The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-13

good work for God and man are to be
gratefully remembered
As We gather in this ancient and
historic edifice. we recall the names
and honor the work of those who have
been sleeping so long beneath yOnder
quiet mounds. As we tell over again
the story of their tolls and sacrifices
and fidelity, their voices seem to speak
again as from the distant past, their
faces become radiant as with the glory
of God. They may not have lived to
see the completion of their work, nor
TO realize its great and abiding effects
both upon church and state. The
stately temple their hands buiIded, may
be crumbling to ruin, its altar-fire ex-
tinguished. its children scattered: but
the influence of their piOus and patri-
otto lives still abides, fresh and strong;
it is moulding other lives and commu-
mites, its power is felt throughout our
country and from it other churches
have sprung.
we may not know the specific work
each did-indeed the names of some
may be even forgotten. In the inter-
play of human influences, we may not
be able to separate the tangled threads,
to follow each one back TO it's source
and trace results unerringly to their
direct and real causes; but to the eye
of God the chain of cause and effect
however long, sweeping through time
and eternity, stretches out clear and
plain, each link separate and distinct;
there is no error, no confusion with
Him. and out Of the vast compiled tons
of time and the ensphereing of human
influences, the work of each individual
is clearly outlined. Impressions run
ming back through many years and
intertwined with other impressions,
God can follow, disentangle, and give
honor where honor is due. So, although
we may not be able to decipher the
names on some of these crumbling
monuments and although others may
be already lost in the dust of oblivion,
yet God remembers the toiling ones
who wrought upon the work.
"As at the dedication of the temple.
these namesN viii all be known and
shine out when the great structure is
completed in heaven and the angels
sound the silvery trumpets of jubilee
on the mountains of Zion, even the I'M
known and forgotten ones will be held
IN everlasting remembrance. Look at
the splendid fabric of our civil lib
erty how do we enjoy it's blessings
1t was built upon the sacrifices and
deaths of men who went before. some
of whom sleep in unmarked graves
i
is true of our religious liberty; the
peace we enjoy is the price of blood,
purchased by an ocean of suffering and
tears. Yet we do not know the names
of many of the faithful ones to whom
we owe the priceless blessing-their
memory was covered up by the ashes of
the stake, burned out in martyr fires.
So the Church of God, through the
ages, has been marching to its tri-
umphs over the graves of men and wo-
men who laid down their lives for duty
unknown here. but known in heaven
and honored forever there.
Let us strive to catch the inspira-
ton of their lives, emulate their exam
pies, that when our little day of work
is done we may assemble at the great
reunion in that world where the years
cease to roll, and may meet again not
in a fading structure reared by man,
but in that temple not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens"