Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1915-05-28
MEMORIAL DAY
ANCIENT CUSTOM
Ceremonies Can Be Traced Back
to the Very Earliest Days
of Civilization.

An EMORIAL day, celebrated in al
most every state of our Union,
has been set apart by statute al
a special day for decorating the graves
OF the nations soldiers and for hold
ing appropriate exercises in their
memory. While it originally sprang
from a spontaneous desire to do honor
TO the heroes who fell in the Civil
war, still # is now celebrated in honor
of all the soldier dead, that their hero
isms and sacrifices may never be for
gotten.
1t is interesting to trace the origin
of this holiday, for, like many another
modern institution, it goes back to the
early days OF civilization. We have
been celebrating 1t with a special sig
n%ificance Tor years, and yet. upon ex-
aiming II, we find the adaptation Of
an ancient custom rather than the ex.
preston of a new idea. In fact, days
set aside for ceremonies to honor the
dead are SO intimately connected with
all races that they seem i~nseparable
from the practices OF civilization.
AnG pagan AlGGhn hElu ndGlEu lllGo
at the graves of their dead called zoai
and made offerings of olives and flow
ers. A floral wreath was placed at the
head Of the grave, and If a bloom
sprang from the mound it was con-
sidered a sign Of the happiness of the
departed one.
Poman Parentalia.
In Rome a similar festival was held
for several days in February. II was
known as the Parentalia. During this
celebration the temples we're closed
and the last day offerings were made
at the tombs. These consisted OF
milk, honey, fruit, wine and other
things, while flowers of every variety
were used in profuse decoration.
The Druids held a memorial service
in the autumn on the eve of the
Thanksgiving feast, while the ancient
people of Japan and China had a serv-
ice for the dead called the Feast of
Lanterns.
After the various nations embraced
Christianity this custom became more
widespread and the nature of its cele-
bration changed materially. The spir-
itual side Of the day became the upper.
most feature, and this led directly to
the founding of All Souls day. This
is observed in our own country strict
ly in a religious manner. but in many
places in Europe It includes the deco.
ration OF flowers in addition to the
spiritual exercises. In France for sew
eral days before the feast wreaths and
punches Of %immortelles. dyed in va.
rious colors, are seen in the shop win.
dows.
After the religious services are over
the people go to the different grave
yards laden with baskets and punches
Of flowers, and before the day is over
these burying places are a mass OF
brilliant color. Not a grave is slight
ed. and ever in a corner Of potter's
field one will find a token Of remem.
brance for the most neglected one,
Another interesting feature is the plac.
ing of a lighted lamp at the foot OF
the graves. The lamps are usually
taken to the graves as evening draws
on, and often the people stay and
kneel there in silent meditation The
colored garlands and the pickering
lights present a strange and novel
sight.
All Had Graves to Decorate.
Our Memorial day is IN truth moth
ing more than a secular All Souls day
Il owes its origin to the women Of the
South, who began the practice OF deco
rating their graves less than two years
after the close Of the Civil war. That
struggle of four years had kept our
country in a constant state Of commo-
ton and excitement. Every part OF
the nation had contributed It's men.
young and old, to the conflict. When
peace was restored there was scarcely
a village or town that did not have a
grave to remind 1t of the fearful cost
A New York newspaper first pub
lished a paragraph stating that a few
women Of Columbus, Miss, had strewn
the graves Of the dead soldiers. Union
as we'll as -Confederates. This touch
ing tribute caused a thrill Of tender
ness to pass through the North, and It
aroused, as nothing else could have
done, a feeling Of national amity and
love.
The practical result OF this incident
came IN May. 1868. when Adiutant
General Chapman suggested to Gen