The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-28

Spot.
The annual memorial sermon to Hol-
liday and Stephens posts, G. A. r.,
was delivered at the German NJ. F..
church, South Chapline street. last
evening. by the pastor, Rev. Louis AL
finger, himself a Union veteran and q
member Of the c. A. R. The address
was singularly enjoyable to the old
soldiers, direct and interesting. and It
was fatterlngly commented on by the
large assemblage. Rev. Mr.. Allinger
did not essay to rise to sublime heights
in oratory, but made plain talk. to
the point ut all times, and his effort was
greatly appreciated. The exercises
were in the English language through
out.
The church organ and walls were
tastefuIy draped with American flags
and national bunting, and the pulpit
was empowered with flowers and green
cry. This church has one of the best
cholrs in the city and Its chorus singing
Is unexcelled. Several selections were
beautifully rendered. and Miss MsIn-
hart sang a soprano solo with signal
finish and ability.
The boys in blue" marched to the
church In body, preceded by the G. a.
r. drum corps, and they occupied re-
served section of pews in the front part
of the church. Many members Of the
womans Relief Corps and Ladies of
the G. A. r. were present, as well as a
number of people attracted especially
by the occasion.
In his preface, Comrade Allinger said
the meeting had four-fold expert
ence. In the first place It was as a
campmeetlng; in the next place, 1t was
memorial service, and in the third
place, 1t was an acknowledgement of
Gods sovereignty, and finally 1t was
a lesson to the rising generation. 1t
would not be necessary to discuss the
causes that led to the civil war, said
Comrade Allinger, but he recalled the
crisis threatening the nation which IVES
apparent in the COS, and after the first
shot ratified against the walls of Fort
sumpter all knew what was coming.
Continuing. the speaker said the sla-
very question was holly agitated pre-
vious to the war, there being pro-slav-
cry and antl-slavery people and SO d.
vIded., He recalled debate he figured
in as a young man, while living at a
town three hundred miles south Of
wheeling.
III you and I, boys, had been
brought up in the south, as were the
confederates, having the same environ
me4ts and hearing daily the same doc
trines, we would have done Just as they
did. Most of the southerners took UP
arms believing they had to defend
their homes"
Many interesting personal expert
ences were related by Rev. Mr. Allin-
ger and a vein of humor through bis
remarks made them peculiarly enjoy
able. Life in the army, said he, for
his campaigning was in the south, tried
every fibre and physical nerve, will
power and religious principle, land
also" he added. "our good nature"
Speaking of hard tack and times
when even that was short, Mr.. AliIngcr
spoke of feast he enjoyed during the
war that still leaves fond memories. At
a small town. squad OF soldiers Of
which he was one, was detailed to
guard railroad depot, at which there
was a barrel OF -four. The soldiers
gave one-half the flour to negro on
condition that he turned the remainder
into biscuits. This was done, and then
they got gallon Of buttermllk. "oh
those biscuits and buttermilk. how well
they tasted, said the veteran" I can
almost taste them now" A dozen sim
liar experiences were given to the evil
dent appreciation Of the speakers hear
ers, particularly the old soldiers. Com
rade AllInger was in his happlest vein,
and in concluding his talk along this
line he said: How good-natured we
took all the hardships. We did so, be-
cause we knew we were not out on a
picnic"
Simply and wildly, Rev. Mfr. Aiiinger
described the horrors of war. in telling
Of the numerous battles he was en-
gagged in, thIrty-two in all, the most
prominent of which were Mission
Ridge and Lookout Mountain. The
speaker was in the Forty-second Indl-
ana, and he is one of the only three
survivors.
The latter portion of Mr.. Alllnger's
remarks pertained to the features of
Memorial Day. In citing statistics, he
quoted historian who said that one
out of every five men enlisted died in
the civil war, being more in the aggre-
gate than Great Britain lost In eight
hundred years OF her history. The
speaker paid glowing tributes to the
work of the loyal women. mo doubt"