St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-06-01
nEnORIAL DAY.
Fitting ely Observed by Chamberlin Post
and their Friends.

Fifffngiy Observed by ChamberiIn Post
and their Friends.
Cover the graves of the dead with a mantle
Few be the words that said, over the
whether they followed or led, nothing dis
closes.
Headstone nor footstone are on the sod of
the valley,
Green in its verdure. and gay with the sweet
Nothing reminds us today of sortie or sally.
Fallen the ramparts and chill are the DESC
late trenches;
The fort on the crown of the hill. the cannon
that mangle aud kill.
The frosts of the winter yet chill, the early
rain drenches.
Heroesl who struggled and died. for land
rent asunder,
Whether of Cray or of Blue, ready to dare
and to do,
C1inging steadily to. the flags they fought
under.
Yet if we thought they were wrong, are they
worse than all others?
From the same mountains and plains, with
the same blood in their veins
With the same losses or gains, they We're our
after the carnage of war come the blossoms
Strife did their fortunes divide, death with
its terrible tide
long hours.
Bury the feuds that arose. out of sight with
Peace to our friends and our foes; peace in
their tranquil repose
There let both moulder away and die out
OF fire that ravaged the land. of passions we
could not Withstand,
Dreams which waketh to from, then
scarcely RENE m bers.
So from the North to the South, so from the
East to the West
May we be happy and see peace and pros
perity be
Over a land ever free, peaceful and blest.
The pre- Memorial Sunday service was
held in Music Hall, Sunday evening, open
ing with selection by the male quartet
consisting OF Messrs. Parker, w. B. At
wood, Woods and S. D. Atwood. Scrip
ture was read by Rev. c. R. B. Dodge.
prayer was offered by Rev. E. M. Chap
man, and another selection was given by
the quartet, with Mrs. D. c. Stiles, SOLO
list, and Miss Alice B. Warden, accom-
PIANIST.
Rev. J. M. Frost took his text for the
evenings sermon from Romans 8:37.
"Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerers through Him that loveth u.s."
He spoke of the meeting as a Sunday
evening campfire, and said that if those
of the comrades who are not living
could plead with tho sc present he was
sure it would be for the time when war
should be no more. He said in part:
There had at the time of the former wars
been no better way known to extermln-
ate our enemies than to destroy them,
but the coming soldier should be more
than a destroyer-as war now seems
more unnatural-without shedding blood,
and he hoped as we all do that the time
St. Paul's "more than conquerer" means
lifesaver rather than destroyer-one
must increase and the other decrease.
Soldiers are gentle and tender as men,
not brutal, and they should win battles
by methods that shall build up rather
than destroy. To do this the soldier
must be conqueror of himself first OF
ALL The speaker referred to the first
battle in Heaven as told us in Mil
toms Paradise Lost, telling us the SOL
der must have victory with himself and
fight battles within himself. The coming
soldiers weapoas must be spiritual, as
the only legitimate warfare is battle of
the Goth century should not allow the
spilling of the blood of the sons of God.
In the time of the civil war men were
true to their country and went south to
drive out wrong beliefs of secession and
slavery and succeeded more than history
has ever told.
The work must still be done to
eradicate wrong ideas, and there is no
doubt as to which side the victory will
be given between right and wrong. The
soldier will never pass away and to lose
him would seem to undo the past; his
memory grows more and more precious.
The principles of war will never be
eliminated but the methods we hope
will speedily change. Patriotism and
piety worship around the same altar,
and pietv feels honored to sit under the
folds of patriotism. Patriotism finds
completion in piety, and the flag OF the
country must be kept as spotless as the
cross.
At the close of the sermon Mr.. Frost
offered prayer; the quartet sang Zone
Sweetly Solemn Thought" and the con-
gregation joined in singing America, :"
after which the benediction was pro-
nounced.
Memorial day opened pleasantly, but
the last Of the afternoon there was a
slight shower which marred a little the
pleasure OF the day. In the morning de-
tails Of veterans decorated the soldiers
graves and at noon dinner was served to
Chamberlin Post at Grand Army hall.
Rev. E. 7. Ranslow was the special invi-
ted guest of the Post and there were
several of our townspeople invited in.
The procession formed at the Court
House at 100. 1t was an unusually
short one and consisted of the following
organizations: St. Johnsbury Band,
George c. Fetch, leader; Palestine Com
mandery, No. S, K. T., 35 in line. William
S. Boynton, Eminent Commander; Com
pany D. Vermont National Guard. 35 in
line, John w. Tinker, captain; Canton
Crescent, No. 2, l. o. o. F., IS in line,
Lieut.. Henry Beck commanding; degree
team of Modern Woodmen, F. M. Bonett
captain; Chamberlin Post, No. i, 6. A
R., So in line, Albert Harris, comman
ding; soldiers in carriages, Charles P
president 0f he 6av riding