Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-05-30
FINE TURNOUT
OF VETERANS

| Post, No. %, q. a. R., accompanied
| by about half that number of Sons OF
| Veterans, marched in body to Nah
oning Presbyterian church Sunday
where they listened to memorial SER
mon preached by the pastor, the Rev,
J. E. Hutchison. Notwithstanding
the inclement weather there was IL
large congregation present,
The sermon was an able and patriotic
effort, founded ON Romans, 81:
Render, therefore, to all their dues; ;
tribute TO whom tribute is due; Gus
tom to whom custom is due; fear to
whom fear; houor to whom honor. y"
Following is n synopsis of the sermon :
The grandest monuments &n history
are its memorial days and the graudest
events and men of history are com
memorated by these days. The grand
est memorial of all history is the
weekly memorial, the Lord s day. 1t
commentaries the God man and His
resurrection from the dead.
The Both of May is an annual Me
mortal day. 1t commentaries the
Civil war. the death of many brave
men and the courage of the remnant
that yet remains. The Lords day
weekly commentaries Him who saved
the world for eternity. Memorial day
annually commentaries those who
saved one country for time
Memorial day is not day set apart
to be celebrated by the Grand Army
of the Republic, but it is set apart for
all. We're it not for the causes that
led up to Memorial day our country
would be divided into several smaller
governments with no unit of interests.
There is indeed a divineness of in
spiration which in 1868 led General
John A. Logan to issue the order for
Memorial day, for if there ever was
a nation guided and controlled by the
infinitely wise God, that nation is
ours. At one time it seemed almost
come the appendage of France, which
would have meant the sway of the de
spot and the Jesuit, the predominance
OF Loyalo and Richalieu A another
time it seemed as if the new world
would belong to Spain. which would
have meant the bloody policies of the
Alvas, the Philips and the Weylers
But in both cases Providence interven-
ed. In more recent years God used
this great nation to scourge Goddess
Spaniards. 1t is therefore befitting
that on this annual Decoration day
with flowers, with song and with low.
ing words we should go to the city of
the dead and pay our respects to the
heroes OF our wars and to keep aglow
the fires of patriotism.
To save the government when ii was
embarrassed the people of
Prussia in 1918 poured their gold and
ornaments into their emperor : lap and
took iron in exchange. This was noble
patriotic But the heroes whom we
commemorate gave in the hour of their
hat4OL BVlIA tiltll blObI anu llltll
lives.
Our sacred dead together with the
old veterans still with us, not only
saved the union and saved the flag
with every star undimmed, but they /
saved benighted race from the curse /
of slavery. Strongly WAS the insttu-
tion of slavery intrenched in the /
States. The people of the
south believed that slavery was right; /
they believed it so strongly that they |
were willing to die for their belief.
And their conviction gave them cour-
age. Braver men never faced foe
than many of them who faced and fell
before our heroes in that bloody strug-
gle.
What you and those who lie beneath
the green sward suffered no mortal
can tell The weary march, the cruel
battle, the field hospital, the awful
prison pen and most pathetic of all the
lying far from friends and home. Is
not this day above all days one that
should inspire our hearts and our lives
with patriotism.
God grant that not one of you, old
soldiers, go down from this place to
honor mortal man and at the same
time refuse to honor the best of men,
the God man; but may you decide
mere and now to render tribute to
whom tribute is due and may the
peace of God, which passeth all under
keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.