The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1913-06-05
NATIONS DEAD
AGAIN HON0RED
Oakes Flttingly Commentaries
Memorial Day With
True Patriotism.
Rev. F. S. Hollett Delivers the
Address Which il Pub
lished in Full.

us0eQ IN tuu.
Memorial Day was fittingly observed
in Oakes. Early in the morning there
f1oated from the business places and
residences the national colors at half
mast. Many people came from the
country to assist in proper observance
of the day.
In the forenoon twenty three auto
mobiles were in line to the cemetery,
where the old soldiers and members of
the Relief Corps, decorated the graves
of the fallen heroes with flowers.
At two o'clock in the afternoon
the program as published was
carried out to crowded house at the
Academy of Music. The address of
the day was given by Rev. F. S. Hol-
lett, and complete was as follows:
The Day OF Memory.
The thirtieth day of May has long
been set apart as Memorial Day-a day
when every loyal citizen of these United
States commentaries the deeds of
valor, self-sacrifice and heroisnn, and
love of those brave men who have
given their lives for their country-a
day when a tribute is paid to their
memory in song and address, day
when to the sober strain of the funeral
march the comrades of those who have
gone before journey to the cities of the
dead to pay them the respect they
inertia day when our youth gather
the choicest blossoms to adorn the
graves of the nations heroes, and on
many tide swept strand scatter
wreaths and garlands on the waves, as
tribute to those who have found a
last resting place under the waters of
the great deep.
Some friends in New York few
years ago, sent out on the blue waters
from New York harbof frail little
boat, laden with flowers, in memory of
dear ones. whose last resting place was
the blue waters of the Atlantic. 1t
was very pretty tribute.
1t is fitting that Memorial Day should
be thus kept, and that honor and re-
spect should be shown to our silent
heroes, who fought valiantly for the
right, and who sought to establish JUS
tice and equity. Under banner which
represents these purposes, a mighty
army marched forth. Their tread was
strong and manly-full many had but
fairly begun the journey of life; and
marching onward, some found name
less graves, while others. hating by
the wayside, dropped wearily from the
ranks. These ranks flaye been grow
ing weaker and shorter ever since, and
the buoyancy of the step is gone, but
the same spirit burns in their hearts
today, and dominates their purposes,
and to no other class of American cit
izens is the Both of May so dear as to
the veterans of the war of 1861.
All honor to the living who shared in
the glories of that period of strife.
Speaking of that great mass of SOL
diers, who gave their lives that the ma
tion might live, and who fell at Gettys-
burg-Abraham Lincoln pleaded "that
from these honored dead we take in
creased devotion, that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain; that the nation shall, un-
der God, have new birth of freedom,
and that the government of the people,
by the people and for the people shall
not perish from the earth.''
That Gettysburg battle was an
awfully bloody battle. There was
such bravery shown on both sides.
The boys in gray were fighting for
what they believed to be the best for
these United States, but they were in
the wrong. That grand army of the
boys in blue and the boys in gray lie
dead only in name, that patriotic host
still influences our thoughts, thrills our
souls, and stirs anew our noblest in,-
pulses, just as the setting sun leaves
glow of light to guide the weary to,ler
home, 80 the light of their brave lives
and deeds may guide US to deep and
loving remembrance and devotion to
the cause of right and justice.
1t is said that the grave buries the
dead dust, but the character makes the
world. Worldly rank, wealth, honors.
are all perishable and faulty, but zeal
for the right, loyalty to God and fellow
man have immortality, which no sword
point can pierce nor cannon ball shat
ter-thus living, we act; dead. we
speak, and that in no uncertain man
ner.
Last year, while l drove through the
National Cemetery in Vicksburg, every
now and then / would call the driver to
halt, for wanted to tread upon the
sacred spot where the great Wisconsin.
Illinois and other states had erected
those massive monuments in memory
of their boys who gave their lives to
preserve the Union. On the Illinois
monument read thcse wordo ncoa