Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-29
GUESTS AT A CHURCH
SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION WITH
McKENDREE METHoDIsTS.
Special Exercises Concentrating
Work and Deeds of Gal
liant Soldiers

The members of the Survivors Association
of the District of Columbia Volunteers of
1861 to 1865 were the special guests of the
McKendree Methodist Church last evening.
at special services concentrating the work
and deeds of the gallant soldiers who
fought in the war of the rebellion. The
Ford. marched from their headquarters, to
the church in a body. All wore the badges
which they had worn so honorably during
the struggles of war. The pulpit of the
church was decorated with many large and
small American flags, bearing the full
forty-ffve stars Rev. E. l.. Hubbard, the
pastor of the church, gave a very impress
sive talk to the men of the Grand Army of
the Republic.
The men who attended the services were
the ones who were the first to volunteer
and to enlist in the defense of the Union,
in 1861. They had done gallant service dur
ing the stirring scenes of the Inauguration
of President Lincoln, and in the following
weeks. And when the time was at hand
that fighting must be resorted to, the regi-
ments to which these men had belonged
volunteered to become regular soldiers.
Special music was rendered for the occa-
sion. Only hymns or songs of a patriotic
the pastors sermon his daughter rendered
in pleasing voice and manner, a solo, en-
titled. Il Want to Be There; Do Your
The year 1920, Mr.. Hubbard stated in his
address. was a historic year for America
There were two landings on the soil of the
United States in that year, both by En-
giish ships, one in the north and the other
in the south. The Puritans escaping from
persecution and enslavement in Europe.
landed in MaSsa chusettS, to get liberty.
The Africans, escaping from their woods
and rural homes, came here, to slavery.
Each colony grew and prospered, the insti-
tutions corresponding to that original spirit,
until the time came when this nation
could not exist half slave and half free"
Two things precipitated the war;" he
said. The north refused to allow the
south to extend slavery to new territory;
and the south felt that If the country was
going to expand, their institutions should
follow in proportion to those of the north.
Then numerous states passed q fugitive
slave law, which said that a man who
could go into the neighbOring state to get
his horse or his mule, could get his slave,
which was just as much his chattel.
But there was no new cause for the
war" declared the speaker 1T was simply
a wider range of vision Things that were
common a score of years ago would not
be tolerated now. Only few years ago
persons were whipped in the ptllory: not
in the morning and have to be put to bed
at night But that is not tolerated now.
There is a broader view of things
Both the north and south would have
willingly compromised just before that
first shot was fired. But after that it was
war to the death. 1t was too late to colA-
promise. There was a hole through that
flag" stated Mr.. Hubbard, holding the
stars and stripes aloft.
I have great veneration and respect
for you men, who left all to fight for your
country. I admire the man who can kiss
away the tears of his gray-haired mother.
kiss the trembling lips of his wife, squeeze
his baby to his breast turn his back on
the cottage and the old oak tree, close the
gate and walk away to die for his country.
The pay of a soldier at that time was
small. But you men, throwing away all
chances in life. shouldered your guns and
went to fight. that the Union should not be
divided"
Mr.. Hubbard closed with an earnest ap-
peal for their fighting under Jesus, as
captain, and asked if they felt as that
soldier of the cross, Paul, who fought a
good fight