The Ordway new era., 1910-06-03
1t Was A Day Of Memories
Decoration Day Was Fittingly Observed In Ordway

, try's call. You came at the bidding
OF one who lived and died for the
sentiment OF this flag, Abraham Lin
coin. lie was not Il man OF destiny,
he was Il man OF time. Where will
we lind more impressive Illustration
OF IL man tried under all conditions
and adverse circumstances. His life
career, and death might be chantcd
in Il Grccian chorus as at once the pre-
lude and cpilOguc OF the most i'm
pcrial theme OF modern times. Born
in IL lUvcl as lOwly as the Son OF God,
OF what real parcntasc we know not,
reared in pccuniary squal"r with no
ray Of light or fair surroundings. Il
young manhood vcXed by wcaried
dreams and visions bordering at times
almost on madness, awkward and un-
gainly even among the uncOuth about
him and strangely grotcsquc in his
aspect and ways, yet it remained for
this strange being late in life without
fame or name or ordinary preparation
| to be snatchcd from ubscurity, given
chief command and left with the dcs-
tiny Of your nation. You came ut
his bidding, willing to go where he
wanted you to. go and do what lIc
asked you to do.
Blessed are the dead whose memory
Is pcrpctuaLed by the flower service
OF Il grateful people To have lived Il
long purposelcss, neutral life Is moth
ing. But to have lived Il few short,
glorious hours, to have bravcly faced
the Infinite and to have calmly met
| the Master in humanity's cause, Is in
deed sublime. Why do you mourn
them? They sleep in the bosom OF
the land they loycd. There where the
ground once shook under the tread Of
the contcnding forces, there, where
mcthinks, cen yet you boys can see
the hosts rs they gather, sec the
ranks as they form, hear the COM
mands as they ring out above the bat
ties noise, and where, when the
shades OF evening fall and the smoke
clears away. quietly lays coat OF blue
beside coat OF gray. Both hate gone
to glory. They were heroes and they
wear ucIUIlcT sIhy
Grant and Lee both lived to attest
the goodness OF the God who preserved
the union. And oyer on the other
side on the beauteOus dome OF the
nations capitol, scrcnely upliftcd to
the ethereal blue, kissed by the sun
Of day and woocd by the stars OF
night, calmly floats the imperial flag
OF the greatest nation on earth.
1t Is not wrong to mourn for those
who slumber within its shadows.
Their cpitaph is written in the grand
est history Of the ages. Before them
will pass the procession of unknown
centuries and every headstone with
name On or without will be craven
with honorable mention on the monu-
Incnt that is to commemorate the en-
nobling and upbuilding OF the human
race.
| This is day of memories, when we
commune in the hallOwcd past, with
our holy day. A day when we recall
the glorious aspirations that thrilled
mems souls in heroic times, when to
love ones country was to give ones
life. A day filled with the same spirit
Of freedom, patriotism and devotion
that brcathcd into the common dust
of ordinary humanity the spirit of
heroic deeds. A day when we rckin.
die the fires OF patriotism on the
altars OF liberty and once again renew
our loyal vows that these, our noble
dead, in years gone by, cunsccratcd
with their hearts blood.
Glorious are the dead who die for
liberty ! blessed is he whose blood
is shed for the welfare of his fellow.
men. "Grcatcr love hath no man
than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends" The great con-
lIict for which our dead fought was in
the beginning conflict between men
and sections, it was between the
union and the confederate. But it Is
an evident fact that over and above
the purpose Of man we find the pur-
nose of God. lie was not willing that
the United States should longer exist
under IL constitution that counic-
nanced human slavery. Could draw
back the obscuring curtains that with
hold from your vision the mysterious
workings and plans Of the Divine
Hand | could picture to you some of
the fading pictures of the centuries;
yes, ages past, when God looked down
on this world of lust and hatred and
bchcld millions of his beloved people
struggling under the lash and bonds
of scrvitudc to races of greater