The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-07
Memorial Address
By DR.. S. H. Edmunds at Ser.
vices Sunday, April 9Th

! One by one. as our boys return, tbs
long there will be left not a single oae,
but the stars Of gold will not fade
They speak of an Immortality here
and hereafter.
! In this hour of joyful Thanksgiving
! it is beautifully fitting that we shoulc
| think Of what these stars of gold sug-
gest: the broken and bleeding hearts
most-broken and bleeding and yet
filled with a just pride because of an
attainment before maturity Of an
earthly immortality as fadeless as
those stars Of gold that the darkness
of earth will this night reveal.
The stars on this service flag speak
of those whom gratitude will not let
us forget.
These heroes gave their ali that we
might live-live to walk under Cod S
blue sky with heads uplifted, Amer
leans unafraid; they died. that as d
nation we might with justice claim a
seat in the congress of nations and
jfashion into form the federation of a
world: they died. that the whole
world might know that there is at
least one nation that respects the
sanctity of national honor and holds
the rights of smaller nations higher
than the greed of gold or the grabbing
Of ground: they died. because they
deemed place in the heart of God
of love and mercy and justice to be
worth more than q place in the sun:
they died, because they realized that
only the strong can be gracefully
magnani,nous and they wished our
country to be. in a. position to make
concessions in the name Of honesty
and fairdealing without the fear Of
facing an accusation of weakness:
they died for the life of the liberty Of
the world: they died for tbe highest
ideals and for, the most diSinterested
idealisn. By their death America will
be able in the sight of all the world
20 put into practice the crystallization
of the highest law of life that two
thousand years ago in the form Of a
rule that is called golden gave to the
world tile full expression Of consider
alton for the rights and feelings of
others.
They died: but before they died
they suffered-suffered in their bodies
frozen in the trenches; in the horrible
suffocation of the unspeakable mus
tard gas: suffered in bodies torn with
shrapnel and she'll and riddled with
bullets. Though Sass-
ed and wounded, they begged almost
to rebellion to be allowed to return to
the front or. hastily binding up a I
wounded am they pressed on and on
until they received the wound of
1eath; or in hospitals they met the
angel of death in dreadful and deadly |
disease.
And those who thus died. suffering
lpon beus of pain and enduring the |
,ouble anguish of disappointment de-
serve an equal tribute of our respect
md admiration. Heroes all and all
veil worthy of the tribute of our
highest praise: worthy also OF the
ribute paid them by our own Cen
raj Pershing: 81 pay the supreme
ribute to our officers and soldiers Of
ne ilne. WHclt l tlllIIh VI li4NA' 'AN
'oism. their patience under hard
ship their undinching spirit Of Of
'ensive action. | am filled with emo
ion which | am unable to express.
Their deeds are immortal and they !
nave earned the eternal gratitude OF
our country
My own heart is full today, for ten
IF the stars at our left represent the
ooys of the Sumter High School
You will see that there are twenty
seven stars Of gold upon Sumter conl-
Tvs service flag. Some whose names |
are represented here moved from
Sumter county to other counties and !
to other States. We desire to take
away not one iota of glory reflected |
upon these counties or States by the
glorious records Of their adopted |
sons. We would simply share in this
glory and do ourselves the honor of
paying with them the tribute of ouf !
praise in a just recognition of our
heroes service. even unto death.
/ beg that every man and bo" Of
this assemhl. may stand at attention.
and with uncovered head. while l read
this list of our departed heroes.