Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-28
SERMON TO SOLDIERS
SURVIVORS OF DISTRICT voLUN-
TIERS AT SPECIAL SERVICES.
Rev. Dr. Frank M Bristol breaches
Upon the Results OF War for
the Union.

Rev. Frank NJ. Bristol preached the me-
mortal sermon at the services &c the Sur
vivors' Association of the District of Co
lumbia held last evening In the Metropolt-
tan Methodist Episcopal Church. The mu-
sic was furnished by the choir of the
church and was appropriate to the occa-
sion, The association is composed of the
survivors of thirty-fve companies OF loyal
District men who organized just before the
civil war for the purpose of preserving or
der and protecting property.
DR.. Bristol chose his text from Hebrews
xi:34: who waxed valiant in fght.'
He said, in part: when Paul called the
roll of the Hebrew worthless who had fash
Toned the history OF his race. he had a
word of honor for the soldier dead. There
In the portrait gallery of national fame
he places his mastery delineations and side
by side with prophets and poets, states
men and kings martyrs, saints and work.
ers OF miracles he hangs the portraits OF
those who, for his peoples freedom and
glory, had waxed valiant in fight.
Fields Of Conflict
ION the field of Marathon, In Westminster
Abbey, at Arlington, Gettysburg and a
thousand cemeteries in this broad land we
read the thrilling story of military valor
and learn that among the most precious
memories of enlightened nations are the
names and deeds Of their soldier dead
Napoleon said: The worse the man the
better the soldier That is not true The
character of Wellington, Gustavus Adolf
plus, Washington, Grant, Sherman, Lee,
Stonewall Jackson and the character of the
rank and file of the army of the blue and
the army of the gray say 1t Is not true, but
the better the man the batter the soldier.
I'VE honor the highest virtues and no
blest traits of manhood when we call to
memory the patriotic deeds of those heroes
who in the sixties. waxed valiant in fight.
There are men who say: The war Is over;
who survive its memoriesY
But the war Is not over. It's bitterness
and hatred, thank God, are over. The
bravery, loyalty, victory of the war are
not over. With that lonely mother sitting
In the shadow of life's evening twilight the
| war Is not over. for that boy who went
to the front and never returned was her
| only son. Only in dreams does she see his
| face, only in hope does she meet and
caress him. The results of the war are
with the mother still.
The Manned Veteran.
$50 with that SCARED and manned vet
eran the war is not over; his ashes and
palms. his growing deafness and blindness
| make the war present reality to him. The
very prosperity of our country, the increas-
ing dignity of American citizenship, the
widening bounds of freedom tell US that the
results of the war are not over. Nay. the
growing beauty and magnff1cence OF this
city indicate that the patriotic achievements
of these old District of Columbia volunteers
of 1881 not ended
This city was saved by the men and
the comrades of the men who sit here to-
night. No doubt Washington would have
fallen into the hands of conspirators, the
government departments have been seized
and the President himself have been cap
tured but for the work of those District
volunteers. Did they not make Lincoln's
inauguration possible?
What would have been the result upon
the nation of the capture of its capital by
the conspirators who were plotting its
overthrow? Would the Union have sur
vived such blow?
Many Re-Enlisted.
THE District volunteers after their three
months service went on into the war.
Some of them may have been at Antietam
or Shiloh or Gettysburg Lookout Noun
tain, but of no deeds of theirs should they
be prouder than their work In defense of
this city Let this beautiful capital, the
most charming and magnificent capital
city of the world. go forth on Memorial day
and decorate the soldiers graves, but let
it add extra flowers to the garlands that
are placed on the graves of the dead Dis
trict of Columbia volunteers"