Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-06-05
MEMORIAL DAY
CONTINUED from First Page.)

which he receives right motives and
right ideas Of honor and manhood.
Honor is a sentiment, yet anyone Of
YOU would spend your last earnings
to maintain the honor OF an untarn-
ished name. Liberty 10 sentiment,
yet for this sentiment you have mani
tested to the world that you were
ever ready to uphold it without re-
gard TO value, even life itself Be.
cause honor and liberty are sentiments
they are no less great facts. We have
paused in our daily life and con.
vened here to pay tribute to your de-
parted comrades. listened TO that
long roll of SO comrades as each name
was called but heard no Response.
Their lips are sealed in death and they
have passed away beyond the tomb (;
them from our visw; they have gone
TO their long home. TO that bourne
where no traveller returneth. How
we're these comrades taken away Z
Some perhaps were called in the viRor
of youth, some in the prime Of life
and Others stading within the shadow
Of the evening Of life. With some,
life was an inevitable contest and
frequently little craft was launched
upon ~ angry sea and ut times 1t
seemed a. though 1t would be wrecked,
while with others their life was .
round Of joy and the pinched and
trembling form Of want never entered
their hsms. With, pleasant environ
me nts their ambition in life has
realized and favored with perpetual
sunshine. Did you ever conjecture
whether or not that such oircom.
stances exist In sverv community
When we consider the great hsrdsbips
Of some lives, should We be surprised
that our llowmsn often tire Of iife's
turmoil and in flight Of fancy. envy
tho soldier whose last words were Let
US pass over she river and rest under
the shade.
Each memorial service carries
with il abundance Of bright, cheerful
flowers and this day set aside fol its
designated occasion we find ourselves
in the presence Of tho departed and
we hail them to live with US again.
In memory. We see them ~ they once
associate with US In the home, In the
camp, or upon the battle field. With
these vivid recollection, we can not
help bat reflect upon the silent old
soldiers ~ they rest In their graves
and we willingly lay upon their tombs
our Towering tributes a. respect
10 their worth and our sad memories
Of our loss.
THE father, tho mother, the sister.
the brother, tho soldier ~ this brief
day stalks across our daily duties,
long for the touch of . vanquished,
hand. Year BY year tho names Uf
the living are transcribed to the roll
Of the dead. We know not bat that
next memorial day oar name will be
carved on tho marble that covers our
dust.
"Ssch 10 the impenetrable yet i'm.
mutAbls law OF God. In she death
Of Q old person. man can reckon the
wisdom Of natures law, but he can
not always understand why We in
the prime Of life should be taken
away aud leave behind little inno-
cent babes and dependent families.
To this solution We pass on only to
bow 10 the will Of Him who knoweth
and docth sll things we'll.
." Yea hope aud dsspodenoy, pleasure
and pain,
Have Mingled together like sunshine
and rain,
And the smile and tho tears and the
song and the dirge.
Still follow each other like sarge upon
surge.
lis the wink Of an eye, 'tis the
drssght Of the breath.
From the blossom Of health to tbs
palsness OF death,
From the gilded salon TO the bier and
the shroud,
Oh why should the spirit of mortal
be- proud.
Each individuality should be
stamped with the brevity Of life. II is
not how We live, where We stand. but
II is the direction In which We are
moving that parallels our course OF
action. We may be Assailed and may
often be misjudged and sdroitly mis-
represented by combined forces
powerful enough to cause our ruin.
but
Truth crushed TO earth will rise
again,
Eternal years OF God are hers.
Bot error. wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshippers.
"Bs true to Jour conscience and in
the hearts Of other men long will 700
live after your sssailant has gilded
away. Our spheres Of usefulness are
often quite different aud for that
reason all do not possess the sane
talent OF have the same opportunities.
Into this world we ali came, not
by our volition and thus We will de-
part. We frequently feel aud know
the end will come aud with this feel
ing we shrink as our mind penstrates
the unknown future where the di.
vision of life is marked. We find
evidence in the falling leaf, the
whitening OF the flower and the chang
ing Of the foliage in the forest. Look.
ing over this audience lines on your
faces are suggestive OF the future; the
trembling voices and the gray hairs
arc all admonitioos OF the approach
ing end. Ii 10 not death itself that
seems 80 terrible but the attending
thoughts OF long separation from
friends. tile thoughts Of the vacant
chair and the thoughts of our ina
bihty to see and coyerse with those
that are beyond our reach that fills
our mind with anxiety.