The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-29
Interesting Address
Of Rev. Edward A.
Horton of Boston.
MECHANICS HALL FILLED
An Eloquent Tribute to the
Soldiers Of 1861
and 1898.

The annual memorial services of
George H. Ward Post, No 10, G. A. r.,
were held last night in Mechanics hall
with Rev. Edward A Horton of Bos-
ton as principal speaker.
The body of the hall and nearly every
seat in the gallery was filled by a rev.
erent, enthusiastic and patriotic audi
ence. Rev. Mr.. Horton is one of the
most powerful speakers ever heard in
Worcester and the service last night
was thoroughly appreciated by the
audience.
Rev. Mr.. Horton spoke on the Ameri-
can spirit which first made the indie
.pendence of the united colonies a pos
slbility, then welded them together by
the constitution, later bound them by
the war of the rebellion and lastly
threw their influence and power in the
scales for humanity's cause against
tyranny and oppression. The audience
caught the spirit that moved the speak
er and applauded with equal favor the
names of heroes of the Spanish-Ameri-
can war that they showed towards the
names of heroes of the war in which
they were part of the army.
Mckinley, Long, Miles and Dewey
were applauded and cheered with Lin
coin, Grant and Farragut. The speaker
said that the spirit which actuated
these heroes is the same and has ever
been the same since the beginning of
our history. If the country is to con-
tinue to prosper and stand foremost in
the nations Of the world this spirit
must continue and be fostered by the
children
The exercises commenced at 7.30
but considerably earlier than that hour
the members of the Grand Army and
members of the affiliated organizations
gathered at the hall. The front was re-
served for members of the G. A. r.,
Woman's Relief Corps, Camp A. A.
Goodell and Camp Willie Grout, Sons of
Veterans, Clara Barton Tent, Daugh-
tiers of Veterans, and the Ladies' Aid
Society. The gallery and remaining
seats We're thrown open to the general
public and quickly filled.
The stage was reserved for pupils OF
the classical and English high schools,
who were assigned the musical part
of the program, and the present and
past officers of the post. At 7.3O o'clock
Rev. Mr.. Horton accompanied by Com
mander r. B. Edwards, Rev. DR.. Moses
H. Harris, Past Department Command
ers James K, Churchill and William
II. Bartlett and Past Commanders t.
Spencer jerks, George w. Mtrick, Gen.
A. b. R. Sprague, Capt. 9. H. Plnkhan'
William L. Robinson, Capt. Amos M.
Parker and Hon. A. S. Roe took seats
on the platform.
The exercises opened with singing
"Our defenders" by the high school
pupils, under the direction Of Seth
Richards. Rev. DR.. Harris then oHered
prayer, and after singing Of columbia
nv the chorus. Commander Edwards
reported that since the last annual
10 members have passed away
He then introduced Rev. Edward A.
Horton of Boston.
Rev Mr.. Horton was enthusiastically
received, and won his audience with
two humorous stories pertaining to
ministers. He said he would speak OF
1.-The American spirit" This is,
above all times in modern history,
when the eyes of all nations are fixed
upon America to see what she is doing
and what she intends doing with the
problems that confront her. l believe
the United States will overcome and
surmount all questions of the present
and future, as she has in the past,
through the American spirit, the Amer
lean destiny, the American hope and
American character. Are we, comrades,
concentrating a finished past or
are we touching the pulse of pro-
crossing future, a present that
is dawning with new found glory? Such
a spectacle as this tonight is of the
forwarding look. You have heard of
the loss of the post within the past
year, and a tear has fallen and a gar
land been placed on the mound of the
departed comrade, but the soldier saves
the eye and looking forward sees the
departed comrades reckoning us on to
a new found and never ending glory.
"The civil war was not thing by it
self. 1t was not a story by the way
side, an event set apart by itself, but
it was an incident in the natural
growth of the republic. 1t was one Of
the four great incidents of the history
of the United States Let US look
not to the landing of the pilgrims but
the assertion of independence, which is
the first incident Independence was as
serted, not simply proclaimed, and the
assertion was backed up by the Amer
lean spirit that was unfailing.
The second incident was the adoption
of the constitution of the United States,
which is a document weaved of divine
fibres and broad enough to bridge the
greatest questions that will arise.
THE third incident was the war Of
the rebellion when the Union was test
ed and preserved so that the Mississippi
did not divide two realms, and the I'm
ion flung out its flag without fear or
tremor.
"The fourth incident for the response
of the country to humanity'S cause.
When the cry for help went up the
country took its flag and battled sturdi-
~ for humanity's cause. The members
Of the Grand Army know the trouble
and contention of war and know that
despite the wailings of critics who
perch themselves on high pedestals
and believe themselves higher than the
Almighty, this country was bound for
peace II is not like a lion with spread
claws looking to tear something. The
United States of America, in the face
Of the indictment that it has love Of
war has settled so great questions by
arbitration, more than will be found in
modern history. The questions were
all infiammable and such as would have
Germany and France tearing at each
others threats in no time. In no other
part Of the world will you find the
frontier, where two countries join, as
free from fortresses and buttresses as
along the lakes and Pacific coast.
This country was the first to show
how TO create a big army and then dis
arm and return the men to peaceful
life. They cannot show in the old
world any such receding example as
this. And now as we think of The
Hague. and however skeptical we are
of the sincerity of the car, the United
States Of America has welcomed the
rescript for the meeting and will be
reuresented at the meeting with the
hone for a permanent tribunal of ar
hitration that viii sit from January to
December and settle all questions
peacefully and without recourse being
taken to war.
I'VE have carved inches in the coun-