The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-05-31
Before the @. A. r. Posts
and w. r. Q.

| les and Sunday school rooms were
filled to their capacity by the general
public
The following was the order Of ex-
ercises observed:
Invocation-Rev. G. B. Allen.
Selection by Choir.
Song by Flower Girls-'Dropping from
the Ranks One by One"
Grand Army services by officers and
comrades Of William Mckinley
Post, No. 25.
Memorial sermon by Rev, ]. S. Rea-
ger, ID. ID.
Selection by the band.
Annual relief collection.
| Song by flower girls-"Flowers for the
Brave"
Closing services by the post.
Selection by choir, accompanied by Or
gan and band.
Benediction.
The address or Rev. DR.. Reager,
which was listened to with the closest
attention, was as follows:
Rom. 1879 "Cleave to that which
is good" | count it a privilege to
speak to this company of heroic men
who have given such prestige to the
army of our country and made posi-
BILE the splendid position we hold to.
day among the greatest nations of the
world; and these no less heroic wom-
en- of the Relief Corps who at their
country's call placed their dearest
treasures upon the altar of living sac
rifice.
We can add no luster to the fame
of our dead comrades by this memori-
al service, but we can keep green
their memory and show our apprecia.
tlOn of the blessings we enjoy
through their patriotic devotion
The principles for which they con-
tended are dear to us and are the
rghtful heritage of the coming gene.-
ations who shall carry forward to it's
manifest destiny this, the greatest re-
public that has existed among men.
There are some things which are
vital to us If we are to perpetuate the
victory gained when the confederacy
found its grave at Appomatox.
First, An undivided country. To
preserve the union was the first aim
OF the war. Natural unity is the es.
sential condition of greatness and Sc.
curity; no enemy can destroy unless
they first divide us. Our motto Is,
no east, no west, no north, no south,
but the American union forever, over
which shall float in triumph and
majesty the star spangled banner.
Second, Liberty. The word that
charms an American and sets in mo-
ton all the heroic elements of his
nature.
The result of the war not only de-
cided for national supremacy but for
freedom HenCeforth there must not
come into any segment of the republic
any form of bondage save for crime.
Poverty must not be chattel to wealth.
The liberty of the cabin must be as
sacred and secure as that of the pal
ace. The factory girl must have the
same protection that is given to the
queens of aristocratic social life and
the man who swings pick must be AS
secure in the blessings of liberty az
the man who counts his dollars by the
millions, Manhood must count for more
than money If the future of the repub-
lie is to be as bright as our patriotic
ambition desires 1t to be- Our debt to
the army and navy is great and so Is
our obligation to that great host OF
toilers who built from primeval forest
this most splendid civilizations; the
men who have opened and developed
our mines, thus creating exhaustless
springs of wealth; the men who have
felled our forests and built the cities
and towns which are the glory of the
whole land; who have built our rail-
roads, binding the different sections of
our country together In financial unity
with bands of steel; the mechanics who
have made possible by their finer pro-
ducts of skilled labor our commercial
supremacy throughout the whole
world, these all, and their descend
ants all, must share in the one great
boon and blessing of American life,
liberty-liberty for pure enjoyment.
Liberty of education, liberty to worship
God according to the dictates of con-
science. An equitable share of all the
blessings of the wealth which has come
to the nation by their skill and service
should be theirs.
Third, our institutions, domestic, ed
ucational and religious. These are Of
measureless value. Our efficiency upon
the sea. our superiority on farm and
In shop, depends upon the men who
tread the quarter deck, man the guns,
till the farm and swing the hammer.
Excellency OF manhood depends upon
domestic, scholastic and religious in
fuenoe. Home and school are not suf-
ficient without Christianity. The es-
ssntial difference between ApArina and