The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-15

ana especially Impressive
monies-Dr. Blackwelfs Appropriate
Prayer-Admirable Address Com
piled from Notes by a Joshua L.
James and Read by Captain Meares.
Other Features of the Exercises
The observance of Memorial Day
(May 1Oth) 1900, under the auspices Of
the ladies' of Cape Fear Chapter.
Daughters Of the ~Confederacy. will be
long remembered as one of the most
successful ever held in this city. The
day vas we'll nigh perfect, clear, and
Just cool enough to be thoroughly
pleasant. The rain of the previous
evening had allayed every particle of
dust, and Oakdale cemetery, Will
mington's beautiful city of the dead"
never appeared to better advantage.
Indeed, all nature seemed to join with
the earnest and well directed efforts of
the Daughters of the C~onfederacy and
the c~oncourse of people who attended
the exercises, in making especially
successful this fitting tribute to the
memory of the gallant heroes of the
C~onfederacy who suffered great pri-
walton and sacrificed so much in the
defence of the beloved southland dur
ing the terrible struggle of 1876.
The prearranged programme, as pub
lished in Wednesdays Messenger, was
rendered with marked success, and
prior to the regular memorial exercises
a number of the Daughters Of he Con-
fp6prQpV wont IN the ppmPtprV and he
decked the grave of the departed he
roes with flowers, an OF
which were previously sent to the GEM
etery for the purpose.
FORMING THE PROCESSION.
1t was about 3 o'clock that a de-
tachment of the Second Regiment
band, the members of the Wilmington
Light Infantry, and the Wilmington
division Naval Reserves began to as
semble at the w. L.. 1. armO ,epara-
tory to marching out to the cemetery.
The Daughters of the Confederacy and
the veterans of Cape Fear Camp, in
the meantime proceeded, in convey
ances, to the cemetery, where they as
sembled at the lodge and awaited the
coming of the military companies and
the band. These organizations arrived
in time for the procession to be formed
in front of the lodge about 4:30 o'clock
and proceed to the Confederate lot,
where the exercises were to be held.
The Second Regiment band headed the
procession. The two military COM
panies followed, and then came the
Confederate Veterans and Son of
Veterans. The next in line were the
Daughters of the Confederacy, the
orator of the day, Captain T. d.
Meares, and the chaplain, Rev c. S.
Blackwell, ID, marching in front of
them. At the lead of the column of
Daughters of the Confederacy were
the president of the chapter, Mrs. w.
M. Parsley, and vice president, Mrs.
Gabriel Holmes, n the ladies COM
posing the memorial committee of the
chapter. Following the Daughters of
the Confederacy was a large concourse
of people who Joined in the sad march
to the Confederate lot in time to the
muffied drum.
When the procession reached the en-
trance to the Confederate lot the mill
itary companies and veterans divided
their lines, standing on either side of
the gate, while the Daughters of the
Confederacy marched in and took po-
sitions on either side of the impro-
vised speakers stand.
The military companies then filed in
and too their allotted positions and
the members of the Second Regiment
band gathered about the Confederate
monument and played the dirge while
the people gathered o h en-
closure. The scene, the while, was es-
pecially impressive, notable features
being the beautiful and picturesque
section of the cemetery which environs
the Confederate lot, the great con-
course of people who thronged all the
walks and driveways, all, with bowed
heads, reverently facing the speakers
stand, while towering above them all
in warlike grandeur, on its pedestal OF
granite, was he bronze figure OF the
stalwart Confederate soldier, on the
Confederate monument, bearing aloft
a Confederate flag which had been
placed in the great bronze hands of the
figure especially for the occasion.
DIR. BLACKwELL'S FERVENT
PRAYER
During the memorial exercises Chief
Marshal Richard w. Price was master
of ceremonies and at the conclusion OF
the dirge by the band he called upon
Rev. Calvin S. Blackwell, d. D., as
chaplain, to lead in prayer. The prayer
offered by DR.. Blackwell was as fol-
lows:
Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, and the God of Stonewall
Jackson and Robert Lee, Thy blessing
we invoke upon this memorial service.
We come marching to the music Of the
dirge with banners furled because we
remember the beloved and the brave
who were, and are not.
we SOh1S " l1ldAh 4hSC biCSSCO
Father. for our heroic dead; for these
graves-for there is grandeur in
graves, there is glory in gloom. We
thank Thee now that Thou didst bind
about the brow of our southland the
triple band of cypress, because she has
had the faith and f%ortitude to trans
NIT it into a coronet Of imperishable
glory.
w thank Thee hat the boys and
girls have come along with the ole
veterans today to seek out these name
less graves on which to lay a frai
flower. Teach them that beneath each
sod lies a hero and a sacrifice. MAY
these mounds become affairs OF liberty
n patriotism for our children, where
once a yea they may come and re
member that their fathers forgot
themselves and their fortunes and died
for their convictions.
Father, remember and comfort the
widows Of some of these who are
buried here. Thou canst see them,
gray haired and weary eyed, in lordly
a~no ~ rna,rnfofp aoh;, eth xyoin1u