The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-30
IN MEMORY OF BRAVE.
Betting Ceremonies Held in Prince.
ton in Honor of Our Soldiers
Who Are Laid to Rest.
Rev. j. w. Heard Delivers Patriotic
Address at Methodist Church
to Large Assemblage.

Ine brave men VINO readily Responded
to their country's call when that coun-
try was in danger. It is Memorial
Day Decoration Day., the one day
in all the year set apart for be6tting
religious observance in honor of our
dead soldiers and the decoration of
their graves with the howers of the
springtime. It is a day that should
not be desecrated-a day that, above
all others, should appeal to the rever-
entail qualities OF Americans whether
they be at home or abroad. It is the
nations day of mourning for the
brave.
Princeton is observing this day with
due reverence-with true patriotism.
Its business houses we're closed this
afternoon and it's residents generally
attended the impressive services at
the Methodist church in commemora-
'tion of those who fell in battle for the
Unions cause and veterans-not less
heroic-who followed after to the
grave.
ton present at the ceremonies, many
we're there from surrounding towns,
including number of the old boys in
blue.
AS announced in last weeks
Union the members of Wallace T.
Rines post and other veterans met in
the armory hall and, from there
Marched under commander Charles
Judkins, to the Methodist church,
where the Memorial Day program was
presented. The edi6ce was packed to
its doors.
The ceremony commenced with the
invocation, pronounced by Rev. Geo.
A. Swertfager, and the program here
under, very impressive and patriotic
one, followed:
Song ...''Tenting in the Sunshine. -. Choir
Memorial Exercise. ...Seventeen Children
Selection ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Male Quartet
Memorial Day Address,. Rev. j. w. Heard
Lincolns Gettysburg Address. -. "A. 2. Norton
Flag Drill ...............Si Sixteen Young Ladies
Song. ...... America" ........ Audience
Benedicton ..............R Rev. G. A. Swertfager
The Grafton of Rev. j. W. Heard
was most touching tribute to the
dead and was delivered in masterful
manner. In substance the address
was as follows:
A wife, angered at her husband,
tainted him with the question, "What
have you ever done for your coun~
try?" He replied, ''Didn't I marry
you?"
You will not, of course, since you
have invited me to address you, taunt
me with a question like that. Yet
never appear before a company of
soldiers without asking myself, "What
have you done for your country in
comparison with these soldiers?"
Therefore I am inclined today to
question my own right to speak of
deeds in which I took no part, which
I know only by hearsay-and to the
men who did the deeds. It is usually
agreed, however, by philosophers of
history, that certain distance of time
from an event, is necessary in order
to get proper prospective to judge it's
Importance and value. You men were
too near the Civil war, and are yet, to
take it's full measure. AS partakers
in it you are too modest, as true
heroes always are, to glorify your
selves. You simply and faithfully
did your duty and, at the time at
least, were not even conscious that
you were engaged in war that for
magnitude and glorious sacrifice and
for thrilling heroism has no parallel
in the annals of history. So then I
may see things you do not see and
say what you would not care to say
of the deeds you yourselves did: do
not expect to say anything new, nor
old things in a new way. There are
some old things of which we never
weary. There are old songs that are
ever new. So my task will be an easy
one. [ have but to start the song.
Your hearts are already in tune. And
the truths and deeds of which we speak
are great enough to fill our souls with
perennial light and inspiration.
We meet today throughout our great
nation to decorate the graves of SOL
diers who have been killed in battle or
died as result of wounds or from
any cause. There are many soldiers
graves throughout our land. It brings
wildly to US fact that is full of
pathos. The great race of man is
moving on. When Washington died
the cry went up throughout our land,
1.-THE Friend of Liberty is no more.'