The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-05-31

a God in Israel We are proud that
our part of this country was not found
wanting Memorial day keeps alive
these facts in our minds and teaches
them to our children.
,. Memorial day unites churches,
political parties, different nationali-
ties and sections of the country. The
flag ison the under side of our church,
party and race buttons. If some wear
Roosevelt, Parker or Cleveland but
tons, if you turn them over you will
find Old Glory. All nationalities took
part in the struggle for the union. The
west sent many Germans, the Swedes
gave us the Monitor, the colored sol
ders we're brave at Milliken Bend,
Fort, Wagner and Port Hudson, while
the man who sent Early reeiing up the
Shenandoah valley was a wild Irish
man, Phil Sheridan. There is no
north. south, east or west as we meet
today beneath our flag and over our
dead heroes.
3, Memorial day emphasizes the
lesson of noble heroism taught by
those who saved the union. | see a
noble volunteer as he pleads for others
to enlist, He led the company and in
the great battle where bullets flew so
thick that trees we're cut down as were
the men he fell, this hero fell nd to-
morrow, a few surviving relati' es will
go to his grave and plant sor aoS-
ers. God was with the union oldiees;
what did they do? They or ned the
way for the more speedy u ump of
the Gospel. Slavery put down m 'ant
the rapid progress of Christian civili-
zation. These men died for us. Lin
coin toldit all in that immortal address
at Gettysburg.
Now we will see the utility of mem
orial day If we seek to determine whet-
her we are doing for our country or
trying to do our part as well as the
old soldiers did. And another ques.
tion: Are we doing all we ought for
the old soldiers? We answer, "As
long as there is a veteran or his fam
lily in want and this is the richest nat
ion on the face Of the globe No"
These men paid for these blessings and
deserve help.
1. Memorial day especially enfor.
ces two lessons:
(DGod's hand is on the emancipa-
ton of the slave. Who gave us Lin
coin and Grant? Men did not know
them but kind Providence brought
them to the front in time to lead the
people The little Monitor was Gods
hand in the struggle.
(2)A question of morals will not
down. 1t is said that a drop of water
in certain circumstances of confinement
would split the glove. Well, We might
hoop the earth to hold it from burst
ing, possibly, but don't try to contine
the right, slavery could not exist in
free country.
5. Memorial day shows US our
duty:
1)Guard the ballot. Better rifles at
the polls to guard men in right to vote
than shot guns preventing his exercise
of right OF suffrage.
(2)Guard the public schools; we
should see that every child goes to
one. Loyalty to government should
be taught constantly in every school
(3)Show regard for law. No red
flag of anarchy shall be allowed here.
i4Guard the church. The churches
should vie with one another in endeav-
oring to awaken loyalty to the Great
Commander.
Men of the GAR, your work is not
finished, great questions confront us,
labor ahd capital, political demigog-
ism, the saloon; will you be menY
Soldiers fell on sea and land. There
is need of brave men in the field now.
Principles live, we must defend them.
Our country has led the way in the in
terests of humanity, The world looks
to us; let us be brave; let us be true
men.
AS we go burdened with flowers in
search of the graves of our heroic
dead, let all bitterness be buried.
With one hand we would take from a
basket OF rarest flowers some of the
richest beauty and fragrance and place
them on the graves Of the men who
wore the blue and with the other hand
we would take from the same basket
some of equal sweetness and place
them upon the graves OF the boys who
wore the gray, We are one people,
living beneath the folds of one glori-
GUS nag, the stars and stripes.