Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-05-28
LOVE
And God S Firm Hand
Necessary to Retain Our
Possessions.
Rev. A. B. Coats Delivered
Sermon to G. A. R.
W. R. c., S. Of v. and Co. r
We're Also Present.
Union Veteran Union Worshipped al
Wabash Ave Church.

Memorial Sunday was appropriately
observed by Buckley Post, G.. A. r.;
Buckley Corps w. r. c.; Sons Of Vet
erans. and Company +. The organiza-
tions named attended divine services
at the First Baptist church. The vet
Grams Of '61 as we'll as those of 30
marched to the church where the cn-
tire middle section had been reserved
for them. Upon the right the w. X. q.
and S. of V. were seated.
The choir, under the direction of
Prof. n. l.. Glover, sang several spc-
cial selections, among which were
"Were Tenting Tonight" and "rhc
Star Spangled Banner"
Standing at an altar draped with
the stars and stripes, Rev. A. h. Coats
delivered an eloquent discourse. His
subject was, Gods Hand In War and
Peace
The trend of the address follows:
"Thc thoughtful man will find, with
each succeeding year, a growing feel
ing of solemnity, as we approach the
day set apart as Memorial Day. An
added pathos comes to each annual
convocation Of the Grand Army Of the
Republic, as we note how the years
are telling upon your ranks, and how
YOUR numbers are growing less and
less. Next Wednesday, when you
make your loving Journey among the
graves, you will find more mounds of
the dead; your journey will be longer,
and you will find your strength grow
ing less.
1--WE cannot look into your eyes with
out emotion. and within our hearts,
we cherish the hope, that before the
G. A. II. ceases to be political and
social factor, that your beautiful Gus
tom. will become national duty.
Right here | want to utter a word of
protest against making Decoration
Day anything but day of hallowed
memories. We have our days of pic
nicing and junkcting, but this day we
should, with uncovered heads. honor
the place where are buried the nations
awful sacrifices. In your annual en-
campncnts you ought to make Wig
orous protest against diverting the
day from it's original purpose.
"When we are thinking Of the heroic
dead; of the lives that were taken, anu
the sacrifice made; when we think OF
those who, if not taken, at least were
weakened, the question sometimes
arises Why it was that we should come
to such {, time as that. Why was it.,
that within 100 years Of our indepcnd-
ence. we should find ourselves engaged
in a struggle, that should leave Its
mark upon you, and which we re-
member today?
"There are two things that impress
every thoughtful observer of human
events. The first is design, or evil
dence of a plan running through all
the ages to some definite end, and the
other is, that we are not always able,
in the days about us, to see the plan
clearly and distinctly.
"War is a terrible thing. In the
language of one of our gallant CON-
manders war is hell God has been
compelled to resort to such measures
to carry out His great plan. What
did the Civil war mean in the provi-
dence of God? Is their any connec-
tion between our present condition and
the outcome of the war? What did
we secure by going into that conflict?
Was IL all that the slaves might be
free? That question was merely incl
dental, 1t was not simply that the
slaves should be free that you left your