The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-02
country GROWTH
CONTINUED from Page One.)

from it's magnificent mission of justice
and humanity. and benefcence and
Christian civilization. They showed that
the spirit of Gustavus Adolphus, and
William of Orange, and Cromwell and
George Washington still swelled in their
breasts They illustrated again the
words of General Warren at Bunker
Hill, at is sweet to die for ones cOun-
try" And if the bugle should summon
Americas sons to take their places in
the trenches and the forecastle, you will
see them just as ready to leave the
plough in the furrow, and the hammer
on the forge and the pen on the desk
to shoulder the rifle and to buckle on the
sword and march to the defense of the
stars and stripes.
We are met here tonight to hold in
our remembrance all who found a wat
cry grave in the wars of the Revolution,
of 1912, of l846, and especially those who
fell on the battlefields of the Civil War
and the Spanish American war, VINO
have been called away since to meet
their comrades. Decoration day is now
made to welcome all those who died on
land and sea in the establishment and
preservation of this Union on the eter-
nal plains of peace. 1t is a right and
| fitting duty. We owe it to those who
sacrificed all for the salvation of this
republic in its hour of peril that we en-
balm their deeds in our memory and
seek to carry forward their spirit of
patriotic devotion to future generations.
We meet in Christian sanctnaries to
consider that great struggle of praise
but not Unfortunately. We would
invoke the aid of music to fan affections
flame and lift the soul to God in thanks
giving. We would unfurl, where pos
sible, the very banners they carried to
victory. We would sprinkle vernal bios
SONS upon their honored graves to show
that their names are as sweet perfume
amongst us. They are on
Games eternal dead roll"
To you, members of the Wilkin Post
to you who fought in the war of '98,
who are still amongst us, we would Of
fer the same word of thanksgiving. You
shared the same dangers, fought in
many of the same battles, bivouacked
l
same amp-fres. But your work was
not done; by the mercy of God you are
permitted to join in this memorial SER
vice long after the conflict is over.
Year by year your roll is getting small
er; and when the word comes to Join
the celestial armies, may you pass hence
with the deep satisfaction (which
know you will that you have served
your country well and have won that
crown of immortality which is held in
reserve for you by Jesus, Lord of all?
One word more. Although we have
passed through calamities that have
strained every timber in the old snip,
God only knows what calamities are
in store for us yet either through in
ternal disorder, or from foreign moles-
tatiOn. The republic has nobly ridden
the pillows thus far; God grant she may
not founder in the days to come! Our
commercial and industrial system seems
to be in condition of very unstable
equilibrium. The conflict between la
Dor and capital may assume very fierce
character and the most alarming pro-
portions; and the extension of our
power abroad draws us more and more
into the whirlpool of European politics.
But if at the heart of our national life
there is the salt of righteousness; if
we do our duty in times of peace, we
shall be strong to do our duty in times
of trial.
God, however, still sits on his great
white throne of sovereignty. All things
are moving according to his counsels of
eternal wisdom and goodness. Greater
than all the forces that bend to ALLEVIATE
are those that are bringing men into a
glorious Christian confederation. We
are Fastening forward to the period not
of dissension but of golden concord. Out
of all collisions of time is slowly emerg-
ing the spiritual and everlasting king
dom of the Messiah Men of every type
and creed and tongue shall yet be unit
ed on the basis of His gospel. The days,
oh brethren, roll rapidly on, when the
shout of the isles shall swell the thun-
der of the continent; when the Thames
and the Danube, when the Tiber and
the Rhine shall call upon the Euphrates,
the Ganges and the Nile; and the loud
concert shall be joined by the Hudson,
the Mississippi and the Amazon sing
ing with one heart and voice, AL
leluia! Salvation! The Lord God omni-
potent reigneth!
Now, blessed be the Lord God, the
God of Israel, who only doeth wond-
rous Things. And blessed be his glor-
ious name for ever; let the whole earth