The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-06-15


from which had sprung the equality of
all men before the law. Democracy is
the final fruit of christian religion, and
christian citizenship is the most reli-
able basis of civic patriotism under a
republican form of government.
Though we Catholics do not at all
times get credit for it from those who
know not, nor wish to know our teach
ings, yet our church believing in this
doctrine, always enjoins that every
service exacted by the state binds in
conscience, and every act which the
state prohibits by law, our church for
bids under pain of censure. Hence a
good christian must be great patriot,
and this being true of other countries,
it is the great potent source of patriot
ism in this magnificent Columbia
where
Freedoms battle once begun,
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son,
Though battled oft, is ever won.
The great strength Of christian Amer
lea is in the freedom and liberty of her
subjects. Liberty for all who observe
her laws and constitutions; liberty,
true, real, unfeigned. Liberty in it's
truest and widest sense. 1t is the
knowledge of this that makes her every
citizen soldier willing to die for his
Countrywide great birthmark stamped
on every American is ''that it is glor.
ious thing to struggle for the redemp-
ton of the land of his home" 1t is
base tamely to submit to the tyrants
rown-liberty and then death is prefer
able to slavery and life-oh, eternal
liberty precious Inheritance of the soul!
Ills sweeter to bleed for an age at thy
shrine,
Than to dwell for one moment in
chains"
the Observation-Disclosures of earth,
there is no land to be compared to thee,
neither the sun, nor moon, nor the stars
Of heaven shine down upon anything
SO lovely rs thee. Columbia, with such
brave sons and daughters fear not.
Storms may howl around thee,
Foes may hunt and hound thee;
Shall they overpower thee?
Never, never, never.
Venerable soldiers, in the hour of
prosperity when fortune smiles upon
us, it is sweet and consolng to bring
to ones mind the memory of bygone
trials and reflect on the hard fought
struggles Of early life. How often do
We love to recall the past and to sum-
mon to our fancy those scenes which
OF all We're the most appalling, the
most pregnant with the threatening
evils. We gaze upon the past, we
view it as a tleeting phantom which
once disturbed the calm slumber of our
early years, and then we smile at our
former griefs, and enjoy the more eff
fectually the blissful reality of the
present time. So it is with you today,
soldiers of the Grand Army of the
Republic. when Il great country and a
great people commemorate the memory
OF all those who sacrificed their youth,
their manhood's strength, domestic
happiness. nay. even their very lives
i'll a great holy callse,-for their nation
and their nations honored flag. You
who live must feel sweet soothing
pleasure in recalling the memory Of
Your hard fought, long-continued bat
ties Of your younger days, when badly
fed and badly clothed;-;ls transporta-
ton then was not the best-and the
country not the richest; when fight
ing was not like now engineering, but
hand to hand, when you meet foe
worthy of your steel in valor, when
Greek meet Creek in desperate con-
1iict. When to be a soldier or IL sailor
meant hardships, courage and patriot
ism rather than the etiquette of the
ballroom. Today Columbia honors the
memory Of her dead heroes with praise
and benediction. She holds them up
to her children as Il galaxy of heroes.
She celebrates the triumph of their suf--
ferings, Of their labors, Of their DEATH
their unconquelnble 1idelity-their I'M
dying love for the flag. Yes, she hon
ors you all today, dead and living
members Of the G. A. r., and she will
swell her canticles Of love for you
through the ages vet unborn, so that
i'll song and story your memories will
be respected by long posterity, and
the sound of the archangel's trumpet
proclaiming the end of the chapter of
time and the things of time will find
your graves still strcwn with flowers
and your fame still green in the hearts
OF a grateful people. And it is only
mete and right, for though gone from
amongst us, yet they are not all dead,
only that which was mental of them,
Their spirit still lives. their patriotism
still breathes. AS to the sun, when he
is gone down in the west and has dis
appeared from sight, still gilds the
|, horizon, and his rays reflected from
the clouds of heaven, relieve us from
utter darkness by the friendly light
c,t, n IL,