The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-30
Ar CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERY.
The ORATOR, OF the Day Delivered by
ReE Page NiIhurn


Rev. Page MfIburn-
Memorial Day. exercises at Congression-
al Cemetery were conducted under the di-
rec ion of Judge Ivory G. KimbaH. Junior
Vic Commander Department Of the Po-
torrac. Grand Army Of the Republic.
Members Of the Farragut Relief Corps.
together with a number Of children, met
at the post nah on Pennsylvania avenue
southeast, between Third and Fourth
Streets, at s O'Clock, and proceeded at
once to Congressil-cI Cemetery, where
they decorated the graves
The procession formed an hour later
at the post hall, with Heyberger's band
at the head Of the column, and the line
Of march for the cemetery was taken up.
When the cemetery was reached Judge
Kimbau called the assemblage to order,
and said:
| Comrades, Ladies Of the Relief Corps,
| Ladies, and Gentlemen:
As year by year passes by, Memorial
Z Day becomes more precious 70 the SOL
( dicTS Of the great war o. lsbl- 1t not on
! y recalls memories OF the comrades VINO
( fell on the field Of battle and all the ex-
! uerigrtce= Of those four long years Of
! strife, but it brings the more recent mem
cries Of dear comrades Wh0- having
/ passed through those years, have, since
( the esta blishm=nt OF peace fought the
battle Of life with Us and nave he!ped
! 10 bring about the wonderful transfer
( nations which have placed our beloved
1 country in the forefront OF the nations OF
/ the world making her the most power
{ fuI as well as the richest and most enter
! pTIsiug on the face Of the Elobe- these
/ comrades are DeiHg calied from our
/ ranks year by year IN greatly increasing
: numbers and this year we have dec0rat-
I ed the graves Of many who helped Us Go
( the same loving service on last Memo
/ rial Day.
The time viii soon come when the
! last soldier Of the war OF 1851 VIII nave
+ received the command which VIII trans
/ fer him 10 duty with the great Captain OF
I our Salvation Even now only minority
( of all those who in their youth or young
/ manht,,5d entered the service of their
I country are stlH answering the Toll call
{ upon earth. the great aJorlty have Deen
| called from duty here to higher service
Is il any wonder that Memorial Day IS
1 exceedingly precious to Us and that the
/ Grand Army Is unalterably opposed to its
/ beng made simply a holiday and diverted
! from the purpose OF Its cTeauonZ
1t Is not the old soldier alone whose
/ love for Memorial Day Is increasing with
( the increasing years The nation IS be
( ginning to TeallZe more ana more Jtie
| debt il owes to our departed comrades
| VINO gave their lives that the nation
| might live II is beginning TO understand
the sacrifices they made. Whilst 1t Is
| true that every soldier Of the Union IN
/ the war of 1851 deserves all the honor the
| nation can give him. especial honor Is
| due those who fell in the war To US
IN seeing what wonders the war accom-
| pIished, not only in our own land, but in
/ all the nations Of the earth Living 10
/ this time, we can begin to see the won
/ deTs God had in view when he planted
! this nation, and that we have been in
stIuments in his hand for the carrying
! out OF His plans for the good Of all PEG
pies
/ Love for the old soldier will increase
till they wiz be held in as great rever-
| ence as were the soldiers Of the KeVolu-
| Iion by our fathers and II viii be great
| q badge Of nobility TO be able to trace
ones lineage 10 soldier Of the War OF
1861 as il is now counted to trace Il TO
one Of the Pilgrim Fathers
At the conclusion Of Judge KimbaITs re-
marks the Grand Army GIee Club sang
| .'Blest Be the Ground, after which Major
John TweedaIe read an original poem
7. H. Sypherd, of Burnside Post, recited
THE Bivouac of The Dead" and the Rev
Page Milburn was introduced as orator
of the day. Mr.. MiIburn said in part:
Every year the nation sets apart one
| whole day in memory Of the men who
| wrote in their own blood the proClama-
/ ton to the world that all men are born
free and equal and as such have an in
alienable right TO life, liberty, and the
| pursuit Of happiness and furthermore
! that the United States Of America is 4
! nation, and that all her citizens are SOW
IN battle you and your comrades
/
| under a flag frequently torn and stained
| with human blood. Today We plant q
| stainless and uniform flag at the head OF
| each grave as q symbol Of the fact that
| now over happy and united land our
| flag floats, uniform by sectional sNrife, and
| unstaiued by rancorous hate We StreW
! flowers over these graves, not only as an
| emblem of sweet affection. but also as q
reminder Of the fact that the land which
was once desolated by ccutending armies
| and stained by the blood OF mortal con
fict is now basking in the sunlight Of
national peace, and Is rich and beautiful
and everywhere the prosperity OF the peo-
pie is as the perfume of flower gar
den"
MI AIubuTn enlUgized the patriotism o.
! American citizens showing that II was
| unlike the feeling other peoples had fol
their lands. He quoted Mr. w H Sew
| ard. who said I know only one country
| and one sovereign-the United states OF
| America and the American people, 6no
| said These whose memory we honol
today dedicated themselves to the preseT
| walton Of their country and to the esttD
| IishrElent Of the only true sovereignty
They died that the Stars and Stripes the
/ red white and blue might continue L
| float over q united country They arr
! twice beloved by you. They were no
| only your comrades IN the tolls anC
bloody strife, partners in danger and sui
| ferine but were your felloW-countTynen
fellow patriots. a part Of the sovereign
| power of this great land
Abraham Lincoln. Gods prophet, onc'