The daily sentinel., 1908-06-09
AS A MESSAGE
FROM THE DEAD
Confined from page ~

the whole truth to me that the Con-
federate soldier went into battle to
vindscate constitutional argument.
He went to war because he loved his
people; because his country was in
vaded; because his heart was throb-
bing for his hearth stone. Here was
the land which gave him birth Here
was the church spire where he had
learned it was not all of life to live.
or all of death to die No hostile
foot shall ever tread this consecrat-
ed ground except over his dead body.
II was the prospect of invasion that
made the border states with bleeding
hearts try to cast their LOT with the
Confederacy. He who could have eX-
pected a Lee to do battle against Vir-
ginia, or a Hampton to draw his
sword against South Carolina has
never learned the language of the
human heart. Nothing but the most
devoted love of country could ever
have sustained the Confederate SOL
der in his unequal and. terrible
struggle.
"Neither do I consider ii necessary
to find reward for the Confederate
soldier in unexpected good results of
the great conflict The reward of
noble action lies in the capacity 70
do them. The Confederate soldier
who fought with unflinching courage
had the reward of being a brave man.
He who loved his country had the re-
ward of being true patriot He
who faced the cannon's mouth for
those he loved dearer than life had
the reward of being a hero. He who
was faithful unto death had the re-
ward of a stainless honor. What
4 l,
taken?
Behind him were the great tradi-
tions of his English race-there were
Hastings and Cressy and Agincourt.
there were Naseby, Blenheim and
Quebec. there were Kings Mountain
and Valley Forge. In his veins flow
ed the blood of a thousand years of
chivalry. He could face the line of
fire but not the shame of standing
back.
All merit comes
From facing the unequal:
All glory comes from daring to
begin.
Fame loves the State
That reckless of the sequel,
Fights long and well, whether it
lose or win.
eff it might be lima gined,' said
Seneca, that the Almighty should
take off his though from the care of
his whole work. whae more glorious
spectacle could he reflect upon than
a valiant man struggling with ad-
verse fortune.
Not long ago read from an Eng
lish review these words:
When all is done that man
could do and all is done in vain. the
human heart goes out to the weaker
Il nm
ragged and starving to The bitter
inevitable end, to the leaders who
would never admit that hope was
Host, and to the noble women of the
South who gave of their bravest and
their best without a murmur.'
:" States are not great, except as men
shall make them;
Men are not great, except they do and
dare
"These men fell bleeding and with
broken swords before the altar of
their country. Their reward was the
imperishable Knighthood of their
service. | imagine that the Knights
of the Holy Grail never sought other
reward than just to serve. The Con-
federate soldier was the flower of
noble and heroic courage. Duty laid
her kiss upon his brow, and Love of
Country folded him in her arms. He
enriched the world in honor. He
added to the spiritual riches of man.
kind. The memory of his deeds is
the treasure of his people, incorrupt-
able. indefiled and that fadeth not
away. No nobler action is ever lost
no brave deed shall ever pass away
They are written upon the everlast
ing pages of the Universe, they are
inscribed upon the heart of God. The
| !, -t,, ha Il
low. and there shall be no more sea
but nothing of moral worth shal
perish. Upon the coral of such lives
as these. Gods islands lift
Their fronded palms in air.
But if religion were superstition
and faith were folly,=if death endl
all and icy nights awaits the world
= these men lived the only life fit tt
: be lived.
: ITO those who keep alive in loya
: hearts the memory of the Confed
: crate dead, | would Say, these mel
: chose the noblest part This is tn
= best life offers any man. to. strive 70
: the highest. the greatest. the braves
: he knows. Is it not better to achievi
: these things, even at the cost of lif,
: itself, than to purchase length o
: days by mean and sordid living, b.
. cowardice or croft, by surrender o
: the fine ideals of manhood in bas
: compliance to dishonor? In tn
hearts of every man the Everlasting
\ has made answer. If the cause wa
\ lost the men We're not. Looking be
\ yond the little span of human life
\ into the white light of eternity wha
\ better could we have wished for tn
\ Confederate soldier than to hav
\ played the part as he did? He ha
I.,ft Il, al,n .tap
\ purify the hearts of all who shall
come after him. He has lifted lif
above the low level of the common
nlace inin the rea I'm of nrecinus AM