The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-05-29

Its Cost and its Value to the Nation.
Sermon by Rev. w. e. j Gratz
on Memorial Sunday.


ate1 with flags and banners, and flow
ers-always so appropriate-imparted
their beauty and fragrance. In the
center of the opera house were seated
the mem bers of the Wallace T. Rines
post, and occupying seats back of them
were the members of the L. A. S. No. l.
Occupying front seats to the right of
the stage were seated members of Com
pany G. Rev. Moxie read from the
scriptures, and offered prayer, while
the music was furnished by special
choir Of twelve voices. The music was
appropriate and was we'll rendered.
The choir sang during the services
Come Out, Flowers, Bright Flowers"
LEAD, Kindly Light" and "Soldier,
Rest, Thy Warfare Der"
W. E. J. Gratz, who delivered the
Memorial sermon, chose his text from
II Samuel, 23:15-17 which tells of the
heroism of the three men of David
who broke through the lines Of the
Philistines before Bethlehem and
brought David cup of pure water.
David was in cave at Adullam at
harvest time. The garrison of the
Philistines was at Bethlehem, and the
troops we're outside the city's gates.
David exclaimed, "Oh that one would
give me drink of the water of the we'll
Of Bethlehem which is by the gate"
Three OF the mighty men Of David
broke through the host of the Philis-
tines and drew the water out of the
well and brought it to David, but he
would not drink of the water and he
said: "Be it far from me, O, Lord, that
| I should do this; is not this the blood
of the men that went in jeopardy of
their lives?' and he poured it out unto
| the Lord.
Rev. Gratz said: "If the deeds of the
three mighty men were noble then this
deed of David was also noble. For it
takes a noble soul to appreciate the
nobility of another soul. To give ones
life is noble, but 70 recognize the
sacredness of the gift and give it worth
lily is higher, rarer form of noble
ness Mr.. Gratz took his text and ap-
piled it to the acts of heroism and the
deeds of valor and the noble sacrifices
performed and made by the men who
risked their lives and who gave their
lives that the nation might drink of
the pure water from the we'll of free
dom.
AT the bottom of all human progress
there is great longing" said the
speaker. 'There must be more than
need to drive toward progress. This
need must be touched with emotion,
and it must become heartfelt long
ing" He told of the causes that led to
the birth of freedom and the formation
of the new nation that was so soon to
feel the longing and desire for freedom
from the curse of slavery. The leaven
of truth of William Lloyd Garrison
spread and found its way into the
hearts of such men as Wendell Phillips,
Poet Whittier and DR.. Charming.
There was longing and praying for
freedom on the part of the black people
of the South. It was Booker T. Wash
ington's mother who bowed over the
cradle of her son and prayed God that
he would help ''Marse Lincum'' to set
them free. This longing grew until it
found it's embodiment in one man:
For him her old-world molds aside she threw,
And choosing sweet clay from the breast OF the
| unexhausted west,
With stuff untainted shaped hero new,
Wise, steadfast in the strength of God. and
| true
''Such was Abraham Lincoln, the
personifcation of this longing for the
freedom of this oppressed people.
Without very much imagination we
can hear him give voice to his own and
this nations longing and say oh for
a drink OF, the. pure water from the
well OF freedom unsoiled by the blood
OF any human being The response
Of the heroes of the text was not more
eager than the response OF the boys in
blue to the call OF, Abraham Lincoln.
If you applaud the action of the men
in the text what will you say of the
action of the men who for four long
night?, TO whom the Apostles word
might we'll apply: They quenched the
power of fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, from weakness were made
strong, waxed mighty in war, turned
to flight the armies of aliens; they
were stoned, they were tempted, they
were slain with the sword; being des-
titute, afflicted, evil treated, wander
49,.