Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-11-25

u
cora! church 10 attend the srecil
memorial service held for Private
Ksrl Gresl. Tie members O.. zine q
A. :. cndW. Il. { attended in a body
Prayers were offered for the dead
soldier who had 50 yaliau;ly and Lee
r0lcaliy given his life for his country
and he rector. Rev. G ". Farrar de
liycred an excellent memorial eulosy
saying in part;
Il am very glad to welcome here
this morning the members of The
Grand Army OF the Republic and the
Womens Relief Corps, 1t is eminent
ly fitting that these patriotic societies
should be represented at 2 service IN
memory Of a brave soldier. who has
made the supreme sacrifice for his
country. Time after time, when Otta-
wa has sent her young men away the
presence and inspiration OF the
G. A. r. ana thematerial comforts
furnished by the " R. C. have been
a means of encouragement for them
to prove themselves worthy of our
trust and pride How splend.dly they
have kept that trust and justified that
pride receives eloquent testimony at
these memorial services Again a
great sorrow an da distinguished hon
or has come to another Of our homes
and entered our community life. That
sorrow is glorified and transformed by
the solemn pride that rightly belongs
to you by the completeness of the sac
rifce that you have made We are
gathered here today, not as members
Of any particular organization, but as
one of another as citizens
Of Ottawa to pay our common tribute
to thememory ofan Ottawa hOy-pri-
yate, Kary Gregg, who laid down his
life for his country on Oct y; the re-
suit of severe wounds received in bat
tie a few days rpeyious His last let
ter home was written on the oath of
Sept One of the most interesting
letters that have been privileged to
receive from our soldiers was received
from him Born and raised in Otta
wa his friends were many. Only those
who knew him best could appreciate
at its full value his kind and friendly
and his deep loyalty to
his friends. He came from a family
that has always freel y rendered its
services to its country, Three sons
served in the Spanish War and one
wasin the regular army His grand
f,'her was a veteran Of the Mexican
war; his father fought in the Civil
War and his mother gave her services
as war nurse Coming from an an.
cestry SO militant it was only natural
that Private Gregg's inclin@tions
should have been strongly attracted
to military life For four years he
served in Co c. when it was a part
of the Illinois National Guard When
war threatened with Mexico in 1916,
he was one Of the first to enlist and
went with Co c to San Antonio.
When this company was called for
service overseas. he welcomed the call
counting il great privilege to go.
How bravely mad heroically that com
pany served its country and fought
and died for the freedom of the world
is familiar to all of us. God grant
that we may be worthy OF their sacri.
fee
have known Private Gregg or al,
most twenty years, practically from
boyhood For many years he made
a practice Of calling at regular inter.
walls at my study | was impressed
by his Inquirng mind and his unus
ual personality. lie liked to talk
of serious things and did so frequent
ly with wisdom and Judgment,
Sometimes he asked me deeper
questions than | could answer. He
possessed many soldiery qualities
He was kind to children and courte.
Gus to women. He did not forget his
friends and many of his Ottawa
friends are indebted to him for in.
teresting letters rom the trenches.
He was devoted to his home and Low
ed his church where he was baptized
and confirmed and attended the Sun.
day school and sang in the choir. He
died as he lived, not thinking os self,
but Of others, He has passed from the
strife OF the church militant to the
peace OF the church triumphant. His
body rests in the sacred soil of
France. His soul has passed into
the safekeeping of God, who so loved
the world that he gave His only be-
gotten Son 10 the death of the dross
that whatsoever beleveth in Hin,
should not perish, but have everlast
ing life. Death after all only destroys
the visibility of the body; the sonlC
1t cannot touch. The sacrifices thai
these young men have made anC
their memory will remain forever al
a benediction upon this communit,
that sent them forth and prove an in
spiration or future generations of OF
lava boys They will he remembers
long after we are gone. not alone b.
that visible memorial which we in
tend to erect in our midst now tina