The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-30
A SATURDAY SERMON.
The righteous shall be in everlasting
neutrality-suspicious. 112:6.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES l26.
How peculiarly appropriate are these
words of the Psalmist for this-Memor-
ial Day. a day which thoughtful GUS
tom has set apart for the paying Of
tribute to the hosts Of men who Grim
soned the fields Of this fair land with
their nfe's blood that the whole people
Of this wonderful country. regardless
Of their color. might enjoy the spirit Of
freedom with which it was founded.
History recalls no such titanic strug-
gle as that in which the heroes Of the
North and South engaged. a struggle
in which brother crossed arms with
brother. and father and son fought
against each other. 1t was a struggle
of right against a principle, an opinion.
Slavery. the holding Of human beings
in bondage. was, and is. the greatest
curse Of the world. 1t was not tolerat-
ed by the great teacher of men. 1t had
become a thorn in the healthy side OF
this country. thorn that was poison
ing its vitals. Lincoln was called to
tear it out. He did so with the brave
armies of the North. But the fight was
a bitter one. for the men of the South
were fighting for what they believed to
be their property by right of inherit
ance, and their opinion, wrong though
it was, that this right was just one.
These men of the South lacked num-
bers and resources, so it was a war
that was won by might. And though
might does not make right, might is
ever needed to uphold the right.
But the strife of the North and the
South became more than one of a ques-
ton Of freeing the slaves. 1t became
question as to whether this union Of
states should be one and indivisible, or
a dismembered union that could not
have long maintained land Of free
dom either for masters or slaves. And
the resultant success Of that struggle
is this grand and glorious nation Of
free and prosperous people that is evil
dent today on every hand.
To the men who were responsible
through force of arms for the great
victory, and therefore its wonderful re-
suits. many of whom have been called
long since to their final resting place
and rewards, all honor and glory is
due. 1t is right that at least one day
be set apart each year throughout the
length and breadth of the land when
ceremonies shall be held in memory of
these heroes of ours. And in remem-
bering those who are dead and gone in
this way, we also pay our reverence
and respect to the living who stood side
by side with them on the battlef1elds
and to whom just God gave life so
that they might attend the great work
of rehabilitating a government which
was we'll nigh torn asunder.
A word of praise to those who are
alive is quite as important as eu1ogies
for those who have passed beyond. A
single rose to the living means much
more than beautiful wreaths for the
dead, although the latter have their
proper place as memorials.
1t was a pre-eminently just cause
that the men of this nation fought and
died for. They, both the dead and the
living, should be honored above all 9TH
ers. These men became righteous be-
cause of the merits of the motive for
which they so sacrif1cingly labored.
And it is proper that such a day as
this should be celebrated so, as the
Psalmist declares, 1.-The righteous shall
be in everlasting remembrance