who
died that the Nation might live; day
set apart by the Grand Army of the Re-
public to fiuingly commemorate the glor-
ious deeds OF heroic men who fell defend
Ing one country and one flag.
1t is our hallowed duty to participate in
the observance of the ceremonies of the
30th of May, and no consideration should
turn ms aside from our sacred obligations.
Let all the comrades unite in the prvi-
leges and duties of The day; none should
fail to join the column of those engaged
in loving and patriotic services to the
memory of our dead comrades. The
grave of every comrade should be mark
ed with flags and flowers, and not one of
these mounds should be neglected.
If those not of our organization desire
to join with you bid them welcome, yet
let + one but loyal hands touch the hal
lowed ground.
Let us all unite in these offices of love
to the memory of our comrades in arms
whose lives were cut off by the fratricidal
darts of treason, or having passed through
the fire of battle and the barbarism of
rebel prison pens, have since joined the
Grand Army Encampment in the shades
of the other shore.
When we make our annual pilgrimage
to the silent cities of the dead we will find
many new mounds marking the final
halting places OF comrades who have fall
len out by the wayside during the year,
and who are now at rest under the sod
anG the dew.
The new-made graves of soldiers and
sailors rising so rapidly in our cemeter-
! les admunish us that we are on the west
ern slope # life aud that our great organ
! ization is fast growing smaller in num-
bers, aud that many of our comrades who
have heretofore assisted in doing honor
to the memory of the dead are now in
the ranks of those who have passed on
before.
Let us continue to keep our patriotic
Memorial Day bright before the Ameri
can people, "Let us so number our days
that we may apply our hearts into
wisdom" so that when done with tn,
tolls and duties of this life our name'
may be found among those who have
been faithful to the end.
The roll of the mustered-Out will con-
tinue to increase until ere long the entirt
membership of our magnificent ordel
shall be at rest in the bivouacs of thu
dead and the Grand Army of the Kepub
lie will live only in history.
"Step by step our ranks are thinning.
One by one they pass away.
Here the loyal blue are falling,
Yonder fail their vanquished gray ;
And the solemn bells are tOlliug
Dust to dust and clay To clay
As part of our duty IL Is directed that
Posts attend Divine Service on Sunday
May 2Sth, 10 unite the praises and thanks
giving to Almighty God for the many
blessings vOuch saicd 10 our beloved
country. Every church will gladly wei
come YOU, and arrangements should b'
made with the clargymen ~ 10 the ser
mons to be preached aud the music to be
sung on the occasion. The sermon should
be based on the theme 'Of the results %
the war for the Union To- mankind and
humanity" and the music in addition t'
being devotional should be patriotic
Every Post must take part IN thes'
church services and So Tar as practicable
every comrade should wear the uniform
| and hadge of nnr OrganlZatiOn.