Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-05-31
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.
Fitting Religious Servlces-Eloquent
Sermon by Rev. Albert Hammatt.

AssAA6 A\ShSAO wi VASSo "kAVAuSA
Sermon by Rev. Albert Hammatt.
The memorial services held in the opera
house at 8 P. NJ. Sunday attracted large
and were thoroughly enjoyed by
all present. Thirty-two members Of the
G. A. R. and 20 members of the W. r. G.
occupied reserved seats in the middle of
the house. Excellent music was furnished
by chorus consisting of G. B. Wheeler,
H. G. Elliott, G. G. A. Ames, C.E. White,
Leon Ball, W. E. Bowtell, E. E. Fleury
c. L. Barber and Mr.. Bleumer; Misses
Eta Labaree, Cora Shedd, Ruth White,
Anna Williams, Charlotte Day, Grace
Church, Lena Cooper and Mrs. Bleumer.
Prayers we're offered by Rev. F. W. Lewis
and Rev. j. H. Reid and the Scripture
read by Rev. G. R. B. Dodge.
The SERMON.
The sermon delivered by Rev. Albert
Hammatt, pastor of the First Universalist
church, was thoughtful and eloquent, ap-
pealing to the heart and to the nnder-
standing.
Mr.. Hammatt took his text from Romans
12:1 and his introduction paved the way
to bis theme, Emancipation, or q Living
Memorial. Among other things he said !:
"It has well been observed that as a ma
ton we are just entering upon our monu-
mental age. At Bunker Hill is that tower
ing obelisk; at Lexington the embattled
farmer; at Plymouth the colossal figure Of
faith, looking across the sea, catching the
first CLEANS and glory of the morning sun,
proclaiming to all the world the thrilling
story of the Mayfower, with its preciou.
freight of civil and religious liberty; in
nearly every public cemetery is bronze or
stone, the soldier and the sailor guarding
well the splendid work you wrought in the
flesh and proclaiming to all the world the
citizens duty to the state. As I walked
through Westminster Abbey, as l stood
beside the graves of Nelson and Napoleon,
Shakespeare and Sir Walter Scott, was
led to believe, as never before, in the edu-
cative and uplifting ministry of monuments.
Fellow citizens,you may not agree with me,
but l believe that broad-gauged, enter
prising, up-to-date Bellows Falls ought long
ago to have erected memorial shaft to
fttingly commemorate the valor and the
sacrifice of our Boys in Blue.
After giving vivid word picture Of the
citizen soldier; after paying hearty and
deserved tribute to the splendid and the
successful fighting that was done by the
Roman Catholics; the preacher said /:
"Why was it that you inundated upon the
altar of your country million men? Was
it not that four million slaves might be
emancipated, educated, lifted out of the
bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty Of the children of GodP Therefore,
do not know how we can better honor
your splendid service, your dauntless faith,
than by shaping living memorial, than by
enthroning larger emancipation.
"In the FIRST place we need to be eman-
cipated from our Industrial Tyranny. Here
Mr.. Hammatt briefly sketched the three
stages through which we have already
passed in our industrial evolution, and then
he paid bis respects to that fourth stage
upon which we are just entering, namely
that of the syndicate, the corporation and
the trust. These he most emphatically de-
Last year, he said, about bill
lion and quarter were consolidated in
trusts but this year, the fifth Of this month,
there was almost as much consolidated in
single day. When you strike to the root
OF the trust you find it to be supremely sell
fish, monopolistic and despotic and l do
not see how that American Democracy"
for which you SO nobly fought and econom-
ic despotism can long exist together in the
same country at the same time. This in
dustrial emancipation may come through
and colossal labor organiza-
lion through municipal and federal CO.
operation; through peaceful evolution, Gas
[ believe it will or alas! it may come
through bloody revolution. But come 1
believe it speedily will through the COM
of the common people.
In the second place Mr.. Hammatt went
IN to demonstrate that we need to be
from the giant burden en-
allied by an unjust and an unnecessary mill |
tarism. Think of it, The standing armies |
If the world modified to their full strength
lumbsf forty-two million, two hundred and |
fifty thousand men. Think of it. Dur
ng the last quarter of a century France,
tally. Russia, Germany and Austria have
avished on their soldiers over twenty-five |
billion dollars. How much better If that |
.ould have been transferred from the war
o the peace account of the world. The
ime is near at hand when the angels re-
rain will symbolic our modern life, name
y"On earth peace, good will toward men,"
thus it is Boys in Blue, that we will strive
o honor you BY enthroning larger eman-
ipation, by shaping living memorial"