Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-29
HAS MEMORIAL
SERMON SUNDAY
Or. ~. w. Reed Addresses Veterans,
Relief Corps and Company A
at Baptist Church.

Baptist church. addressed the G. A. R.
w. r. c. and Company a, l. n, G., in
memorial sermon yesterday morning.
An abstract of his address follows. the
text being Greater love hath no man
than this. that a man lay down his life
for his friends"
In 1878, Father Damien, a Catholic
priest in the Sandwich islands, volun-
tarily devoted the remainder of his life
to religious work among the lepers on
the island of MoIokai. though he knew
that he would contract the terrible dis
ease. and himself become as wretched
as those whom he desired to help. For
16 years he thus Iabored. until death
mercifully released him from his cho-
sen task
This action of the priest was in full
illustration of the spirit of the text.
Jesus spoke the words during the even
ing before the crucifxion. and no doubt
referred to the greater love which He
would show next day, when He would
lay down His life. not for His friends.
but for those in enmity to Him. The
thought of the text is the highest eX-
preston of human love: Christ's gift
of His life was the showing forth of
the divine love.
This principle was illustrated in the
life and service of the union soldier.
Prior to the firing on Fort Sumter there
was a small standing army. but no
union soldiery. This new body of men
came into existence with the deter
mination to defend the nations life
When the presidents call for $4,000
men was sounded. that number was
marching almost before the ink was
dry on some of the copies of the mes
sage. Men weighed carefully the cir
cumStances, counting the cost, and
with Il decision that came from their
~cTy souls, gave their names, even be
fore they dared TO tell the folks at
home. And they went forth, fired with
grand purpose. and ready to live and
fight. or die, for their homes. their
dear ones, and their country. II was,
indeed, an embodiment of what Christ
said was the highest possible princi-
pie of love which any man could show.
There are some men who feel that
the honor paid to the union soldier is
all out of place. and that the men of
Gigs should not make so much of the
WI liCS hiu Dhl tiACSC hACh thit hCN
those who went to the war. nor are
they the fathers of sons who persisted
in that war 1t was the most terrible
war of modern times, or of any time,
and the cost in treasure in life. and in
suffering can never be estimated. 1t
required bravery that seems almost
superhuman And when we think of
men who had served three years, and
were then ready and willing to sign
their names for reenlistment for the
war" the courage is so wonderful that
we can scarcely understand it; but it
was, in the truest sense. an embodi-
ment of the principle spoken in the
text. | do not believe that any honor
we can pay to the living soldier. or to
the memory of the fallen soldier, can
be in any degree adequate.
There are two closing thoughts:
First. this country belongs in a pecu-
liar manner TO the returned soldier. II |
was he that saved the national life. |
What was worth saving is also worth
preserving. Dangers are all about our
country today. Not organized dangers. |
not secret combinations of men, whose |
plans we might discover and thwart; |
but the secret personal elements of
danger-those that reside in the indi-
vidual bosom, and which are the |
prompting desires and forces of the in
dividual lives. The wrong principles |
of life, the bad habits of life, the de-
bauchery of character-these, and |
many other things. are the dangers |
that confront us so seriously. The men |
who fought for our land when it was
in danger are those who should be es-
pecially anxious and earnest for the |
good of the land they saved.
Second. the old soldier should have
felt most disappointed if. when he came |
home with victory gained. he had seen
in mems faces and actions an utter |
disregard for that which had been &C
And yet, that is just ex-
actly what our Saviour has to see in
the actions of so many who reject
Him, and the wonderful love He show
ed and the wonderful salvation He
achieved for us. Men turn from Him
with careless remark or action. and |
thrust back into His face the offer of
proffered by Him. My appeal
TO all is to think of this. and accept
that which His great love has secured.