The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-06-07
MEMORIAL ADDRESS
Rev. \. Y. Adams Addresses a Large
Audience at tire Grand Opera House
on Memorial Day.

To these honored veterans, these
gray-haired men of the Grand Army
of the Republic, these who passed
through the smoke of battle, the
carnage of war, who tasted deep the
cup of suffering and hardship, and
their no less valorous and honored
wives and daughters, without whose
encouragement and noble self-sacrifice
the warrior at the front could not have
done successful battle.
To these men and women we offer
our tribute of loving respect this
glorious Memorial Day, and with
them we assemble to do honor to the
Nations dead.
1t has been said that Republics are
ungrateful, that we soon forget our
dead, but this conservation of day
each year to the memory of those who
offered their all to their country, con-
tradicts the charge. We do not forget.
We have not forgotten. We will not
forget. See this great company OF
men and women, young men and
maidens, even boys and girls, gathered
in honor of this sacred occasion. And
all over our land today-east and west,
north and south-similar companies
have met to honor the living and the
dead.
The example thus set by our country
has been followed by other nations, in
setting apart day for decorating the
graves of their soldier dead.
This Memorial Day is solemn and
sacred occasion. lisa very different
day from July 4th, which is the
nations day of hilarious rejoicing
over her birth.
But this day is the Nations holy
day-a sacred day. Sacred, because
of the memories which attach to it in
the tribute of respect we pay our
Nations defenders.
Like the battle grounds upon which
have been contended for
and upheld, where human blood has
been spilled in sacrifice to the cause
of right, even as these spots come to
be accounted sacred by men because
of the memories which cluster about
them, so this day becomes in a
measure sacred to us as upon it we
honor our sleeping comrades.
What a thrill of patriotic pride is
felt in the breast of every American at
the mere mention of the village green
of Lexington-that spot upon which
seven Americans gave up their lives
as sort of first fruits to the cause of
the colonies. The blood of those men
hallowed that ground. And we think
almost with reverence of Bunker Hill
and Trenton, Bennington and Brandy
wine, Germantown and Yorktown.
And in later years when slavery's
chains were being removed from dark
skinned bondmen, the fields upon
which this struggle was waged, are
they not sacred? Does not the heart
of every old soldier within the sound
of my voice, thrill with emotion at the
mention of Pittsburg Landing,
and Murfreesboro,
Charlottesville, Gettysburg, Vicks-
burg and Shiloh, Missionary Ridge,
Lookout Mountain, Atlanta and
Richmond.
These old battlefelds are historic
places, because upon them history
was made. They are sacred places to
the patriotic soul.
So this day concentrating such
holy sacrifices, is day sacred to
every American citizen.
During its hours we lay aside our
ordinary labors, to spend little while
in grateful commemoration of the
deeds of brave men and women who
by their very sacrifices, made, our
present prosperity possible. Patriot
ism demands such an observance OF
these holy hours.
Flowing corn, driving sharp
seeking personal pleasure
these are not all of life. There are
times when we can afford to stop a
in the mad rush of life and
think on the really great things.
Is there one here to whom these
services are tiresome? Does desire for
mere pleasure make this service dull?
Does the hour seem long because there
are no jokes to stir us to laughter?
Are we such shallow folk that we must
laugh or be bored?
Cannot our minds dwell a little
moment on the memories which this
day brings to our consciousness?
What hallowed memories these are.
The memory of patriotic service.
Through the year we work and labor,
toll and strive, contend in the markets
with our fellows, until we become
soured and sordid. We complain,
grumble, find fault, charge all our
officials with being self-seeking and
corrupt. All our public men have
their price, we pessimistically affirm,
and the the government has gone to