Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-05-29
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.

sunday afternoon, May "a, the Helil- |
bers of Erastus Buck Post, &. A. r., and |
auxiliary organizations attended service
at Grace NJ. f. Church. The church |
was made attractive with potted plants
and flowers. Fine music was rendered
by double quartette, and there was a
large and devout congregation. The
sermon, able, timely and patriotic, in
| fact we never heard better sermon for
such an occasion, was preached by Rev.
VIM. Shaw, pastor OF the church. His
text was 81 sent you to reap that where
on We have not labored; others have
labored and We have entered into their
labor. st. John, iv. 3S. Mr.. Shaw
said, in substance
The conditions that surround one
generation are largely the result of the
actions of the former; we inherit con-
ditions, but have the power and there
fore the responsibility to better them,
for We too are making conditions for the
succeeding generation. 1t is difficult,
however, for us who are enjoying the re-
suits to realize the cost. We read his
tory, but find it hard to understand the
spirit of the times, much less to place
ourselves in those surroundings, even in
thought, and for little while, but we
can appreciate to some extent the results
of that conflict of forty years ago, for We
are reaping the benefits today.
First. 1t gave us larger possibilities
as nation. Great as had been the pro
gress of the nation it must have been
evident to thinking minds that until a
satisfactory solution of the problems that
were pressing upon the nation had been
found progress would be retarded. The
war solved the problems and North and
South, after the readjustment period had
passed, entered on new era of prosperity,
industrially and Intellectually.
; Secondly. 1t gave more stable
: government. When the Constitution
was adopted it was necessarily time for
compromise. Some things were left to
be worked out, and among these problems
was the doctrine of States Rights
What authority shall the state have in
matters when the law made by the
, federal government seems to be contrary
to any one of the states. How often
J that question came up in one way OF
: another during the years preceding the
+ civil war; 1t was inevitable that some
9 time the question must be settled, and Il
: the eloquence of Webster was the chic
e factor in establishing in the hearts ant
:. minds of the men of the North the
e sacredness of the Union, and forced tn,
" conviction home "There can be NJ
IS secession without revolution" it in III
wise detracts from the honor of thos
70 men who were willing to die in order t
ID preserve the sacredness of the Union
k, and as result the doctrine of State
;e Rights is dead and buried.
es Thirdly. 1t made possible an unio
g of feeling. Oh! the bitterness, tn
ID jealousy of those days, how manifes
s. was that spirit, which has been the ours
m of other republics-sectional animosity
a How true that sentence of Abraham
a Lincoln, ga house divided against itsel
III cannot stand" "This nation cannot e1
I'd list half slave and half free" No, bu
n. the war in striking the shackles from
N, race united a people and gave ne'
yd meaning to the Stars and Stripes-Ol
If Glory,-in a word it brought the poss
re bility of the realization of the ideals al
lr- principles upon which the governmer
ok was founded. Was it worth the cost
Yes, thousand times, yes. In the las
analysis every nation depends for il
security on the patriotism and efforts {
ge it's citizeus. 1t would have been easie
to to pay the tax OF few cents on tea tina
MI endure the suffering of the revoutionar
I'D war Easier to have suffered the i'll
pressment of few American seame