The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-29
AT THE FIRST
CONGREGATIONAL

Georee H Thomas Post, c.. A. R., at
tended special memorial services in the
First Congregational Church last even
ing The interior of the edi1ce was APP
propriately decorated for the occasion,
American flags being prominently dis
PLAYED on the platform back of the speak
er's desk. which was flanked on either
side by stacked army rifles. The members
of the post attended in a body, marching
into the church and down the central aisle
while the inspiring strains of fife and
drum corps at their head resounded
through the auditorium. 1t was an i'm
pressive spectacle as the veterans slowly
filed into the seats assigned to them with
the martial music ringing in their ears.
The services opened with a special song
service of patriotic music, the audience
singing Where Are the Boys of the Old
Brigade?' "Tenting on the Old Camp
Ground" Soon With the Angels I'll Be
Marching" and other wartime melodies
Rev. DR.. G. G. Adams, the pastor, took
for his text the sixth verse, 1920 Psalm,
Pray for peace, Jerusalem: they shall
prosper that love thee while my text
speaks Of Jerusalem 1t is not OF Jerusalem
itself that l intend to speak tonight" he
said. Jerusalem was Gods country and
this is Gods country. He made 1t all
these grand mountains and these lovely
valleys. He created this continent and
then locked it up until he had a civiliza-
ton prepared to inherit it." DR.. Adams
said:
You did not realize when you enlisted in
1861 that you were enlisting TO wipe out some
thing that was a menace to the progress of
Christisnity-you thought only that you were
enllsting TO battle for the flag. On the same
day that the pilgrims landed the now
famous Plymouth Rock, Dutch vessel en-
tered the James River and landed twenty negro
slaves the soil of Virginia. The Dutch were
responsible for the Introduction of the great
evil into this country and grand old England
much as we love her, was responsible for keep
ing up the practice and fostering 1t. Queen
Elizabeth herself was party to the traffic
in saves-in fact she was personally interested
In the business. Even good old Governor John
of Indians to his heirs, and church mem
Der OF Boston owned the ship that made the
most successful voyage to bring slaves to this
country. If slavery had been profitable in New
1t did not prove profitable there and you can
trust a Yankee every time to turn over a new
leaf when it is to his profit.
The hand Of God is seen all through the
ney tombstone struck down at Pttsburg Land
ing-a man who had the respect and conf
dence of the entire South? Why did Stonewall
Jackson fall-shot, unfortunately, by his own
claim after Gettysburg. ''Oh, for a Jackson
1t was the work of God But II was the
blood of the thousands of Northern and South
ern men slain in that war that cemented the
union. You dreamed that Fighting joe
Wheeler would get off his sick bed in the hos
pital and compel them to carry him forward
to the front to fight under the stars and
stripes. You never dreamed that Fitzhugh Lee
would grit his teeth and struggle through all
he had to contend with little over year
ago in Havana for the flag he once fought
against. We thank God that there is longer
q North South; that the curse of slavery
that once threatened our national existence has
been wiped out and that are once more
brothers and citizens of Gods chosen land.