The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1903-05-29
Moral Influence of the COnfed
crate Struggle.

New Orleans DAILY state
la sermon of rare beauty and
grandeur. Rev Richard Wilkinson.
the eloquent and accomplished
pastor of the Rayne Memorial
Church of this city. discussed yes
tsrday the influence that was eX-
erted upon Individual and national
character by the great struggle
made by the soldiers and states
men of the Confederacy A syn
opsis of this splendid discourse IL
printed in the morning press to-
day, and a perusal Of It's patriotic
utterances cannot fail 10 be edify-
ing and uplifting Al this time.
Taking As his theme the minis
try of afiiic,ion. the distinguished
divine traced the powerful in
fiuence that active suffering and
passive endurance of tribulatiou
and affection exerted upon char
acter. and into the whole he weaved
a beautiful lesson concerning the
uplifting Of Southern life and the
ennobling of Southern character
stupendous war Ia bringing out
these points DR. Wilkinson elo-
quently said:
1T l. declared by the historian that In
ther Sat in the damp cell Of the Wartburg
Prison, alone upon the rock. aud endured
IN his strong frame passion that the
emancipation Of the human race rendered
necessary. ~ the Southern soldier, ON
hundred fields Of battle. endured ia hi-
strong frame passion for the would be
emancipation Of the Southland. Human
ity today confirms the Judgment that this
endurance discovered. developed and
dung world wide some Of the grandest eI-
pressIOn- Of heroic chivalry ever enron
icled by mortal hands.
Il do not need to discuss them AT
length. You Will hear them IN detail dur
ing the coming week. but / do ask. what
means this annual celebration but tine
recognition Of the herolsn, the bravery,
the valor ~ those noble worthless whose
suffering, martyrdom and death com
manded the eulOgy Of the civilized world.
Are we not here today 10 bring our trib
ute to their memory aud plant our hOwsrS
upou their tomb. IN recognition Of their
heroic sacrifice surmouuting obstacles
of CLINE, earth and toe, counting death at
every step, the brave men went down IN
she service Of their country. Nay. not
went down, but up-up 80 martyrs
crown, up 20 "A herO- rest. beyond the
reach OF a nations tears. hey ond the reach
of mortal fears. With their blood they
sought TO purchase glorious destiny for
their beloved Southland. And though
th~srted. they made the South imperial
through the vslor Of their gallant -oIdiery.
All honor TO Robert r.. Lee. peerless In
the annals of American warfare, 10 Stone
wall Jackson. who gave God the glory: to
Albert Sidney Johnston, Leonida- Polk
the Episcopal bishop; To Pickett, who
led the charge At Gettysburg sud fell in
the front of battle. to jefferson Davis. of
haIlowed memory; 10 Pembertou and
Bragg; to our own Joe Wheeler, John h.
Gordon, Stephen ID. Lee ana others Of
that mighty host. But greater honor To-
those untitled heroes who stood At the
pools of Bethesda, on the firing line aud
picket duty, who fell In lovline-s of sac
rificial life, and III that calm persuasion
Of benehcent love, embodied the spirit of
rhe Man of Galiee, IN pulses stirred to
generosity, In deeds of daring rectitnde,
in -corn for miserable aims that end III /,
self And whom the sea shall give up its |
dead and the glowing suns of this South |
srn cline shall cease to -corch the graves
where sleep our fallen comrades, We shall +
clasp hands the other shore. and
through the triumph of the Captain of ;
Isrsel's host, we will crown Him lord of
all
We have often heard il said by !
those who are inclined TO pessi- |
mism that the South is losing its ,
reverence for the traditions and .
for which the gallant |
men of the Confederacy fought and
died on many battlefield; that
the sordid spirit of commercialism
is sapping away the life of the