Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-06-03
DECORATION DAY EXERCISES.
Members Of Meyer Post No. l52 Decorated
Graves of Departed Members.

Despite the threatening weather IF
Monday afternoon. the opera house
was crowded to its fullest capacity.
and manv were turned away. who
were anxious to gain admittance to
the memorial. services held to COM
memorate the heroes of the Civil war.
Members of the G.. A. Il. and w. II.
c.. to the number of fifty or more. left
their hall at two O'Clock and marched
to the opera house, where the program
published In last weeks Record was
carried out. The speaker OF the day,
Rev. II. /. Grain was introduced by
II. j. Winchell Mr.. Grains remarks
held the close attention of the large
audience and his address was one of
the best heard in Alma in years.
After acknowledging his introduce
tion, Mr.. Grain stated the point of
view from which he spoke. confessing
to an inability to revel in personal
memories of the war or to put him
self in the place of the men. who COM
posed the army of the Union and feel
as they felt or experience all they en-
dured in those years of war, he vet
felt that there were things that could
be said bv one of later generation.
He craved the privilege of recognizing
for himself and his generation. graft =
tude for their heroism and devotion
and appreciation for their deeds dur
ing the years of conflict, which pre-
served for us an undivided nation.
The speaker then examined the
spirit of 1861" and paid tribute to
the patriotism which burned in the
breast of the north when the shots
were fired on Sumpter. when the war
grew to be the enterprise of years. and
when supreme tests of heroism en-
durance fell upon them. There was a
spirit in those 800. 900 men who re-
sponded to the first call for troops.
when 10, 900 was requested. and as
those men who responded to later calls,
which carried them through the
wailing, marching, fighting. inn
prisonment. suffering and even death.
This spirit was discovered in officers
of every rank. In the great generals OF
the war and the president of the
Union. 1t was a splendid American
ism. This same spirit was discovered
Il hon rlI - Of
we'll as the north. 1t was present in
the early days of our country and
characte rized the colonists. the heroes
of 70 and the makers of the nation.
In service 10 country the ''boys of 81
manifested the same Americanism as
did their forefathers. It's definition
was taken from DR.. Henry Van DYKES
"Americanism of Washington. where
ii is analysed in all its compleXity.
Its effect was then traced throu gI
the characters Of leaders of the nation
in all periods. including Washington.
Jefferson. Franklin. Lincoln, Cleve
land. Mckinley and Roosevelt to the
present day. In conclusion 1t wa:
argued that the same spirit of Ameri
canism. which actuated the production
of the republic in the Revolution anC
its preservation in the Civil war.
should inspire the present and succeed
ing generations in the glorious task OF
perfecting the nation. The nation
was likened to great crucible into
which ingredients were being poured
for the formation of the future of the
race. That new type of character will
be fused under the white heat of in
tense Americanism. just as the
colonies we're melted into one nation
and subsequently welded when severed.
Ours is task of peace. theirs tasl,
of war. We honor the nations dead
most bv com Dleting these tasks.
After the exercises at the opera
honse the procession proceeded bv the
Knights of Pvthias and Pine River
Canton, was formed and marched to
the cemetery. where ritualistic ex-
ercises were held nv members of VIM.
Meyer Post. after which the proces
sion reformed and returned to the
city where they disbanded