Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-27
TRIBUTES PAID
TO DEAD PATRIOTS
Memorial Services by Local Or
CARNATIONS Yesterday.
STORIES OF HEROIC DEEDS
Exercises Preliminary to the Annual
Decoration Day Observance.
SOLDIERS OF ALL WARS HONORED
Grand Army of the Republic, Spanish
War Veterans and Other
Organizations.
Exercises Preliminary to the Annual
Decoration Day Observance.
SOLDIERS OF ALL WARS HONORED

of the nation was honored at memorial
services held in this city yesterday. Speak
ers told of the heroic deeds of the Ameri-
can fighting men who sacrificed their lives
on the altar of their country, and their
prowess and victories We're described in
song and verse. These ceremonies were pre-
liminary to the solemn exercises that will
be held at Arlington and other cemeteries
next Thursday by the Grand Army of the
Republic, the United Spanish War Veterans,
the Army and Navy Union and other pa
triotic societies.
The opening event yesterday was in
charge of the ladies OF the Iineal Society
Of the Spanish War in the chapel at Fort
Myer, which was largely attended. The
Episcopal service preceded the memorial
sermon, which was preached by Chaplain
Henry A. Brown who said in part:
The sons of today should keep before
them the memory Of the heroic deeds Of
their fathers. The benefits and blessings
we enjoy were awarded us by those who
have gone before; the tree of liberty was
planted by those back in the past; our in
situations Of freedom the product Of
the patriotic work Of fathers. The
world would be poor indeed without the
inspiration of ancestral memories. The in
1uence of ancestors is incentive to noble
effort and achievement. Lineal descendants
Of patriotic families feel a just pride for
family tradition the son is inspired to pa
triOtic deeds by knowledge that he is
| descendant of a long line of heroes AS
our forefathers have placed in our charge
the preservation of our sacred Institutions
SO should we transmit untarnshed our con-
secrated trust to succeeding generations"
Chaplain Brown concluded his eloquent
sermon with an impressive reference to the
duty and Importance of memorial observ-
ance.
officers of the lineal society present were
Mrs. G. w. Driver, Mrs Allyn K. Capron
Mrs F. s. HOdgson, Mrs. K. Lawson, Miss
A Ferris Mrs. Flora Lewis. Mrs. l.. Fer
lumbia Department, U. s. w. V, was rep
resented by Messrs. Harlow, Gwynne, Law
son. Bayliss, Brown, Wheeler and Burke.
Services at st. Adams
The second service of the day was held at
st. Adams Church, in the Cathedral Close,
those in the audience comprising members
OF the United States regular army and
navy, the National Guard Of the District of
Columbia. the Military Order OF the Loyal
Legion. the Grand Army of the Republic.
the Army and Navy Union, the Confederate
veterans Association, the United Spanish
War Veterans, the Army of Santiago, the
Army of the Philippines and Sons of eVt-
erans
The exercises were in charge of the Right
Rev. Henry Y. Satterlee, bishop of WASH
1ngton, and Rev. George c. Bratenahl, rec
tor of st. Adams Owing to the dampness
Of the grounds the ceremonies were not
held In the open, as had been planned, but
IN the chapel, consequently many could not
gain admittance owing to the limited ca
pacity of the structure.
The sermon was delivered by Chaplain
Brown of Fort Myer, Va. He began by
saying that this being memorial Sunday,
the purpose of the service was not to dis
cuss the merits of any particular war the
justice of any particular cause or even to
eulogize the dead, bat first of all to attempt
to realize the hand Of the Almighty God in
the destiny Of the nation and to present
what is conceived to be the Christian atti-
tude In regard to war.
There are some highly respectable and
intelligent Christians who believe that war
Is never justifiable. and who consistently
preach and try to practice the principle Of
nOn-resistance.
Others there are to whom the principles
against.
There Is still to be considered third
Glass; consisting of nearly all good Chris
ltan people, who feel that at times, at least,
war Is justifiable, but when called upon to
defend the practice upon Christian grounds
and according to Christian principles. thew
appear troubled, confused, embarrassed.
and by word and act confess themselves
in an impracticable position.
Wrong Position to Assume.
'They seem to feel that when such con-
5itions arise Christianity should retire to
the background, or be held in allegiance
In other words they seem to feel that war
Is sinful; nevertheless they propose to fight
anyway and take the chances Such a SEN
timent is a tact acknowledgment that in
such a crisis the teachings of Christ can
not be emphasized because they are i'm
practicable.
Friends, this Is a wrong position and
entirely untenable Christianity is practi-
cable under all conditions, or else it is an
egregious failure. If the teachings of Christ
cannot be applied in the direct crisis of a
nations experience and in the hour of
mans direst extremity, it Is not worth ap-
plying anywhere. A practical man will
say: Away with a system of religion
that cannot stand the fires Of criticism
and that confesses itself impotent to guide
and assist In solving the practical problems
In the life of nation as well as those of
the individual
War is not the worst thing that can
happen, by any means national war is
preferable to a national disgrace, far better
than national stupor, far more honorable
than the loss of national self-respect, honor,
or pride. While there are times when
nation may properly submit to injustice,
there are also times when 1t becomes our
sacred duty to resist 1t, lest worse evils
follow. More than that, he who would
abandon war because of loss of life is put
ting the price of peace on a low basis.
We might as we'll abolish railroads for the
same reason for they number more vic
tins in their path. 1t is not the loss of
life the pain, the suffering entailed, the
passions excited, or the money involved
that should move us to work for peace
Such considerations, judged by the true
standards OF patriotism and Christianity
are in every way insufficient. There are
far deeper reasons why we should work for
peace and of the strongest of these
is the absolute futility Of war in accom-
phshing righteous end.
Assurance of Future Security.
Wars one justification,' concluded
Chaplain Brown lis assurance Of future
security and a lively demonstration to our
people that a nation stands ready to guard
her honor and protect the rights of her
weakest citizens from the greater evils
most certain to follow such neglect
He declared that disarmament was no
part of the remedy. LAS we'll try to cure
scrofula by the application of a local
plaster as to attempt to destroy war by
disarmament. l submit that it is no part
of wise precaution or protection to remove
quarantine so long there are evil
dences of contagious. disease. Barracks
and fortifications are no cause of war
They are simEG symptoms of disease"
Special prayers were offered for soldiers
and sailors, or veterans and in "commo-
ration of departed comrades"
Grand Army Program.