Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-05-30
THE LESSON OF rHE DAY.

Memorial day has been duly cele-
brated IN this city. Probably the acc
Grafton of graves was more general ana
urofuse than on any previous occasion
aThe city of the dead has increased It's
silent population as the years have gone
by. and the interest IN the annual cere-
mony has grown greater, and thus the
cemeteries presented floral scene TO-
day. imposing and pleasant to behold
The exercises were IN excellent taste
the parade was tine and orderly the
oratory Of high class. ana the mani
festations Of love and veneration for
the departed, by hosts Of people, were
very gratifying as indications Of popu-
lar sentiment
II the spirits Of the loved ones whose
bodies sleep in the ground could Wit
ness the devotion Of their relatives and
friends they must have rejoiced over
the spectacle. They would see that
though absent from earth they are
not forgotten, II the veil between them
and us Is ordinarily impenetrable, but
IS lifted occasionally for their benefit
surely time like this would be appro-
pirate for the privilege
Surprising no pleasure or profit to
them can come from the celebration OF
eFa,,,,rioI Io,,. tho4 oartb tttth all itg
sorrows and lis joys, its darkness and
its sunshine its teers and smiles, It's
ashes and It's flowers is shut out from
the spirit vision, stlll there is great
good In the custom Of decorating the
graves Of the dead in honoring the va.
Tor Of the nations heroes, Of praisIng
the patriotism Of those who fought for
country or for home. IL rckindles the
fire OF emulation in the hearts OF the
living and stimulates noble sentiments
that otherwise might slumber in the
soul.
While It is to be hoped that the ma.
ton may be spared IN future the hor-
rors Of war, and that there viii be no
need for armed hosts and the weapons
and munitions OF battle, it is necessary
that the martial spirit shall be kept
alert, so that defense may be ready n
defiance gradually passes away And
though soldiers grsycs may not be
multiplied the generations to come
may still keen I'm memory the glorious
deeds of their departed ancestors. and
Memorial day should therefore be- per-
petuated even when nations shall study
wal no more
Apart from the military feature Of
the day We celebrate. there win we
hope. be always kept alive the sentl-
ment Of affection and yeneraton for
the departed young and ola, which
prompts the gathering ard distribution
Of floral ofeHrgs 70 memory * the
loved ones who nav. ialt u.. ard whom
we expect 20 meet when we TOO have
finished our earthly cared.
Therefore let Decoration Day ic Al.
ways q holiday by provision of law,
by general custom and by individual
desire ior Z. is both poetlcal and prac.
tical and is 400 educator "a. mankind.
Il Is beautiful aud clcyating obsary.
ance and draws the thoughts Of an
who participate in It's exercises, %
things thar are higher than those OF
this world
The flowers We scatter win fade and
their perfume win apparently Doe lost
Rut as not one elementary particle a'
alth,r win or can be annihilated. so th.
conscious being that survives when 100,
dust returns to earth as Il was, can
never perish. and every atom of th.
BODY parted from viii have eternal aX
.steuce and uses. and an shall live agai
and fulfil It's destiny through eyerlust