Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-06-01

Plows were left in burrows, hammer.
upon anEils. as husbands, fathers
brothers, sons and lovers consecratet
themselves to the work of preserving
| the National Union. Those who were
anXiously waiting at home heard oil
Bull Rum, Antietem, Gettysburg, Colo
Harbor and Ficksburg, and the words
of that great general: II will fight i,
out on this line if it takes all summer y
thousands Of soldiers and sailors
gave their lives that our nation might
| live. and no greater sacrifice was ever
| offered since the world began, except
! by Him, who died upon the cross that
| we might inherit eternal life Do you
wish for conspicuous mementoes OF
your victories? They are written upon
the dusky brow of every freeman, who
was once a slave: they are written
on the gate-posts of a restored Union;
and the most glorious of all. will be
people for all time.
'The honored dead! They that die
for good cause are redeemed from
death. Children will grow up under
more sacred Inspirations, whose elder
brothers. dying for their country, left
name that honored and inspired all
who bore it. Tell me not they are dead.
That generous host, that airy army of
invisible heroes. They hover as a cloud
of witnesses above the nation. Are
they dead that yet speak, louder than
we can speak and in a more universal
language. Are they dead that yet act
Are they dead that vet move upon So
ciety and inspire the people with nobler
motives and more heroic patriotism?
No, this cannot be. They are not dead.
We simply do not see them.
THE question whether anything was
gained in the victory worthy of the
costly sacrifice presses upon us at such
an hour as this. They did not die in
vain. The Union was saved. The grand
est nation that ever the sun ShOne up
on was preserved. The theory that all
men are born equal, die equal and
have a common hereafter, was demon
strated in fact and more; that all men
have a license and right to live equal
ly with their fellow men. The men who
had fought the good fight at it's close
were willing to lay down their arms
and take up the pursuits of peace with
Individual soldier and sailor the pres
ence or absence of personal courage.
The man who realizes the danger he is
in, feels like running to the rear, but
keeps steadily to the front, is my idea
of the brave man. The man who sees
and knows no danger is not a brave
man. He is merely an animal
Memorial day will live and we
know the tender meaning of the term
1t is time when flowers are placed up
on the graves of soldiers by their sor-
rowing comrades. Is there anything
simpler" Is there anything mere ap-
propriate? If there is anything more
numerous in the world than flowers it
is graves
Through all history from the begin
ming a noble army of martyrs have
fought fiercely and fallen bravely for
that unseen mistress, their country.
This flag is the national ensign. Behold
ii. Listen to it. Every star has a
tongue; every stripe is articulate. There
is no language or speech where their
voice is not heard. There's magic in the
web of it, 1t has an answer for every
question of duty. Its voice is one of
union and liberty of the constitution
land the laws. i-+
Veterans Of the Grand Army: Time
is thinning your ranks. One by one you
are listening to taps and the lights go
out here forever, and you will hear
the revelle in another and I trust a
better world. Today you are decorating
the graves of those who last year per-
formed the same loving service for
others.
when the tongue of the speaker
shall have moulded to dust; when the
voice of the singer shall have become
silent forever; when monuments erect
ed in their memory shall have dissolved
into their original elements; more en-
during than brass or iron, more i'm
perishable than marble. their deeds of
heroism shall dwell in the hearts of the
people, while America has a name
among the nations of the earth. Ay, it
may be until the morning stars sing
together for joy, in the presence of
God"
The exercises at the monument con-
cluded with benediction by Rev. John
r. Clifford. The parade then reformed
and marched to G. A. r. hall, where it
was disbanded. Refreshments were
served to the G. A. r. Post and Sons of
Veterans at the hall by the ladies Of