South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-31

the confederate government has been
formed. Fort Sumpter has been
fired upon; Lincoln is heard and
good-byes are still fresh in your
memory. You met an enemy worthy
OF your steel men not Of an inferior
race. position or condition OF servi-
tude. but your equals in every re-
spect The brave boys OF the south
believed In the justice OF their cause
the same as the boys in blue" No
people will pour out their fortunes
and their lives Lnstintingly in a cause
in which they do not believe. This
was a civil war Of unequaled magni-
tude.
state HonOrs Soldiers.
We would be remiss in our duty
If. on an occasion like this. we did
not emphasize the lessons 10 be
learned from the Civil war. In the
first place it teaches the lesson Of
patriotism. II also teaches that
America honors. defends and re-
spects her defenders. Since the war
the people have honOred the soldiers
by giving some of the leaders public
Offices Of profit ana trust in city.
county. state and nation: also by a
system Of pensions 70 the soldier. his
wiGow and orphan children; by the
erection and maintenance Of soldiers
homes. both state and national; by
the erection of monuments, me-
MORALS: by setting apart one day
out Of each year 2or people TO cease
from their labor, out Of honor TO the
brave defenders of home. families
and their native land. Men. we will
never forget you, nor your rrave
comrades who sleep beneath the sod.
nor the great service you rendered
your country. but we will sing your
praise in story and song so long as
this nation lasts.
Members Of the O. A. r. YOU are
growing old, your numbers are de-
creasing at the rate Of $4,000 each
year. You belong TO an army that
has no recruits. The ceaseless ar
tillery of Time, by its resistless fir
ing. is gradually thinning your ranks
and the Civil war veteran with his
little bronze button is becoming
scarcer and fewer as the days go by.
But. men, you have fought your
fight, you have done your work, you
have performed your mission. What
Of the rising generations? Have
they any warfare to wage. any bat
ties TO fight? And if so. what of the
results?
Passing OF Old Guard.
A half century has passed since
you were mustered out. The years
have come and gone and you are
growing old. the hair is silvered over
until your locks are hoary with age,
the eye is losing its luster and is
growing dim, the cheek and brow
have lost their freshness and are
wrinkled over with care; the step
has lost it's sprightliness and is tot
tering, but yours is an honorable old
age.
Your lot has been cast with the
greatest nation in its greatest era of
any nation or any era in the worlds
history. The flag you carried, the
flag you loved, the flag you respect
and would defend, even in your old
age, with the last drop of your
blood has become the leading en-
blem of the civilized world. II is
respected, revered and loved the
world over. because il is an emblem
of a nation of opportunity, of the
brave and the free. An emblem of
nation whose every institution
teaches, fosters and proclaims lib
erty to every being under the sun
The Union you fought TO save has
grown in size, population. wealth.
resources, institutions, principles and
men, until today il is recognized as
the greatest, grandest and best ma
ton on Gods fCctStool You will
leave to your heirs a rich inherit
ance, bought at a great price.
In closing, my soldier friends. /
want to say that you have passed
the meridian of your life; you are
going down the western slope and
are gazing into the golden west. The
campfres of your life are smolder-
ing. You are about to break camp.
the bugle call TO take up the march
beyond the river will soon be sound
ed. You were brave soldiers, faith
full TO e:ery command. true 10 every
duty anC shirked no responsibility
however arduous or dangerous. You
served your country with diStinc-
ton, made a splendid record and
were honorably discharged. May YOU
have served the God of this nation
and of battles as faithfully. Loyalty
and true as you did your country
and your flag. May you have kept
every command of Prince Emmanuel
as well. and have espoused the cause
of your Christ, just as ardently as
you did your country's cause
W0N'T IE0PARDI7E