The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-17

back from the shot and she'll that voiley-
Cd and Numbered" rop came safe Dare
you forget Gods godnessi IN spsring you
and granting YOU all these years OF peace
ful pursuit and domestic happiness
But this memory Is also recalled By you
IN humility. The prophet says. ''remern-
berlng mine affiction and my misery, the
worm wood and the gall my soul hath
them SIN In remembrance and il humbled
In me" All, how the South was chas'
tened In those awful years, Except that
we can be stiil and know that II was God
how bitter the memory. II matters not
that you believed you were right. Does
our God chasten only IN Judgment Can
II not be true OF people as OF individuals
that whom the Lord loveth He chasten-
ethY" And better than all. peoples
which are faithful 10 the right. may In
all affliction rest upon His tried sssur-
arce that Il Is always I'm order 90 40
them good at their latter end.
REMEMBER IN LOYALTY.
But while you arc 10 remember In hu-
mility you are also 10 remember In 10y
atty. Far from the sacred city OF his
love, as the Psairuist take ND his harp
and strikes its strings. he sings ''1f I
forget thee. o Jerusalem iet my right
hand forget her cunning. II 1 do not
remember thee. let my tongue cieave 70
the roof of my mouth" SO YOU arc 10
be loyal to the memory OF the Confei-
eracy. Not loyal In that low sense.
wherein you sulk AZ defeat and refuse
10 enter into the new life Of the Repub-
Hes revolving years. But " your cause
was righteous. defeat was powerless 20
make II unrighteous. No flight OF time.
no changing years. no altered conditions
can transform heroes and patriots and
martyrs into renegades and desperadoes
and traitors. 1nexpedient the move
ment may have been. but mono the less.
Il shall be forever enshrlned In our heart
OF hearts as a conscientious struggle IN
behalf OF honor and liberty and truth.
a struggle towards all that makes ITO
noble and manhood glorious.
And for this reason the sacred memory
Is ours for inspiration. "Call tn mind"
says the sacred writer, tho former DAYS
I'm which W endured "A great fight ~
afiictian; partly whilst We were made
a gazing stock. both BY reproaches and
Affections. and partly whilst ye became
companions Of them that were 80 used"
They were thus TO remember for their in
spirati0n. And as we look back 90 the
courage and devotion, the sacrifices, the
sufferings and privations OF those fery
days. we grow stronger I'm the thought
of what men can do and be when lore
and duty call. And the great lights that
merged out Of that blackness OF darkness
shall shine forever In the armament NJ
human aspiration. what matter that
they seemed 10 FAM So did the Son NJ
Man. And. as in tho instance or his d.
vine archetype. The courage and tender
ness. the wisdom and humility. 'hA
strength and genileness, the purity and
Chrstliness OF a Robert Lee will light
men on their darkiing way among gene
rations yet unborn.
But az Il Is the function Of the memory
to look backward. 20 II Is the prerog1-
tive OF the Imagination, playing urpn
that memory. to look forward The
backward and the forward glance go
hand In hand All what rayages time
has made since those days We are striv-
ing to recall Make tense. for moment.
your memory and you can see the fea-
lures Of the brave comrade that went
out with YOU. but did not come homs
again The voices OF fathers and moth
ers that welcomed your return 10 hearth
and home. how long they have been still,
TIME CHANGES.
The hoydenish sister with her merry
laugh. and the wiusome sweetheart with
her furtive glance. are white-haired
grand-dames now. Nay. many soul has
come into the world. has done his work
and passed again into the mysterious
bourne since the wbir Of the last minnie
bah died away In the woods As y0u
look and listen the other days grow vivid
tn an invisible hand clutches at your
throat. and a sinfing sickening sense
lays hold OF you. and those voices 81
long ago fan ON your ear. like the ciods
upon the coffin. with the dun thud Of
never more.
Never more7 Nav. II am the resur-
rection and the hfe. sayeth the lord"
God IS not the God OF the dead. but 81
the living. Strain your gaze into the
future as YOU have done into the past.
and you may see them gathered beyond
the river beneath the shade OF the trees
Very soon you. too. will Join them Shall
you know them there? Why, If memory
go not with YOU YOU will aot be YOU.
and having memory. they shall clasp
you I'm their arms as in the love-lt DAYS
Of yore. and welcome you homo from the
long battle OF life. this time. let MS hope.
not i'm the gloom OF defeat. hut victors
forever. crowned with the fadeless crown
and clad In the robes made white IN tho
blood OF the Lamb
And as you listen IN sense grows
confused as 10 whether those voices call
TO YOU out Of the past or out Of the
future. make this your prayer:
Father be near when my feet
Are slipping DER the brink
For II may be that ! am nearer home.
Nearer now than / think"