The times., 1901-05-27
AN ADDRESS TO VETERANS
A Memorial Sermon Delivered at
the Soldiers Home.

! The Rev. Mr.. FacIus speaks Flo
quentIy on the Sacrifices of War,
the Symbolism of the starry Ban
ner, and Its Place In the Church.
Grey veterans braved the drizzle. the
| cold, and the long journey yesterday af-
ternoon to gather in Stanley Hall, at the
Soldiers Home. and pay tribute to the
memory of their departed comrades of
, Henry Wilson Post, No. II. C. A r.
Year after year they have made the
same journey. have read over the list Of
the dead, and sounded taps. Year by year
| the list has grown longer. and the group
of bluecoated old men gathered in the
front seats has become smaller This
year there were but three new names to
be read Joseph BROMLEY, sergeant of
Battery B, Fourth United States Artil-
lery; Giovanni Parigo. musician. Company
r. Sixth Illinois Cavalry. and Marcel
Przygodinsh, corporal. Battery F. Fourth
United States Artillery. all of whom died
since the last memorial services.
After the reading of the honor roll of
! of deceased comrades, the bUgler. stand
ing at the front of the hall, softly blew
taps. while the heads of the standing
| congregation were bowed
The music was rendered by Misses
Bertha Caron, Sophia Fritsch, and Mat
! tie Gibson. Mrs. Blanche Muir Dalgiiesh,
| and Mrs. Lulu Davis, organist.
The address was delivered by the Rev
Gustav Facius, of the First Reformed
Church, who gave a review Of the his
tory of the country in the light of the
work done by the veterans.
He alluded first to the institution of
Memorial Day by General Logan in 1858.
from which time until now 1t has, without
interruption, been celebrated. Going back
to the beginning Of the civil war, he gave
some of his personal experiences during
the time when the Massachusetts troops
were attacked while going through Bal
timore. He spoke of the message sent by
Lincoln 20 the Governor of Maryland.
which stated that as the troops could
neither fly nor swim, they would have to
go through Baltimore, however much the
Governor did not like it.
Speaking of the object Of the civil war.
he said that 1t was all condensed in the
reply Of Webster TO Hayne: Union first
and liberty afterward. but Union and lib
erty. one and inseparable.'
Going back to the very beginning of the
country he described Columbus as the piO-
neer of progress and enlightenment. and
wondered what the great discoyerer would
have thought today If he could have fol-
lowed the train of the President to the
Pacific Coast The Pilgrim fathers he
next touched upon, and stated that no
other rock is so certain to strike a pa
triotic spark in the American heart as
Plymouth Rock
Taking up the men Of the Revolution, he
spoke in eulOgy of Jefferson and Washing
ton saying that though Washington was
great as a warrior and a statesman, he
was greatest Of all when he put from him
a third term in the Presidential office.
In the period of the civil war he picked
out Lincoln and Grant as the greatest
lights. Lincoln ne Ekened 10 MOses-a
prophet who had lived forty years in the
promised land, but destined never to see it
himself
The sacrifices OF the men of the past he
said. were what made possible the present,
and it was because many had suffered
that we We're now able 10 live in ease and
happiness as united nation The purpose
of all the wars which our country had
fought. even TO the last one with Spain,
was to make the foundation of our liberty
deeper and more unshakable. -
He closed with a eulOgy Of the flag,
which the veterans had so faithfully fol-
lowed. declaring that ii was the most
beautiful of all flags in its symbolism
the blue standing for faith and hope, the
red for courage and sacrifice. and the
white for integrity and sincerity.
The flag should be put in every church,
he declared and all should remember in
their devotiOnS its fruitful meaning.
REST in peace you mighty deadP he said.
THE union which you made will live for
ever; it will be reserved Is the inheritance
of your descendants to the judgment day.
God bless the survivors of those who fol-
lowed our flag. of which no star is OBJ
scured and no stripe erased