Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-30
meMORIAL SERMON
BY Rev. A. w. Eradcen Before Heath
Post, 40. 6, 6. A. r.

-
Yesterday, being the Sunday pre-
ceeding Memorial day, was the occa-
sion for the usual Memorial sermon
before the members of Heath Post, No.
6. G.. A. r., of this city and took place
ut the morning service at the Free
Baptist church on Winter street. The
day was a particularly pleasant one
and large delegation from Heath
Post attended and this with the con-
gregation gathered filled the church.
The church had been decorated for
the occasion and was very pretty IN
it's tasty decorations Of red. white and
blue bunting, paper and flags. Con-
spicuOus over the pulpit in the front
of the cdifiCe was erected an arch Of
red, white and blue bunting from
which strcamers of the same colOred
paper to which small flags were at
tached were hung. On the curve of the
arch was seen in gilt letters tn" in
scrirtiOn 1--WE Honor The Men Who
Wore The Blue" and suspended from
the curve and hanging between the up
rights was "WeIcome. G.. A. r"
The service was a particularly pleas
ant one and included an organ prelude
by the church organist Miss Lillian
Holmes with n violin obligato played
by Mis-, Edna GoOden. Miss Goodcn al
50 sang solo and response.
Rev. A. w. Bradccn, pastor of the
church profaced his sermon with words
of welcome to the members of the
Grand Army and took for his text the
words found in the end. verso of the
10Th chapter Of the BoOk of jeremiah.
The sound OF battle is i'll the land. :
The sermon was Il particularly COOL
one and was listened to with marked
attention and interest by the veterans
as we'll as the congregation. A b.iaf
abstract follows.
Doubtless the mention of the text
bring to your minds sadness. 1t may
remind you of the sad news of the fall
of Fort s5umpter; Of the call of Lincoln
for $4,000 troops for three months: it
may call your mind the long night
watches as you walked back and forth
on the picket line: or a thousand and
one things connected with war. 1t may
remind you of the battle of Antictam.
Harpers Ferry, the awful battle of
Gettysburg. Fredericksburg o. Peters
burg the surrender Of Lee or of how
you turned your faces Northward and
took I'D your life as Il civilian again.
wish to swing your thought from this
to the great prir @ipals for which YOU
fought and to impress upon you that
there are yet Erc1t BATTLES to be fought
and great victories to be won.
7 believe every man and woman is Il
soldier enlisted under some on" Of the
great banners now being c1rried for
ward in the world The battle of High
CT Fights is now on; Truth is dominant
and right should he on the throne. In
tclligence should have the right to rule.
Intelligence is what has made America
the greatest nation of the world and
is what will sustain it. 1t is one of the
higher PRINCIPALS for which every citi-
zen must stand. Reason has the right
to dominate passion and judgement
has the right to dictate to it. The best
shall rule and this is what every citi-
zen must stand for.
In political election the host prin-
cipals should be chosen and the best
man for the position. The intelligence
and judgement should be used. Let the
best occupy your time and talent.
Sometimes 7 have thought that the
highest ideals did not actuate the mo-
tives OF the nation but | want to i'm
press upon the minds of the young
man and woman that the best is dor
rlinant. There are many great queS-
ton now agitating the public mind and
the Temperance question is one of the
greatest The best can never rule while
interIrpera has anything to do with
national life. The question of the color
ed man in the South is another great
question and must be settled by in
telligence and judgement.
. Capital and labor is another i'm
portant question. The war is on and
the sword is drawn. I am not here to
contend for either. Both arc right and
both are wrong. Capital has asked 50
much of labor that the reaction has
come. The laboring man in his present
organization would ask so much of
capital that capital could not do bust
ness. We are to settle these questions
and how? There is a tremendous pre-
dudice on the part of laboring people
and they have had reason and this is
the natural outcome of the corrupt
features of capital and labor. What is
to end the fight and settle the ques-
tons? Higher ideals and higher rights.
They must prevail. You as American
citizens must settle it first.
There is one other thought and 10