The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-29

vie with us in loyalty to the old flag
and the old union. What a marvel
Gus record! Only American free
man could accomplish so great
work. But when we survey all these
things and take in the fullness of
what they argue, who of us is not
again moved to acknowledge and
confess hitherto the Lord hath
helped us" Boast of the wisdom of
our fathers, the patriotism of our
people, the bravery of our soldiers,
the astuteness of our statesmen, the
lofty character of our great men!
Well deserving is it all of our CRATE
full regard; but it would have been
helpless and powerless as infancy for
the accomplishment of what has been
wrought, except for the great hand
of Almighty God which went before,
prepared and directed the way and
blessed the weak things of the
world to the confoundng of the
mighty.
After the lapse of fifty years we
can review that struggle dispassion-
ately. Our glorious union is pre-
served:
"A Union of land, river, ocean and
sky.
Man breaks not the medal when God
moulds the die"
1t is not a mere outward union,
but union of heart and purpose.
Four words tell the story
"One flag, one country"
A flag and a country worth living
for; worth dying for.
o all ye young hearts-if any one
tells you that free government Is a
failure and that the British consti-
tutional monarchy is a better gov
ernment, believe it not. If ambiti-
Gus men tire of our peaceful ways
and long for military republic like
France, heed them not. If the new
generations, inspired by the stories
of heroism and the undying fame of
the soldiers of the Civil war, seek %
become world-conquerors, tell them
that conquest is the policy of kings,
but not that of a free Republic in
which every man is sovereign. Tell
them that heroism is needed as we'll
in the great struggles for principle,
in the battles for truth, in the spirit
ual war of trust and faith and that
1t is not simply the great contest and
struggle which call for heroes. Nay,
in the small, everyday affairs of life
in the tasks of each day, in the
bearing of little trials, in the over
coming of little obstacles is the same
courageous spirit needed, which does
great things on the great day. The
lives of many heroes and heroines
are unwritten in human annals.
Many soul has died unknown, un-
wept, unhonored and unsung, sacri-
ficing itself in high duty for others,
bearing aloft the banner of right
passing forward undinned the torch
of light and unfurling the standard
of love. Oh men and brethren me-
thinks, could all the struggles for
bread, all the battles of poverty, all
the mighty conflicts against evil or
the battlefields of human souls be
seen, what heroes and heroines
there would be among the humble
and despised. Many a poor laborer
would be crowned rather than
king. Many a mother would be
hailed as a queen, rather than those
who are diademed, empalaced and
enthroned and many a child would
lead. To understand and see. this
heroism of life you must have the
true ideal of it-and we have it,
thanks be to God, in the life of the
man of Gallilee, who came not to be
ministered unto, but to serve. This
great country can not perish so long
as its sons and daughters honor the
constitution upon which it was
founded-so long as they are obedi-
ent and respectful to its laws-so
long as they serve it with a moral
strength of doing and bearing, with
mn 1r.i ~ nf 20 g
soul knowing through the appear
ance of divine love in Christ Jesus
that God is in His Heaven, all's
well with the world"
Members of the G. A. r., you who
instituted Memorial Sunday and
Memorial Day, days dedicated to
comrades who have gone before,
your names and your deeds will
never be forgotten. In accordance
with an inexorable law, you too will
soon strike your tents and pass over
Jordan to Join your comrades gone
before. May you bear with you the
assurance that even in the most dis
tant years to come, your posterity
will often linger lovingly over the
scroll, on which in letters of living
fire, your names and achievements
have been recorded.
On that same scroll are the names
also of those, who but lately when
the principle of liberty was again at
stake answered their country's call
and went into battle with the reso-
luton that the CALLING yoke of
Spain should be wrenched from the
colonies of the new world forever.
True, that conflict was not as fierce,
or intense, or as great as the one in
which you participated, but they
have shown by their conduct that
they have inherited from you the
same sterling qualities that make
you the Grand Army of the Re-
public"
But enough, the old battles have
been fought and won. There are
other battles to be fought. You have
not yet been discharged from the
grand army of loyalty to God. In
name go forth, conquering and to
conquer.
May happiness and prosperity fol-
low and bless you. May the glori-
Gus heritage vOuchsafed us by the
fat hers he aver phpriShad with cacrad