Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-04-19

friends, they were brave soldiers, Wh
freely gave their lives for their coun
try and their duty. They were loya
and true, with the Offering and sacrl
flee of life. We dug their graves a
night, and under the stars we lal
them down. Tonight we give volc
to our admiration and affectiOnate re
membrance, as We call them up befor
us. They were patriot soldiers wh'
bore arms from principle, not for gair
nor passion and anger. They wer'
without hope of reward or pension
There was no gazette to tell of thel
heroic deeds, no promotion on th'
field, no medals from a grateful cOun
try; because there were SO many o.
them, because not one wished applause
that belonged to all his comrades al
well. They we're willing to serve thell
country in the ranks to the end, il
Iduty so commanded. We think il
honor to wear the grey they wore. We
think it noble to be called their friends.
|
"Comrades who round the throne are
| standing,
| Comrades who await our landing,
| We salute you, and we comet!
We remember, comrades, that in
some strange providence, We were
spared, and others taken. Battle after
battle and still ''our heads we're COW
ered." Why was 1t, my comrades,
that some fell and you and I were
left? Why has it been that so many
have fallen since those days, and we
are here 1 can we'll believe they were
more worthy than l :; that they had ac-
compIished their manhood and l had
not; that they had so lived and died
as to leave an inspiration and bid
ding tor those that come after, as l
had not. Of this | am sure that it is
of the unmerited mercy of God that
you and 1 are spared, and days and
years have been multiplied to us, and
opportunities continued, and warnings
and invitation spoken, that by the
patience and forbearance of God we
may all at length be won and drawn
upward into the same noble manhood,
the same trustful plety, and in the
long last day shall not be separated
from them in the camping grounds OF
unbroken and everlasting peace.
Ahaz, the king of Judah, long before
the days of clocks and watches, had a
sun dial, probably after an ancient
oriental model. A pillar OF oDelisk
stood at the head of a carved stair
way, and the shadow of the obelisk
descending step by step, hour by hour.
until the day was done and there was
no shadow because all Was covered by
the shadow of night A verv ancient
and impressive device was the hour
glass, through which the grains of
sand fell silently, one by one, until the
hour was measured. SO with US, the
sands of life have run out, and the
shadow descends the stairway until
with step OF two remaining, there
will come the one long shadow of NOR
tai life.
We are accustomed to speak of our
anniversaries as milestOnes, our birth
days, our new year days; our memo
rial days, are our milestones on the
journey of life. But the milestone is
not like our anniversaries in this The
milestoneteIIs the wearied traveller
who rests On the grass, not only OF
the miles he has already come, but the
miles also which yet lie between him
and his home. But our anniversary is
a milestone that only tells us of our
past. 1t has no inscription of what
lies before US. We can never tell that
we shall reach another, and our ami
versary tonight has this uncertainty,
that we know not what a day may
bring forth. Some one of US who are
growing grey and old will be the next
to 60 And a few Confederate .vete-
rams will come and wrap the flag We
love about US, and carry us out to the
place upon the green hillside.
We sometimes speak lightly of man
turning over a new leaf. Sometimes
we look across the street and see some
one who is not doing we'll. Some evil
habit has grown up and wrapped itself
about him like noxious deadly vine.
Some evil association has led him es-
tray. We say to ourselves, with sad
ness and regret, that man ought to
turn over a new leaf. What a fine
hopeful thought it is, that one may
have new leaf, fair, unwritten, un-
blotted. IL seems to me the most pre-
cious thing man can ever have, the
opportunity of writing a new leaf. II
l have made the record of the past
year, not what it ought to have been,
not a profitable account, not worthy
of me, a leaf stained with my errors
and blurred with the tears of those
that love me; with things written
ought Lot TO have done, and unWritter
with things [ ought to have done,
want to turn over new leaf 1t is {
privilege beyond price that there il
laid before me a newleaf. And l ma.
! leave the old with tears of regret ant
, repentance, and by the help Of Hin
who is always offering H is help, ma.
write new leaf which l may lay befor
the eye of Merciful Heavenly Father
} and for which there will be no regret
and no tears forever. My comrades
how merciful and patient the Lord Q
t Life has been to you and me. HOY
: unspeakably kind it is in Him, that te
3 morrow, tonight, l may open ne
/ account, and by His grace write bette