Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-30

The principal address at the memo
rial exercises at the court house
campus this morning was given by
Rev. r. s. Haney. pastor of the Sec
ond Congregational church, Moline, as
follows:
Comrades of the G. A. r., Ladies of
the Relief Corps: Ladies and Gentle
men-We are here today to commem-
crate the heroism of those who have
died upon the altar of their country.
In the early part of the nth cen
fury our land became the home OF two
different classes OF men. One seeking
adventure and wealth; the other relig-
iCus freedom. Strange as 1t may seem,
the blending of these two classes was
the foundation upon which was to be
builded the greatest nation in the his
tory of man.
For thousands of years before the
earliest recollection OF man, God
scooped out the great river channels,
chiseled the hills. laid out the great
prairies. raised the gold-ribbed noun
tains and placed between the hills and
the mountains the rich river valleys.
He threw boundaries and guards about
US, the lakes on the north, the gull on
the south and the huge water fortihca-
ton. the Atlantic on the east and the
Pacific on the west. Tle barren land
was covered with forests from which
we were TO make our home. The
mountains and hills were stored with
the different precious metals and the
condensed sunshine. Hidden power
was everywhere placed to await the
magic touch of man. The rivers were
stored with energy and before the way |
was blasted through the forest for the |
railroad. they served as natural ave
nues of commerce. The mound build |
er came and discovered some OF ma
lures secrets. and left his sign indicat-
ing where they might be found The
red man followed fast upon his heels
discovering some OF the agricultural
secrets that had lain hidden from the
mound builder. and here for a time his
tory seems TO pause.
For the establishment OF this great
nation God had been preparing the peo-
pie as we'll as the land. II the records
Of history are true, we, as well as the
Jews. can claim Abraham as our faith
pr. In sacred history. after the cap
-ivity. all trace is lost OF the ten tribes
IF Israel At this point profane history
axes up these tribes carrying them
through the rise and fall of different
European powers until at last II brings
hem down 10 the Anglo-SaXon race. 1t
vas the promise TO Abraham that his
,eed should be as numberless as the
ands OF the sea shore, and that they
houId inherit the earth. Gradually We
Ill NtaIG led n g.,
he present time. and who can deny
low that the AngloSaxon race is the
uling power throughout the world
ITO know a man completely we must
nov his youth and the influence that
urrounded that youth. II is the same 8
a knowing the complete history OF the q
alton. History tells us that IL was /
iscovered nearly six hundred years I
efore IL became the permanent home {
Z the white man. When the barks OF I
olumbus left the shores OF Europe {
nd sailed westward. II would have {
eemed that the country now called the I
'nited States would surely have been a
Is destiny. and yet that all wise Prov
lence that watches over the destinies r
Z men guided his barks 10 the south s
ard and the United States thus es- c
aped many OF the trials and sorrows Il
lat the South American republics b
ave been compelled to pass through. E
1T was reserved for the pilgrim a
theirs and tho Puritans TO begin the II
,undation OF this great republic and "
Ia little bands were surrounded by II
rests and compelled 90 work out n
eIr own salvation before they were IL
srmitted TO extend their boundary {
ie Our forefathers thus were COM il
He'd 10 rule themselves in their small d
this appears TO be the
adIe in which liberty was rocked. As