The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-06-02

organ. On either side of the pulpit rifles
were stacked, with Torbert guidons pro-
jecting above. Notwithstanding the
heavy showers early in the evening there
was a good attendance
Rev. w. H. Kershaw of the Congre-
gational Church read the Scripture and
prayer was offered by Rev. DR.. Coultas
of the Methodist Church, while Rev. J.
Macnaughtan of the First Presbyterian
Church read the hymns. Organ
ist c. A. Muir played as a prelude
Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever"
Frank Eaton rendered in clear tone Kip
ling's Recessional written by Dekoven.
Rev. Dr. Erdman's discourse won the
closest attention of every one present.
His earnestness, added to the beautiful
conception and phraseology of the ad-
dress made an impression on many pres
ent that was at once apparent. DR.. Erd-
mans sermon in full appears below:
COMRADES AND FRIENDS: In accor-
dance with the annual custom, never to
be interrupted trust, we are met with
in these sacred walls to commemorate
the events of a glorious past, and to re-
mind ourselves anew of the unfading
truth, that we, each Of us, owe two
fold allegiance-to our country and our
God. Nor is it a merely formal service
in which we engage, there's an under
tone of pathos and sadness that pro-
foundly stirs the heart. as we look
around US and think of the rapidly
thinning ranks. The battle-scarred
veterans, who during four years of
bloody warfare, stirred all hearts with
the splendor of their heroism are fast
passing away. We ourselves are con-
scious that the forms, once SO straight
and strong and alert, tremble a little
and bend little, more and more, under
the weight of increasing years, that the
step once so buoyant is not quite so quick
and steady as in the days gone by. 1t is
thirty-four years-a full generation
since the war for the Union. But, thank
God, if eye and hand and foot do falter a
little, the heart is as young as ever and
the blood thrills as of old, while honor
and loyalty and duty are the themes of
the hour, and the scenes of '6l-'65 pass
once again before us. How the old
memories throng and press upon us
memories of the noble dead, of heroic
deeds, of pain and suffering bravely
endured-memories of the fathers and
brothers, husbands and sons. "The
brave hearts that never more shall beat,
the eyes that smile no more, the unre-
turning feet"
This presence, these faces, all fade
away. Back comes the past Into these
aisles and by your side, shadowy forms
are gathering, the comrade who wasted
I. IL Na1 i,a xtvhn fall hu thl
side, he with whom you stood shoulder
to shoulder in the dread line OF battle,
and went over the rifie-pits together, all
are here, the living and the dead; we
feel the old touch of elbow to elbow, and
all are one again in the deathless union
of an imperishable renown.
They and we are but common men,
but none the less part of glorious past,
We stood together in the struggle for
national unity, national honor, and tor
the dear old flag we can never love too
we'll, we never loved it more than we do
tonight 1t is right and fitting that we
should honor the memory of the illus
trious dead, and all who gave their lives
in the great cause are illustrious.
History tells us that in the ancient
days of Greece, 2 400 years ago, at the
close of each year during a war, the
Athenians reverently gathered the re-
mains of their slain for great public
funeral. Representatives of the towns
and tribes of which the dead had been
members, bore their bodies in cypress
coffins, in solemn procession to a beauti
full suburb of the city, where public
sepulchre was erected to receive them,
One sumptuous bier was always carried
in the procession empty, but wreathed
with flowers, for those whose remains
could not be found. At the grave where
the ceremonies were concluded, the
funeral Grafton was delivered by the
most distinguished general or official Of
State. 1t was on such an occasion that
Pericles, the greatest of Athenian states
men, pronounced that funeral oration,
which is the masterpiece of all past ages.
"These men, . he said, ''having bestowed
their lives upon the public, each has re-
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