The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-05-31
AT CITY HALL.
Rev. Luther Freeman Delivered the
Memorial Day Address.

I
Mem orial Day Address.
| In the evening City hall was packed to
| he very doors when the Sd celebration
4 Memorial day took place. A concert
| from Chambers band OF half an hour
was heard with great enjoyment by the
1 large audience. Chandler's band never
played as well as 1t did last night and its
/ concert programme was superbly rendered
every number being encored and some OF
them two and tire times. At eight
o'clock distinguished company Of citi-
zens headed by Mayor Robinson, Rev.
Luther Freeman, Rev. Bowley Green,
Rev. Mr.. Shepherd, the past commanders
| of the Grand Army posts and including
the members of the city government, the
Memorial commission, the officers of the
National Guard and others filed upon the
platform. After prayer by Rev. Bowley
Green the Mozart quartette sang with
great expression "Tenting on the Old
Camp Ground" During the remainder OF
the evening this quartette rendered
several selections and always to the de-
light of the big crowd. Mayor Frank W.
Robinson delivered the opening address
saying;
Veterans of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, Ladies and Gentlemen:
| Again we are gathered together to do
honor to our nations defenders. Once
more we pause in the midst of our actiyi-
| ties in this wonderful mystery OF life
and, in the deep silence OF that other and
/ solemn mystery of death, reverently we
/ draw near where repose our dead. Calm
| ly they sleep tonight. The softly signing
1 branches of our stately pines bend in
loving protection over their lowly resting
places, the gentle breezes OF spring, sob
bling fond messages of ahectionate re-
meinbrance, bear from mound to mound
/ the sweet fragrance of fidelity TO the
tender ties OF comradeship, while from
Il afar come the CLEAN and glitter OF the
distant starry outposts as they wheel and
circle ON their duty of eternal watch.
4 Memory awakens. Its swift wings ira
4 verse nearly two score OF years, and the
past Is become the living present. Hearts
throb in yearning response TO voices
whose accents were once so familiar.
The subtle influence of profound reyery
surrounds us. Veterans, we know your
thoughts, we understand the far-away
look In your eyes, we respect the tears
that fill them.
We, too, mourn with you for your dead.
Manfuliy they struggled, hrayely they
endured, nobly they died. Theirs was
the utmost devotion, the last great sicri-
fee that man can perform, they gave
their lives for the good Of the world.
Now they rest, their sufferings are over,
they are safe from the cruel shafts OF
envy, hatred and malice. Night now en-
folds them in her sable mantle. But
when the mighty orb OF that last great
day shall arise and the shadows OF the
world shall roll away, we are promised
that what is presently so dark to oui
mortal eyes shall then become clear In
the light Of divine radiance. Let us re
joice In our hope.
Mayor Robinson's brief but eloquent va
parks were delivered in the earnest ant
heartfelt manner characteristic of him,
and were loudly applauded. After another
selection by Chambers band, Miss Eva
N. Anderson of the senior class of thu
High school read Lincoln's Gettysburg
, address in most effective manner.
Rev. Luther Freeman, after another sc
lection by the Mozart quartette deliveet
the address of the evening, speaking II
part as follows:
'There is no day in all our PATRIOTS
calendar so significant as this. Nor
impressive than the ringing of bells
booming cannon and flashing powde
Of Independence day are the muffled drum
dropping flag, fragrant garlands ant
. reyerent silence of Memorial day. Sham
on the American who makes At merely a
holiday and desecrates our patriotic Sab
bath! Let this day then keep fresh in al
, our minds the great struggle OF the past
To many of you there Is no need Of such
reminder. Thirty five years of suffering
ia1 Aau nd
with silver hair win never forget hov
, brave he looked that day when in hi
bright uniform he waved you farewell
, how cheerful his letters from the front
D and the pardonable pride you felt whel
I he helped win the first victory! Nor hav
! you forgotten the days of anxiety afte
a the great fight when the papers said 10,
: 900 slain, and named the generals VIII
had fallen. Oh those days Of waiting
Then came the lists of dead, but hi
. name was not there and then among thu
missing, his name appeared. Missing
When and where? Who saw him last
Did he fall In the thicket and die alon
or was he taken prisoner to some Ander
son or Libby hell? To this day you some
times think you hear his call for help
You will not forget But to most of u
this is only matter of history. We wer
not born until the struggle was over, an,
the union restored. We need such days a
this. As the members Of the Grand Arm
decrease from year TO year some hav
feared the day would be eventually ig
nored. No, this day means too much +
the rising generation. Not only those VIII
boast themselves the sons of actual pal
Elephants in the fight, but the create
umb er Of loyal men in whose heart
there is deepest gratitude for the servic
you rendered. Posterity viii gladly paus
from year to year TO cover the graves 9
the heroic dead with the garlands O
gratitude. 1t Is my duty then to try a
this time to interpret the message fron
your lives to those on whom rests the II
probabilities Of the future.
In the first place let 1t be understood