The Republican journal., 1910-03-03
A Lincoln Day Address.
A Tribute to the influence and Work of
the C. A. R., the Woman's Relief Corps
and the Sons of Veterans.

the c. A. R., the Woman's Relief Corps
and the Sons of Veterans.
To THE EDITOR OF The JOURNAL: l
enclose a clipping from the Bangor Daily
News containing extracts from Lincoln
memorial address. l presume you may
have read it; but to me, and l trust to
other old veterans, it calls for more than
passing glance, and as many do not
read daily newspaper wish you would
boil it down as much as you wish and
reproduce it in the columns of the grand
old patriotic Republican Journal, and let
the veterans of Waldo county, and those
who are far away, read this well-deserved
tribute. Perhaps you little realize what
such words mean to US old veterans.
A. STINsoN.
North Searsport, Feb. p, 1910.
Lincoln's birthday was observed at the
First Baptist church on Sunday. The
Hannibal Hamlin Post, G. A. R., and
the B. H. Beale Post, G. A. R., attended
in a body; a detachment of the Sons of
Veterans and large number of the
Woman's Relief Corps were also in at
tendance by invitation of the pastor,
Rev. George c. Sauer The Lincoln
Castle. X. o. X. A, and the members
of number of Bible classes had places
of honor in the galleries. Inspiring solos
were sung by Mrs. Asher.
In opening his address Rev. Mr.. Sauer
paid a tribute to the influence and work
of the Grand Army Post, the Woman S
Relief Corps and the Sons of Veterans.
He went on to say:
have often said that the OZro Miller
Post, G. A. R., Of my native town was
one of the inspirations OF my boyhood,
a teacher of patriotism, awakening and
stimulating love for country and the
flag. .,
Quite distinctly 10 l remember with
what anticipations of pleasure, the boys
used to wait at the entrance OF the Post
rooms for the appearance OF the veter-
ans on Memorial Day morning, and when
they appeared, in uniform, led by the
flag, we shouted and cheered, our enthu-
siasm knowing no bounds.
o. 1 can see those fathers of ours now,
as they were twenty-five years ago, COM
ing out of that hall, two by two, vigorous
and in their prime, and with swinging
stem marching to the cemetery to render
over the graves of their fallen comrades
the services of loving remembrance.
But nv eyes grow misty as l recall
how MANY of those stalwart forms nave
slipped out of the ranks since then, how
heavily the hand of Time has rested on
Others. and how many OF those who
helped make il great day for US have
passed or into rest.
In those Memorial Day parades the
bows had a part. We followed the vet
Grams from start to finish, marching
more to the music of swelling hearts and
bounding blood than to the band or ME
and drum. If the day were hot we nnlsh-
ed up with a swim in the river oesloe the
cemetery, coming home at night with
moist hair and some articles OF clothing
in the pocket or under the coat, because
some heartless wretch had tied 1t INTO
hard knot And for days afterwards you
would see our little companies OF boys
with wooden guns and swords, marching
to IMAGINARY wars to hberate the OPP
pressed and enslaved. 1t was splendid
lesson, indeed. 1t took hold Of the heart.
1t implanted a love and reverence tor the
flag our fathers so bravely followed:
Continuing, Mr.. Sauer said: The lnflu-
ences Of this Lincoln anniversary master
us all. Our thoughts are like swift ships
laden with memorial treasure. 1hey pear
away toward certain reverea, neeolhg
neither pilot nor compass, Tor memory IS
at the helm and love fills all the sans ana
spreads our thoughts onward; NINE INTO
that boyhood time so deeply influenced
by patriotic men and yours INTO tnaI
more distant past, solemn and blood-Wet,
when was wrought out tor our country
larger destiny, a brighter glory.
That wonderful past, INTO when the
influences of this hour surely bear US, is
crowded with stirring events ana swift
moving scenes, panorama OF enlist
ments and departures, marches ana en-
campments, engagements and battles,
disablements and burials, furloughs and
home-comings. And it is filled also with
all manner of sounds, the boom of can
non, the far away strains of the campfire
song; the rattle and roar of artillery, the
shout of battle, the tramp of many feet,
the heavy breathing of weary men, the
SIGH and the groan of the sufferer, the
tremulous welcome home laden with
tears.
But behind and above this ceaseless
movement and medley of sounds two
voices are heard. one calling for divis-
ion of the Union, the other urging the
perpetuitv of the Union. One voice said,
s'Divided as we are by interest, by geo.
graphical feeling, by everything that
makes two peoples separate and distinct;
| ask you Why we should remain in the
same union together? We have not lived
in peace. 1t is not expected that we ever
shall live in peace, and the sooner we
separate the better" But the Union
could not be broken. What Washington
and the men of '76 had joined together
could not be rent asunder. So there was
war. such as the world had never before
seen, filling the land with an overwhelm-
ing sorrow.
The other voice rising like bugle call
came out of the West, kindllng every
where the fires Of patriotic devotion.
God had prepared him man to save the
Union, not made in the old world mould,
not of old world clay, but God
Choosing sweet clay from the breast
Of the unexhausted West,
With stuff untainted shaped hero new.
A soft Kentucky strain was in his voice,
And the Ohio's deeper boom was there;
With some wild accents of old Wabash days,
And the winds of Illinois"
Out of the West he came, unheralded,
a plain awkward figure, unapproved OF
MANY, misunderstood by many who knew
him hest. but moving calmly onward, do