The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-05-30
SERVICES.
Rev. Petrie Delivers Sermon On
Soldier Dead. Y

Is most. appropriately uSnered IN ".
religious services, since religion an,
patriotism are so nearly allied. Thi
year these services were held in tn
Central M. E. churon and the sermon
Twas preached from its pulpit.
/ At eight O'Clock the Phil Kearney G
A. r. Post. Jas. Loughridge command
er,headed by J. o. Grant, color beare:'
marched into the church and took thel
places in the middle aisle. There
were about fifty men in line, most o
them cray, some cent and feeble, a1}
each one bearing the mark of year.
and service.
| When they were seated Miss Hugls:
at the organ played q voluntary Ii
which mingled the familiar strains Of
that old war song, Just Before the
Battle" The choir and audience un
der direction of Mrs. Davies sang"On
ward Christian Soldiers" Rev. KEN
BILE, who had charge of the program
then asked Rev. Dugan to lead n pray
era feryent and patriotic tlanksgiv.
ing for the favors granted by the"Goj
of Our Fathers"
Rev. Petrie of the Dutch Reformed
church read as scripture lesson the
91st Psalm, which was followed by
the choir singing Flag of the Free.
Rev. Kemble said that Rev. Kaye
would read a memorial story by spa
cial request, which Mr.. Kaye did. The
story was one of those tender, pathet,
ic tales which cling around Memorial
day, and went far to show that the
old soldier laid more even than life on
the altar of mis- country, for although
that chief sacrifice was not always ac
.cepted, ne often lost instead health
and material prospects. ....
At the close of the reading Rev.
Kemble presented Rev. Petrie of the
Reformed church, who delivered the
sermon. Ms.. . ~
Mr.. Petrie expressed his apprecia-
ton OIL the high honor conferred on
him by the ministerial association in
choosing him to preach on an occasion
when he must address an audience
whose age and experience awed him.
He felt, however, that he had good
backing in the Ministerial Association.
He took his text from the 50tn chap.
ter of Genesis, 2uth verse, and the par
ticular words chosen We're: "Ye
thought evil against me, but God made
1t unto good,"i words used by Joseph
in talking to his brethren when he
made himself known to them in
Egypt. rza to-a.. 81 fuses ..
Mr.. Petrie said in part that Joseph
made this remark in referring to the
fact that mis- brothers sold him into
slavery, but as. applied to this ,occa-
sion it referred to the raising of a
race from slavery. War, is one of
those great problems which every
Christian contemplates with aversion
and is only reconciled to by the belief
that sometimes it Is the only way to
right a wrong. The war of 81 was
one of the bloodiest of modern con-
fiicts. In material wealth it's total
cost to the north was $4,000, 1000, 900;
to the south it is estimated as half
that much, making a total cost of
$22, $780, 100000. In lives the north lost
in battle, in hospital, by wounds AID
by disappearance nearly 100000 men,
The south is supposed to have lost
about 100000 men. The loss in so--
row, in tears, in heart-break, can new
er be estimated. ... ...u
Do the results justify this immense
Mr. Petrie believes so.
Besides the final destruction of the SO
called right of secession, it wiped out
forever the dreadful blot of legalized
slavery. 1t taught all men the dignity
OF labor, and in the old days the arts
tocratic Shareholder had entirely for.
gotten that. The development of the
south under the conditions of the re-
united country mas been wonderful,
and her material wealth far suTpasses
a growth that could have been accom-
plisned in slave-holding conditions.
Finally, the war has been a benefit
to the south in education and religion,
In the old times there was no public
school system in the south; now their
fine free school system is growing
wonderfully. The religion now pro-
fessed Is the religion of the Man o.
Gallilee, who said 1.-THE first shall be
last"
Mr.. Petrie's discourse was we'll de-
livered and was logical presentation
of facts.
At the close of the sermon the choir
and audience Joined in singing "Amer-
lea" and Mr.. Kemble pronounced the
benediction. AS will be seen the en-
tire service was patriotic in character.
Flags were draped about pulpit and
gallery ratings. and the comfortably
sized audience seemed pleased with
all.