The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-05-28


the rate the the school attendance is
increasing it will not be many years
before the extra room will be needed.
MEMORIAL SERVICE.
Its, Observance at the Opera House Last
Sunday-Sermon by Rev. Gratz.
Memorial services in honor of Deco
ration day were held at the opera house
last Sunday morning according to the
usual custom. Every seat was filed
and in the center section were seated
members of Wallace T. Rines post, the
L. A. S. and members of Company G.
On the stage were banners and flags,
emblems of great nation and a great
organization. The altar was entwined
with "Old Glory' and flowers perfumed
the air with the sweet breath of spring.
time. The music was furnished by a
chorus of fifteen male and female
voices. while Mrs. Ben. Soule played
the piano accompaniment.
The sermon was preached by Rev.
Gratz, who chose his text from Exodus
1925, "What Mean Ye by This Ser
vice?' Reference was made to the in
stitution of the ordinance Of the Jewish
passover. Such peculiar ceremony
would provoke comment and the smaller
children and strangers present might
inquire "What mean We by this SER
vice." The parents were instructed
by the law to say "It is the sacrifice of
the Lords passover, who passed over
the houses of the children of Israel
in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians
and delivered our homes"
Rev. Gratz said: "This ceremony of
the passover celebrated a great ma
tional deliverance and salvation of the
Hebrew nation from the CALLING bonds of
oppression. AS a nation the American
people are approaching peculiar and
wonderful celebration. Every garden
in the nation is growing flowers for the
soldiers graves. Memorial day is a
day of wondrous meaning and hallowed
memories. Though the brave dead
may not hear the word of praise, nor
the sweet song, nor see the flower, nor
hear the tear that falls silently upon
the sod, yet nothing will be lost that
day, for the pulses of the living will be
quicker and the nation will feel the
thrill Of quickening patriotism"
The speaker told of the two civiliza-
lions in this country that came in con-
tlict. One of these was founded at Ply
mouth upon an open bible, free school,
individual liberty and industry: the
other was at Jamestown and was
founded upon a hereditary aristocracy,
restricted education, oligarchic govern
ment and slave labor. The causes that
led up to the great conflict were traced.
"Without the shedding of blood there
is no progress, no advancement. We
mark the progressive steps of civiliza-
ton by battlefelds. Civilization is a
tree nourished not by rain and snow
but by the tears and blood of patriots
and prophets of yesterday.
AT the siege of Carthage the flow
ing tresses of the women were used as
boW-strings to drive the arrow to the
heart of the foe, but the women of
Carthage were not truer than the noble
women of America during the anxious
ut NV,
rial service we mean that a great price
was paid for the glorious outcome and
as American citizens by this service we
are in some measure seeking to pay the
debt of gratitude we owe.
1.-The service has come to mean for
US one more thing-a united nation.
Let bitterness hatred, sectionalism,
blgotry, oppression, and wrangle be
by-gones; yet loyalty, patriotism, lib
erty, equality, union, the old flag, the
Declaration of Independence, the con-
stltution of the United States, the
emancipation, proclamation, the little
red school house, religious liberty, an
independent press, and unprotected
ballot will never, never be counted
among the by-gones. And let US sim
cerely hope that this, our American
passover, the Both of May, may never
be among the by-gones, but that in
future ages our children and our chill
dren's children may observe this day
so sincerely and so enthusiastically that
| strangers from beyong our shores NAV
be forced to say What mean ye by this
service?''