Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-30

delivered at II o'clock yesterday morn
ing. at Holy Trinity church, by the
Rev. C. S. Long, to members of the
American Legion, and others, in mem
ory of those who fell in tho World
War:
For If we have been planted to-
gether in the likeness of His death.
we shall be also in the likeness of His
| resurrection Rom. VIE.
"On the eve of another Memorial
.. day, we recall again the sad and sac
red memories of by-gone years: the
great and tragic events of yesterday
which live vividly in our minds. sacred
and branded by sef-sacritice, suffering
and death on the part of those whom
we learned to call comrades. our near
est and dearest, and our staunchest
friend. We have hardly awakened from
the hilarious dream, of few years
ago, when some of us marched thru the
streets of Europe to the sound of mar
tlal music. the patriotic tribute of
f,owers and our own hoarse cry of
'Tipperary" or "Over There" During
those days we swung along side by
side with our best pals. There came
the grim vealities of modern warfare,
the days and nights in the trenches,
and we returned to our billets. leav-
ing behind, the often unrecognigable
form of the best friend in the world.
We gather as nation today and to-
morrow to remember and honor those
who sacrificed and died in the struggle,
and those who sacrificed and have
since died. The day is consecrated 10
our forces: it is dedicated to patriot
ism, and a deeper meaning of the
word sacrifice. 1t is easy in words to
suggest some faint likeness to Christ S
sacrifice as reflected upon our little
lives on earth but the reality is rooted
deep in the mystery of the vital union
of the Christian soul with God. But
God has given lis a splendid illustra-
ton in the thoughts Of today, of the
profound practical reality of sacrifice
in the offering of themselves to God for
life and death made by our armies in
the behaviour of our sailors and SOL
dlers, men in themselves perhaps
hitherto quite undistinguished The
sacrifices they made, God knows. is
not so-called by figure of speech. We
nave seen proof again and again of
| the amazing sacrifice of Christ az work
in His members. At this service I am
speaking of Christian soldiers and
sailors. men who We're long ago bap-
tized into Christ's death. am not
| speaking of the splendid self f-sacrfice
of other loyal and fellow subjects of
'''' 'eNPhpiI' WIN udW never neHFd
OF Christ, to whom nevertheless He
whispered the glorious secret of sac
rifice for justice and truth, and whose
deeds and sufferings His love ennobled
But these soldiers of ours from every
village and town of the union,-they
were Christians-they promised long
before the trumpet call of war sounded
to die to sin and all that separates us
from God, and they understood their
promise better than VIC knew. When
the call came for them to fight in de-
tense OF certain weaker nations who
were our country's friends. threatened
and down-trodden by stronger nations.
1t came to hundreds of mon in our
colleges and universities. of whom some
had no taste for military adventure.
and for whom a campaign would risk
the wreck of all their plans for this
world. But the call came. was listened
to. and generously answered. To many
1t was like death to accept it.-death
to all they expected to get out of life
to those who lived to return, many have
lost their years of study. their oppor-
tunity for success in the world
But they answered the call at once:
their service in the field and many n
grave cross behind our lines. prove
bow well they understood the mystery
of Christian sacrifice. American SOL
diers and sailors are apt to avoid
speaking IN the conventional phrases
of religious books. A wounded soldier
does not say much about his religious
motive in what ho did or suffered.
Probably he would say that he only
did what all the rest did, only did his
duty. But in his heart duty meant
for him moro or less what Christ has
commanded. personally called him to
do; and he did 1t consciously for the
love OF tho highest good that he knew
the love of Christ who made him His
companion in arms. called him to die
with Him to all tenderness for his own
safety, and to rise with Him by that
death to a higher life. | know, from
personal experience. that there did
come moments to our men when the
awfulness OF the sacrifice. they had
been called to offer in joining in tho
war presented itself and they faced
1t deliberately. and chose II again and
again with it's utmost cost: they chose
1t as their duty" that is. in response
to Gods call. and would stand by the
choice, and go thru with II. There
was undoubtedly feeling of fear when
they saw for tho first time all that
their sacrifice might cost them. There
was indeed taste of Christ's pas
sion. n taste of death in that
fear. and then the personal call of
Christ their leader risen and asccndcd
awoko love that drove AWAY fear