The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-29
Rev. P. A. Simpkin Delivers
Stirring Address to Patri-
Otic Organizations.
HIGH TRIBUTE PAID TO
MEN WHO SAVED NATION
G.. A. R. Posts and Similar
Bodies Attend Phillips Con-
gregational Services.

Seldom has an Observance of Mem
orial Sunday by local posts and auxil'
iary organizations of the G. A. r., the
Sons and Daughters of Veterans, the
Spanish American war veterans ana
other patriotic bodies been more strlk-
ing than that which obtained at the
Phillips Congregational church yester-
day forenoon at IL o'clock. when the
Rev P A Simpkin, pastor, delivered
an impressive memorial address before
one of the largest audiences ever as
sembled in the church,
At 1890 clock general assemblage
OF the participating organizations took
place at the corner of Fourth South
and Seventh East streets. one block
north of the church, Forming into col,
umns, the veterans OF past wars ana
auxiliary organizations marched TO the
Congregational edifce, which was more
than taxed to its capacity TO accommo'
date the small army.
The services consisted of simple but
Impressive exercises, with appropriate
music interspersed. The feature was
the Rev. Mr.. Simpkin's address He
took rs his theme a quotation from Jhe
Book of Psalms, chapter 90, verse IL
"We Went Through Fire and through
water. Out ! QOu - 4 VI IL 1''NN
Abundance. -
Address of Pastor.
The Rev. Mr.. Simpkin spoke in part
as follows:
Again the faint far call of the war
trumpet sounds In the chamber OF mem
ory and We hear IL TO recall both the
reveille and taps the stirring summons
TO arms ard the glad song of peace that
broke the ranks of the warrior and sent
the hands that had learned war TO
weave the peace robe of an empire such
as the world had never seen.
With only those emotions and motives
Al to stir the heart OF him |ao fnoo,st M4paq QUO
In the place of worship TO remember, 10
remember with gratitude. to remember
with pity. to remember with patriotic
pride the story of the great contest whose
prize was constitutional freedom and the
sovereignty OF the common people
Times swift and soothing course mas
carried US from out OF the smoke OF bit
terness and into the clearness where ialr
vision is possible. and the advance OF
age with Its banking Of passions fires
has damped out the fierce resentments OF
those who in that contest knew the spur
of hate and the force of spotted anger
But that which is the, reason of our
presence here can never die, and so long
as the nation keeps this feast OF memory
in the spirit of its founding, II will lend
an element Of the undylng TO the life OF
this great free people. under Gods hand
happiness.
In consonance with that spirit we arc
here recognizing the providence of the
Lord Of Lords and bowling reverently to
worship him. We know that there are
things far sweeter In his ear than the
war anthem-yet we believe that in his
own marvellous way he took your service
and that of your fellows and made an
eXanp1sfl cation OF the truth that he
nnAlteth even the wrath Of men TO praise
) him.
II is not to the war-but the devotion
and heroisnl of IT,. not the victory Of an
army. but the victory OF an idea, not
the song of the nortf's triumph. but the
song Of humanity laundering from every
continent Of the earth gladness for the
bond of unity whose reality the war and
the victory made sure-to these we turn
our eyes.
The song of a great nation, conscious
ness OF whose integrity was rooted for
stately measure of the old Hebrew song.
For the Lord God Omnipotent Reign
eth y"
II has not died yet on the lips OF
our America. and despite all the material
ism and the sin: the Godlessness OF the
multituces alien TO the spirit OF the
fathers. 1t seems impossible that 1t shall
ever come 10 pass that men forget him
whose people we are.
Service Not Forgotten.
AS the merciless years sweep away the
company immortal from the stage where
they wrote one OF the great chapters of
history in glowing scarlet: the nation
YOU and your fellows paid your native
land.
But few years more remain in which
your presence will lend interest to the
public celebrations of that great sac
rifice.
Each gathering and roll call is marked
by empty places in the ranks, by silenees
name of those gone to the reveile eter-
nal.
The melancholy certitude OF LIES i'm
permanence may not be evaded but COM
rades-rest you az peace. find you your
consolation In this-your service cannot
/ die.
It is impossible for one who has
thought even shaliowly OF the last. full.
deep measure Of devotion paid by the
citizen soldiery, the patriotic servants
whose hands moulded the blood -sodden
clay into the fair beauty OF Colu umbia' s
colossal figure. those who In the six
ties cast In the enduring bronze OF nn :
tfonalism the great dream of the fathers
and the work OF their hands without
coming to a love and reverence deep as
the roots OF life
And that divine purpose which under
Cod you outwrought a purpose barren
OF the dream OF empire. the sclishness OF
possession or the lust Of mere conquest.
is one of the beneficient Instruments By
which God holds out to all the men of
the earth the ideal of freedom and con-
stitutional liberty whose realization shall
open the door to the great parliament of
man,
When following the yaunt ard awkward
figure of the son OF Sangammon. one Of
the greatest souls that ever walked the
boards of human history. Lincoln the i'm
mortal. the ideal American and common
er;, you went out in eager companies to
rally round the Stars and Stripes to set
IL beyond the reach OF human hand 70
sully or destroy. you went TO a task inn
mortal
At your feet and Gods we lay today
the palm Of praise and the white rose
of our affection.
In that contest-one of the greatest al
hlstory-you wrote an epic of patrioti,
service and sacrifice whose sta tely meas
ures arc imperishablc. Against FOE
worthy of your steel you broke agar
and again like the waves against a great
rock: only TO gather again under youl
Mcclellan and Grant. Sherman and Sheri-
dan your Howard and Hooker. your But
Ter and Banks. your Hallook and Meade
your Thomas and McCoos. your Crit
tenden and Rosecrans 10 press the con
test to Its close.
Patriotism of Citizens.
In that most remarkable period in ouI
American history there was "A genius o.