The National tribune., 1908-05-21
MEMORIAL DAY ORDERS.


|
MEMORIAL DAY ORDERS.
Corps AdmOnished to Attend Mel.,Orial
| Service-Chiidren Especially Invited tG
Assist I'm Strewing Flowers.
1t is more than probable that there
lis not a city, town or hamlet in all this
great Union of States wherein there
! does not rest soldier of the Union
mustered OUT Many of these dear
veterans rest under alien skies, against
whose blue the flag of foreign Nation
flies, yet it is thought that so universal
is the knowledge of our Memorial Day
| that that grave is remotely hidden
(which does not on Memorial Day bear
tits little flag, placed tenderly above the
low green mounds, even if the loving
service is performed by foreign hands.
Some very beautiful General Orders
| have come to me from various Depart
ments. Most of the Department Presi-
dents have elected to keep their Memo
rial General Orders like the day. free
from all other matter The National
| General Order is beautiful, as all those
of the series have been.
| Memorial Day.
| l. Memorial Day is sacred to the
memory of the heroic dead. The day
| when the Nation turns aside from the
4
tional welfare, to hold in grateful re-
membrance the men who, when their
country was in peril. counted not their
| lives unto themselves" but offered life
for the preservation of the Union. That
| is their record, and as their roll-cal1 is
made each year. we answer with flow
ers, Dead on the field of honor"
| II. 1t Is fitting that we hold Memorial
Day sacred. 1t is right grateful peo-
pie, who are enjoying the fruits of their
sacrifice, should honor our soldier dead,
sleeping in their 'low green tents, whose
curtains never outward swing" Nature
ispreads sweet violets over their graves.
Have the children bring flowers, and
gather the choicest in memory of the
unknown dead, unburied or sleeping in
llonely graves in the Southland.
l. III. Remember the graves of army
nurses. They gave back joy instead of
sorrow to many homes.
i Nv. Let every member of the WO-
| mans Relief Corps stand ready. with
heart and hand, to render any assistance
to the comrades. Let each Corps attend
with the Post divine service the Sunday
preceding Memorial Day.
V. Gather the children for the ser
vices of Memorial Day. Teach them its
sacred meaning, and as they bring flow
ers impress upon them the responsible
| ty that will soon be theirs to perpetuate
its memories
vi. Department Chaplains will for
ward Memorial Day Reports to Mary E.
Hartwell, National Chaplain, S35 West
18th St, Los Angeles, Cal, not later
| than June 30. Corps Presidents will
give this immediate attention after
May 80.
By command Of
Kate E. Jones, National President; Eliza
| Brown Daggett, National Secretary.
La Dele S. Stilson, Department Pres
ident Of Nebraska, asks the Corps and
Posts to "enlist the children in the
singing of sweet songs, in the gather
ing of flowers, in the march and in the
drill. Let there be enthusiastic words
| of praise, and by pure and beautiful
tributes of love do honor to the men,
ory of our Nations defenders.
| Forget not those who sleep in South
ern graves, whose life went out on
picket line, on battlefield, in prison pen
or meath the ocean wave; scatter fiow-
ers in memory of those who sleep in
unknown graves They died for their
country.
"On the Sabbath preceding Memo
rial Day let each Corps with the Post
attend divine service
| President Stilson also suggests that
each Corps President, with the help
of the Patriotic Instructor, should ap-
point detail to go to the public schools
on Friday afternoon previous to Memo
rial Day. there to address the children
on patriotism, loyalty to our Govern
| ment, love for our country and free
dom's flag Teach them to respect the
gray-haired veteran for his loyalty to
his country in going forth in the
strength of young manhood to battle
for the right and conquer the foe. Teach
4 a L. <xl, sa1
too soon these sad rites must be per-
formed by younger hands. In the pa
triotism of our children lies the future
safety and prosperity of this fair land.'
"'Bring flowers to the shrine, where we
kneel in prayer;
They are Natures offering, their place
is there;
They speak Of hope to the fainting
With a voice of promise they come and
part;
They sleep in dust thru the wint'ry
hours
They break forth in glory! Bring 1ow-
ers; bring flowers"
Mary f. McGrath, Department Presi-
dent of Rhode Island, says:
Mindful of the deeds and sacrifices
of our country's brave defenders. we
honor their memory and gratefully OBJ
serve Memorial Day. Each year brings
| more significance to the hallowed GUS
| tom, as the ranks of the Grand Army
| who gather for this beautiful tribute
are rapidly thinning and closing up
mot only may we bring the fragrant
| flowers OF Spring to garland each SOL
dier's grave, but we should as far as in
| us lies convey some message of hope
and cheer to the comrades who are too
aged and infirm to take part In the ex-
ercises of the day. and who are waiting
| to cross over the river and rest under
/ the shades of the trees So shall we
| comfort the living as we'll as honor the
dead.
| Let us not forget the veterans as
they start out on Memorial Day to per-
/ form their duties to invest them with
the little token of remembrance. by
| placing on their breast a floral tribute.
remembering to do our duty so that no
call shall go unheeded.
LET us not forget Memorial Sunday,
and as the respective Posts observe the
sacred service let each Auxiliary Corps
| be in attendance, and join in fitting
| recognition of the God of battles, and
who thru His instrumentality and the
valor of her brave defenders preserved
| our Nation from disruption.
Let each Corps prepare some fitting
CONTINUED on page four.)