Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-06-02

livelihood to wrest from the soil, our
fathers found little opportunity for idle
play. Today we are rich, and as we read
the chronicled fads, follies and frivolities
of the sons and daughters of the i'm
mensely rich, and contrast these with
the sterling characters of their fathers,
and the womanly modesty of their
mothers, we appreciate that the license
afforded by great wealth is a curse rather
than a blessing to many of the present
generation.
Yet another evil is that of avarice.
An insane haste to get rich a delusion
far reaching and over mastering that
wealth and happiness are synonyms.
The madness that possess a man entered
in the gold hunt knows no limit. Prin-
ciples that he would count most import
ant in his theory of morals are wholly
imperative in his financial career.
The last peril that l would mention is
that of religious apathy. Not denied
God, but worse, an ignored God. An
acting on the part of men as though they
could live without taking God into
account. We have indicated a few of
the perils, it is ours also to emphasize
the remedies as they appeal to our heart.
The need of our times is a more exalted
ideal of the true and abiding characters
tics of manhood. America needs men.
Men of answering fidelity and deep
moral convictions, in our halls of legisa-
ton, our counting rooms, our stores, our
factories, and on our streets. Men who
will detest a vice, and scorn lie. Men
who appreciate the abiding worth of a
high moral standard, will refuse to be-
come the bond-servants of policy, cupid
ity and compromise. We want men of
endurance, men of purpose, men of con-
viction, men of self-forgetfulness, men
of disinterested motive, men who are
enthusiasm.
The panacea for all our social, moral
and religious ills is a recognition and
acceptance of the fact that God is present
and active in the history of our country.
A forgotten God spells doomed nation.
With what pathetic sadness we study
the history of those nations which were
once a power in the world, but which
have persisted so utterly in their pride
that scarce a memorial is left of them.
What is the history of Egypt whose sway
and dominant power was well nigh i'm
perial? What of Assyria with her vast
material splendor and conquering power?
What of ancient imperial Rome, with
her august senate her vast amphithea-
ter, her magnificent temples, her add
vanced civilization, her mighty army,
1 her culture, her science: Why do we
write athwart the history of these
nations "Thy glory hath departed?
They forgot God, and he broke and scat
tered them along the highway of history.
With the sad experience of other nations
before us, with the rocks of danger high
out of the water and covered over with
the fragments of other wrecks, shall we
persist in the old destructive way, or
shall we recognize and accept God?
In closing | would say to you noble
veterans of the war that we will never
forget your ardor, your heroism, your
patriotism in an hour when the life of
our nation was in the balance. You
have passed up the sunny slope of life,
YOU have crossed its zenith, and are now
marching in constantly diminishing
ranks to the land from which no traveller
returns, and in which there are mo
wars nor rumors of war" You have
lived your life, you have played your
part WELL and forever will loving hearts
hold in tenderest remembrance your
deeds, your herOism, your sacrifices.
We will never forget those months of
awfnl suffering at Libby and Anderson
vile. We will never forget Winchester,
nor the march to the sea, nor those
awfnl days at Gettysburg, nor the
darkness of the Wilderness. We will
never forget and in time to come when
the last of us shall have obeyed the COM
mand of the great Captain, this monu-
ment will recall to generations yet I'M
born the unpayabe debt that they owe
to the Patriot.
AT the close of Mr. Stairs address the
monument was decorated by Ethan
Allen chapter, Daughters of the Amer-
can Revolution, assisted by several hun
dred school children carrying flags and
garlands of flowers. With the most
magnificent background of foliage and
the national colors displayed in profusion,
this feature was one of the most striking
ones of the days celebration.
America" the national anthem, was
artistically rendered to waving of flags
in unison by hundreds of school child
rem, under the direction of Mark Allen
Davis. A band selection cl osed the
afternoon exercises. A concert by the
Middlebury band and the most elaborate
pyrotechnic display that was ever seen in
Middlebury occurred in the evening,
bringing to a close Middleburys day of
days.
Roll of procession:-Marshal, T. NJ.
Chapman, and aids; Middlebury band;
Mount Cavalry commandery, No. /,
Knights Templar, j. Z. Buttolph, emf
nent commander; Killington command
cry, No g. Knights Templar, Frank L.
Clark, commander; Independent Order
of Foresters Drum Corps of Burlington;
Burlington commandery, No. 2, Knights
Templar, c. L. Soule, commander. Sec
ond division: Marshal, w. S. Dean and
aids; Lake Dunmore lodge of Odd Eel
lows, l.. H. Stalker, Noble Grand; Mid
dlebury fire department, George Kidder,
chief engineer. Third divisions Marshal