Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-05-29
ReU. Williams Addresses
Grizzled G. A. R. Veterans

Addressing the members of Post 5S,
Grand Army of the Republic, yester-
day morning in the Camp Curtin Me-
mortal Methodist Church, the Rev.
A. S. Williams spoke on Religion and
the War of the Rebellion" using as
his text, Isaiah 59:19, when the
enemy shall come in like a flood, the
Spirit of the Lord shall life up a
standard against him"
The Rev. Mr.. Williams opened his
forceful sermon with a reference to
religion In the lives of Washington
and Lincoln. The Rev. Mr.. Williams
then told little personal "reminiscences
in the lives of Lee. Stonewall Jack
son and other great leaders in the
war, and declared that faith played a
large part in the war. During his en-
tire address, the Rev. MIR. Williams
showed the result of religion and the
Civil War and in closing said:
We must now say since religion
was such a boon to the nation in 1851
and 1864 II must be an equal boon to-
day. The old soldier has done his
work. 1t would be a shame If the
younger generation We're to ask these
men who saved the nation to now
fight their battles. Theirs was suf-
ficient sacrifice. The battles of to-
day my younger brothers, are for us
to fight. And do we not have grave
problems to solve in these perilous
times-battles to fight though we may
not be entangled in the great war.
Evils are entrenched in our land,
aristocracies are always lifting their
heads, selfish inequalities dishearten
our people, the spirit of graft under
mines our integrity. What work this
of completing and perfecting that
which is behind their noble work. How
is the spirit of graft to be destroyed?
Do YOU answer by bringing the law
up to the facts of life? Yes, but behind
the enactment and enforcement of the
law there must he an indignant re-
liglous sense. The sense of a present
day God. This is the only power that
can maintain an unSeltiShneSs capable
of crushing this disintegrating evil.
Take the propaganda of socialism.
We all believe in it to some extent.
But the question is socialism. how far
and where to end? The question is
socialism by what method? We are
told to prepare for socialism. Let us
thank God for the progress thus far
in social adjustment but let us be
saved from the Goddess extremes.
More religion is what we need to
maintain a hrotherly socialism when
1t comes. What we need to save the
country, says one of the ablest writer's
on socialism, is a far and wide sweep
ing revival of religion.
'Or think of our peculiar American
institution. What is the salt that
saves them? What can save the
American Sabbath? Give us in this
country a continental Sabbath and
then commercialsm and selfishness
will destroy our rest day. Religion is
what saves it to-day. IT cannot be
saved unless it be by religion.
81 must close, Grand Army men
my application is very particular. The
swath of death is very wide these days
to gy.1r -
since the war. You have lived the al
lotted years. Religion can sustain you
as you meet the last great enemy. On
the chancel wall of the Camp Curtin
Church will he placed a very beautiful
picture. 1t is that of a soldier dying
on the field of battle. Christ comes
to him and his hope of immortality
and resurrection is secure. Thanks be
to God who giveth us the victory
through the Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. When that chaste, modest,
brave victor of Appomattox died there