The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-05-31
SERVICES FOR DEAD
Memorial Sermon By Rev.
T.. Nj. Marti nSOn.
From Mondays Daily.

The annual union memorial services
were held at the Presbyterian church
last evening, and were more largely at
tended than for some years past. The
church was completely filled, not va
cant seat being left even in the gallery
or lecture room. Alexander Wilkin post,
G. A.. R.. the Womans Relief corps, the
Ladies of the G.. a. r., Company II, the
Spanish American War Veterans and the
Sons of Veterans all had seats in the
center of the church. Flags and flowers
made pretty scene at the altar. The
pastors of all of the churches that united
in holding the services sat upon the plat
form.
The services opened at eight o'clock
with an organ voluntary, Rev. w. >.
Emery, pastor of the Belgrade avenue
Methodist Episcopal church, offered a
brief prayer, the congregation and choir
united in singing the hymn, onward,
Christian Soldiers" and Rev. w. T..
Evans of the Welsh Calvinistic Metho-
dist church, read from the Scriptures.
| The Baptist choir, composed of Mr.. and
Mrs. Roy Holmes, Miss Fink and H. Har-
mer. sang a selection, Rev. Peter Clare
offered prayer, an offering for the union
service fund of the city was taken, and
the quartet sang dropping From the
Ranks"
Rev. E. Nj. Martinson, pastor OF the
Baptist church, preached Il most excel
Ia cn,. toyt ENnInS
:26, and III Chronicles, 20:l5.
Mr. Martinson said that the obser-
vance was unique, in that no other ma
ton has had such defenders or honors
| its dead soldiers as this one does. lie
| told of the origin of the day, and said
| that we do not laud the glOries of wal
but of peace. We do not believe with
| Won Moltke that "war is a clarlfier OF
| the moral atmosphere of the state" we
believe that it is the most brutal OF all
| things No war for righteousness can
| fail, no matter how any single engage
| ment may turn out, for it is Gods war
not ours. 1t is the cost of liberty that
makes it precious, and our hearts all
responded to the call to do battle with
the dragon of rebellion that sought to
devour the fair form of union.
1t is divinely ordered that upheaval IS
the price of progress. The civil war ere
ated an era of great patriotism, of great
soldiers, of great orators, editors, mer-
chants, philanthropists and statesmen
1t is the period recurrence of great en-
er"encies that breaks up the mOnotony
of life. Uninterrupted anything is bad
| Even continuous sunshine devitalizes the
air. and thunder storms are needed.
The heroes who went to put down the
rebellion were the flower of the country
| 1t was the presence of the crisis that
made them do what they did. -Four
| epochs are closely related to ours: FIRST:
the battle of Runnymede i'll England in
1918 began the fight for liberty that
reached its climax at Appomattox. Sec
ond, the petition of rights presented to
| Charles ! asking for a representative
system of government. Third, Oliver
! Cromwell's war for liberty of religion,
| which began in 1913 and has gone on
ever since Fourth, the coming of the
| Pilgrims to America.
| Are these four liberties to be for the
| world-for the lSOOOO,0OO of the dark
races? Yes, liberty for all, thank God,
| and it was YOU noble soldiers of the re-
| public who said Yes, liberty for ALL and
on the battlefield you sealed it with
your blood Your message has gone out
to millions and given them boundless
hope You broke path with bayonet
and sword. You took these four lib
critics fresh with the signature of God
and sent them to all the races and gave
them hope. You did it because the bat
| tie was not yours but Gods.
1--WE must not forget our heroines. 1t
was woman who gave us our flag, 1T
was women who nursed the sick and
| wounded. who prayed and suffered, and
who wrote letters at home to the sol
der boys at the front. 1t is still wom-
! en- who care for the scar covered veter
ans-the Woman's Relief Corps and the
Ladies of the Grand Army. When the re-
wards to those who fought the good
| fight are given out, many woman's
/ breast will be more resplendant than a
generals. l.
"As for the future, God has sound
ed the trumpet, and there will be no re-
treat. God is marching on. Oh, be quick
and fall into line As Christ lived to
make men holy, let us live to make men
| free. while God is marching on" 7
Rev. A. II. Carter of Luverne, who
filled the pulpit of the Presbyterian
church yesterday, offered prayer, and all
united in singing ~My Country lis of
/, Thee"