Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-27
MEMORIAL SERMON
Delivered At City Hall BY Rev. G. W.
McCombe Last Evening.

,Ipln Is. fiuDDJTtl N-l, ~ ~, 80 - 49,
was delivered by Rev. George ". Nc
Combc Of the First BAPTIST church, AZ
City hall last evening.
Gen. Tildcn Camp. :. of ", also the
State ard National Relief Corps joined
in attending the service, cscortinS the
Post from its hall.
The hall was well filed at the ap-
pointed hour Rev. G. a. Wight ana
Rev. II. l.. Nichols assisted in tn" Ser
vice, the sermon being preached by
Rev. Mr.. McCombe. Musical selections
were rendered by quartet consisting
of Messrs. McQuarry, Turner, jack
man and Olsen.
Mr.. McCombe took his text from
Hebrews, 10th chapter and the 32d
verse. "Eut call to remembrance tho
former day in which you endured
a great fight of aiIlictions.' He said in
part:
To stand today and speak of the great
events which happen in our national
existence during the days Of the COS is
one thing. and to have been engaged in
those events is another. History may
be vivid, but it cannot give the reality
Of living. Reading the history of the
great war may give conception, but
faint indeed is the printed description
in cOmparieon to the actual battle. But
call to remembrance the fatal day when
Fort Sumter was fired upon. y chill
came on the nations heart. Cast down
but not destroyed, was the only COM
fort that men with palcd faced and
whispered voice. penced in mind, could
fird. Truly the sun had turned to dark
ness ana the moon to blood. Can
trust my ncighbOr, was the oft asked
question, for. as in former crisis, the
traitor ut home could be found where
least expected. Men were rcsolute. Not
one state should be struck from the
Union. From the workshop, mill, the
school. The bar and the pulpit mon
responded to Father AbrahamS call
1ntil the largest army that the civil
lied world had witnessed were assem-
blcd under ono banner with one com
mon purpose. ''Brcathcs there a man
with soul 50 dead as mover to himself
| h;;h said. this is my own. my native
land" might wcll he asked, for it
seemed as if the whole nation had re-
| SpGndod to President Lincoln'S call. The
| watcnword was DUTY, not Glory" for
the ua:h of glory leads but to the grave.
i1u1 titIt lN Itlll''ill bilNF llI'il N'ilh
ious day Of July q. 1861. when Braurc-
gard flushed with victory. put the Uni
on cause in danger. In vision ] would
again charge with out III Bloody Lane
ard there with YOU linGcr but mo-
mont uvrr the form Of q fallen com
radc. Twas a tcrribl" time as the rcm-
ancnt came back. bleeding and torn.
''T was Il victory. yet. bat it cost us dear,
For that Comrany'S roll when called that
! night.
/ Of a hundred men WHO went INTO the
NuinhcTcl but twenty that answered
| 'hCrc.
Recall Antictcm with its bloody les
son that taught Lee that Northern soil
was sacred ground to be untouched by
rcbc1ious ana hayward citizens.
| But call to mind the long. drcary
night. when you members of the Grand
Army of the Republic march your sol
itary beat. guarding your sleeping com
radcs from the hostile bullet Of the en-
envy. Oftcntimes Offering your bodies a:
shields Of defence and many Of you:
comrades giving life that you might
lir-c.. "Nn greater love hath mar
than this, that he lay down his life fol
sound heard was the tramp, tramp
tramp Of the picket on guard as
'Hc passes the fountain, the blasted Pine
Thu footstcp is tagging and weary,
Yet onward he goes through the broad
belt Of night.
Toward tho shade of the forest 50 dreary
Hank, was it tie night wind that rust!ed
was il the moonlight so wondrously
flashing:
IF looked like a .inc-On Mary goodbye
And the life blood is ebbinE and passing
All quiet on the Potomac tonight,
No sound save the rush of the river,
While soft falls the dew on the face OF
The picket's off duty forever
1!ut call to mind that love of libert,
inspired 100000 to offer their lives "'
the altar of their country's service
That love Of liberty brought 100000 f
the shadow of the Valley Of Death
That Of liberty sustained 115.000 mel
suffering, starving, dying in Rebel pris
ons That love Of liberty has cause
900, 900 Of the bravest souls to live
lingering death with diseased an
manned bodies. Europe has custom
of decorating her heroes with medal
and other badges of power; but mem
Der Of the G.. a. r., the pair of crutcheS
the supporting staff. the sightless eye
| the armlcss sleeves are decoration
more valuable. than even the much GOV
ct4I Victorian cross of Old England
Yet in spite of the misery and angus
recall that there are men who Woul
if they could take away from you you
miserable pittance which the govern
ment doles out to you under the nam
of pension with plea for economy the