The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-05-29
4 Memorial Sermon to Suruiuing
Members of the CiuiZ War.
By BISHOP EARL CRANSTON
Formerly Captain in the Army Of the United States.

There is glory belonging to power,
and glory pertaining to wisdom, and a
glory in unblemished righteousness; but
even the God who in Himself represents
these and all other divine attributes in
perfection, finds his greatest glory in
sacrlncc for others. So reads this Book
as to Jesus Christ, and so reads all his
tory as to men from the beginning. So
1t Will be to the end. With this most
llluStriOus example before the gateway
to honor and unfading glory opens to all.
10 lay down life for others is to take 1t
again. The door of immortality swings
wide to every man.
Let us find, if possible, the essential
element of sacrifice. We do well to dis
tlnguish between the material and the
spiritual when we use this significant
word. They do grieYously err who tell
US that sacrifice is universal in the do
main of nature - The mere transitions
and physical changes going forward in
nature are not to be dignified even in
figure by this word of sublime meaning.
The sun gives forth light and heat under
the operation of inexorable law. Sacri-
hce implies the conscious power to with
hold what is surrendered What God
gives to man in the air, and soil. and
sea it is not in the nature of sacrifice
but of bounty. But when Jesus Christ
tasted death for every man, that was
sacrifice. The devotement or setting
apart to some holy or sacred end and
under the mighty impulse of unseltish
love of possession held beyond price,
this is sacrifice. In the offering of
Christ on the cross we see love, not law.
What has this to do with the sol
der! Everything, as we shall see.
The Christian religion consists substan-
TALLY of two elements-lOVe to God and
love to man. God needs no sacrifice at
our hands, but having so loved the world
as to give HIS beloved Son for its saliva
ton, he turns all the wealth of love thus
drawn toward Himself into the same
channel with His own and accepts sac
rltice for humanity as an offering to
Himself. Outside the cross of Christ
in what single symbol known of men
has humanity larger interest than in
the flag followed by the soldier of the
Civil War? Who can serve that flag
without making an offering to humanity?
| perceive clearly that there is a patri-
otism whose fires are kindled at the holy
affairs of religion, and which carries
thence the Christly spirit of sacrifice.
AS Jesus the ideal man, so He was the
typical hero of the ages. We shall bear
higher tribute to our fallen comrades
in arms if we better understand the
Hero of Calvary. If the word sacrifice
carries the idea of setting apart for
other than the owners personal uses or
advantage his endowments, possessions,
q ; l. q,
of another, whether for his household,
his community or his country, then if
there be one possession which iRcludcS
all others, and that is Welded up, it is a
complete sacrifice. So the offering of
ones only life. for cause held dearer
than life, is complete sacrifice to that
cause; because life represents every
thing to a man. 1t holds all his joys,
and hopes, and opportunity for achieve
ment his home, his friends, his plans.
his future, as well as his present. Let
US not forget, then, that if to lay down
life be equivalent to giving up all these
priceless treasures, then the voluntary
surrender of them is equivalent to lay
ing down life. Thus one of God S truest
soldiers said of himself 81 die daily. /"
The same soldier exhorted his fellow
soldiers present themselves as living
sacrifices.
Comrades. have sought to approach
nationally as well as reverently truth
of singular interest to us. If you have
followed the thought YOU have now a
fair view of its bearing. Only let me
say before proceeding, that in speaking
of our fallen comrades we shall add
nothing to their memory by eXaggera-
ted statement. They are not before US
as candidates for civil office that we need
to cover their faults with spangled
robes of invented virtues OF invest them
with such commanding intellect and
moral gifts as would make them unfa-
miliar to their nearest friends. Ours
is not the task of political costumers,
WHO get up characters to order The
ears of our dead comrades are deaf to
flattery, and we SHOULD stultify our
selves and violate the sacredness OF
their claims should we attempt to make
out of a single virtue, however com
handing, redounded character When
a country is in peril it fixes no standard
of moral measurement for its armies.
1t calls only for muscle, nerve, courage
and good eyesight, combined with ordi.
nary intelligence. Nor is an army q
school of morals. Morally an army OF
fifty thousand men in the field is about
what like number would be in a great
city, with no churches and no wives
mothers or sisters to restrain and helI
them by their blessed ministries. How
quickly mere veneering of religion OF
decency wears through and the real mar