The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-06-01
The Graves of the Dead SOLDIER
Loaded with Flowers.

1
mortal services under the auspices of
B. r. Palmer Post commenced on
| Sunday evening last at the Grand
opera house. A chorus consisting of
Mr.. and Mrs. Henshaw, Mrs. Jami-
son, Misses Whipple and fowler and
MILFORD Davis, with Mrs. Miller at
the piano, rendered appropriate mu-
sic very effectively. After a prayer
by Rev. G. E. Smith of the Congrega-
tional church, Rev. S. A Smith de-
livered fine sermon from the text.
I have fought good fight. It was q
remarkable address, beginning with
patriotism and concluding with d.
rect appeal to the old soldiers to en-
list under the banner of Jesus Christ.
While it does it great injustice to pub
lish less than the full text, and even
that would fail to give it effect, for its
delivery was admirably effective in
giving it its force and it's charm, yet
point here and there are we'll worth
considering.
After paying just tribute to the in
dividual soldier of the war of the re-
belllon. and calling up many of the
thrilling events of that war he said
that the United States had never yet
waged an unholy war. History is re-
plete with narratives of wars for con-
quest, for personal ambition, national
pride and lust of wealth; but alone
of nations every war of the United
States had been for principle. The
war of the revolution was a forcible
protest against unjust taxation and
tyrannical rule: that of 1872 was a
protest against the invasion of ma
tional rights-a war for establishing
respect among the nations; the Next
can war was waged to assist Texas to
establish autonomy; the war of the re-
bellion to maintain the integrity of
the Union, and the Spanish-American
war to assist nation to free itself
from cruelty Of which meant annihila-
tion.
Furthermore every war had accom-
plished more than was originally an
ticipated. Independence resulted
from the revolution, and the thirteen
colonies expanded to an empire en-
bracing all the United States territory
east of the Mississippi, excepting
Florida; the war of 1872 proved to the
world that the grown republic must
be respected as we'll on the water as
upon the land; the Mexican war gave
us Texas, New Mexico and California;
the war of the rebellion freed four
millions of slaves, and the late Span
ish war had extended our horizon to
the orient.
He believed the present war was
just and holy, and that the nation was
under the direct guidance of provi-
dence for a high and holy purpose.
The control of the natives whom we
seek to succor was absolutely neces-
sary for their permanent welfare.
He said that our wars had followed
in such succession and at intervals
which made each the school for the
one to follow. Every war had trained
men for successes in the next. He
paid an eloquent tribute to national
character as exemplified in Washing
ton, Lincoln and Mckinley, and re-
joiced that the patriotism and valor
OF the gray was as much the pride and
heritage of the nation as that of the
blue.
He concluded with q direct appeal
to the grand army members present.
They had fought a good fight and
won. There remained one more in
evitable conflict that with death, and
if they would win that it must be be-
meath the banner of Him only who, in
his own person had conquered death.
Under His leadership they might we'll
exclaim, at the supreme moment: 80
Death, where is thy sting-O Grave
where is thy victory"
For forty minutes Mr.. Smith held
his audience closely, every word fall
ing upon appreciative ears. The in
clement weather prevented many from
attending, and the HERALD only re-
grets inability to give sermon in full.