The Republican journal., 1915-06-03
Memorial Observances in Bel.
fast.
They were Unusually Interesting. The part
Taken by the School Children new ana
Interesting Feature. First Public Ap-
pearance of the Boys Band.
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.

Memorial Sunday become more impressive as
the surviving veterans of the Civil War gather
for this annual observance. Last Sunday
morning twenty -four members Of Andrew E..
Clark Camp. Sons of Veterans did escort duty
Post, G. A. R.. and ffty-odd ladies'. including
members of Thomas H. Marshall Circle, La
dies of the G. A. R., the S. of v. Auxiliary and
Emma White Barker Tent. D. of w., as thev
marched to the Unitaria church, where seats
were reserved for them in the center OF the
auditorium. The music was by the regular
church choir. with Mrs. Louise D. Beckwith.
organist. and Miss Katherine c, Quimby and
Arthur N. Johnson. soloists. The pulpit was
covered with the Stars and Stripes and a bou-
quet of red and white flowers was placed at
the right of the pulpit. The pastor, Rev.
Arthur E. Wilson, preached on "The Builders
of our Nation" and read selections from Sam
uel. Isaiah and Mathews all relating to warfare
He took his text from Nehemiah 4th chapter
18th verse. "For the builders, everyone had
his sword girded by his side and so builded."
His discourse showed thought, reverence for
his special guests, and application of past war
fare to present day conditions. He said that
the manhood of our country should be builders
not destroyers, and that their first duty is for
peace not war; when peace will no longer ac-
complish the nations highest good, then re.
sort to war. The present war is an abomina-
ton to civilization as justification for right
eousness is the only excuse for war; His refer.
ences to our war with England and to the Civil
War were appropriate but expressed the wish
that God would hasten the day when peace
and good will would be world universal. He
closed his sermon with an eloquent tribute to
the living and dead soldiers,
THE N EMoRlAL DAY EXERCISES.
Monday, May 31st, was oberved as Memo r.
ial Day by Thomas Il. Marshall, Post, G. A. R.,
and its allied bodies-the Ladies Circle, A. E.
Clark Camp. S. of ", and their Auxiliary, and
Emma White Barker Tent, D. of ", each bear
ing portion of the expense and furnishing a
section of the program and also dividing the
work.
In the early morning representatives visited
the grave of every soldier in the various city
cemeteries and placed thereon the small flag
large number of the smaller school children
gathered at Memorial hall under the direction
of Mrs. Dora ]. Bridges, Mrs. Nettie Merri-
thew, CON- J. C. Bennett of the S. of V. and l..
o. White and James Dutton of the Post. and
headed by the Boys Band, marched to the lower
bridge where they were Joined by the school
children of East Belfast under the direction of
on the water in memory of the sailors
dead. After prayer by the Circle Chaplain the
children sang America and the Battle Hymn
of the Republic and selections were given by
the band 1t was beautiful and impressive
service. This was the first appearance of our
boys band and large crowd gathered in front
of Memorial hall to see and hear them as they
marched away under the direction of their
leader. Byron Salter.
At / p. m. the parade formed in front of the
hall under the direction of Comrade J. Harvey
Stinson as marshal. Music was furnished by
P. D. H. Carter, fife, and Lewis H. Auspland
and Charles Thorndike, drums. An armed
work as escort. A striking feature of the
parade was the human flag formed by 200
school children, dressed in red, white and blue
and carrying flags. The flags were given to
the children by Mrs. Ira M. Cobe and present.
ed by Mrs. L. c. Putnam and Mrs A. T. Gay
as Mrs. Cobe was not present at the time of
the parades start. The red sashes were given
by Mrs. M. E. Brown, Mrs. F. 5. jackson and
Mrs. Albert T. Gay. The children had been
drilled by Past Commander A. T. Gay, S. of ",
who with Past Commander F. o. Whiting, &C.
companied them the march. Thomas II.
Marshall Post and Circle, the Auxiliary of the
S. of V. in carriages, and the Daughters of
Veterans and the mayor and members Of the
city government in private AUTOS made up the
parade.
The line of march was over Church street to
Grove, up Grove to Congress, then to the
cemetery, where the usual ritualistic services
were held by the Post under the direction of
Commander J. W. Ferguson. The cornet
solos, particularly Nearer My God to Thee"
by A. Ii. Welch, were most impressive On
the return the line came down Main directly
to the hall. On arriving at the Memorial
building the children of the parade were ad-
dressed from the steps by Rev. Horace B.
Sellers on "What Our Flag Stands For"-the
red for the sacrifice of the blood of our heroes;
the white for the purity of our citizens, ETC.,
and the blue for loyalty to our country and its
cause. He closed by reading that beautiful
poem, "Your Flag and Nine" The carrying
capacity of his voice and his clear enunciation
made it possible for the large assembly TO dis
tinctly hear every word of this most appro-
pirate and loyal address.
The regular exercises in Memorial hall fol.
lowed. and the hall was filled, to its utmost
capacity. The program opened with the as
sembly call by A. H. Welch. Past Comman-
der L. C. Putnam of Thomas H. Marshall Post
repeated very impressively Lincoln's Gettys-
burg address; Thomas Cannon, Adjutant of
Thomas Ii. Marshall Post. read the General
Orders written by Gen. John A. Logan in 1868,
and which have been read each succeeding
year since, and also read the names of the five
comrades who died during the past year:
James w. Peadleton, Isaac Mason, Joseph C.
Townsend, Samuel Morse of Brockton, Mass. 3,
formerly of Belfast, Frank Adams Of Jordan,
Mont, formerly Of Morrill,, and John W.
Davis Of Northport- George E. White. tenor
soloist, sang columbia. the Gem of the
Ocoon a,,diauco ioininr in, th, oho.,,,