Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-29
MEMORY OF LOVED
ONES BLESS US
Rev. 5. l.. Dumvillc Takes
Text From Words Of
Joshua.
MEMORIAL OF LIBERTY
Many Fail to Grasp SigniG-
canoe of Events Through
Which They Are Passing.

Taking az his subject. ~ Memorial
Ville. In Fairmoun; Avenue Methodist
Church, preached yesterday morning.
in part. a. follows
Our text Is taken from the word,
~ Joshua spoken at tho erection or
tho lively" stones monument or
heir passage over tho Jordan. dry
shod IIe said: When your children
shall ask their fathers IN time Ia
COM" saying. what mean these
stones Then ye shall lot your chill
dren know. saying. Israel came over
this Jordan on dry land For tho
Lord YOUR God dried up the waters
nf Jordan from before YOU urtIl 70
we're passed oyer. as the Lord YOUR
cod did 20 tho Rcd Sea tina, all
The people ~ the earth might know
the hand OF the Lord. that 1t f..
mighty: tina, ye Nigh, fear the LORD
our God forever
Can we not take these words a.
typical % tho events of tho past
week. and of tho day which we call
Memorial or Decoration Dav No
doubt many child and zrown-up
too, has asked as the floats and
scenes OF the pageant passed by:
What does that mean?
viii not take YOUR limo 10 ro-
Wow IN" history Of our state and
nation. but do want TO mention
som~ Impressions made on INV mind
and some lessons ~" can learn from
what has been pictured for us from
the past. Just IS Joshua recognizes
TIA" hand o! God In the dclIv-raDc.
81 Israel. 50 think those os us who
have been ihourhtfuI. have realized
IA" wond"rful part tina, Almighty
God has PLAYED In the making Of
our state ana nation. 90 much so
that We can gay OF these landmarks
~ history what Joshua said Of The
twelve stones. that they were erected
IN order That all tn" people Of rhc
earth might know tho hand or IN.
Lord: that 4, Is mighty: tina, yA might
toar tn" Lord your God forever
First Act Of For~fnth~r..
The rrst act ~ our forefath.rS
as they s"t their foe, upon this Ia nd
waste or"r PRAYER Of Thanksgiving
for delivcrance. and the frst act OF
their legislative assemblies was 4
call 20 prayer 70 Almighty God which
~ continued 70 this day. surely God
has had wonderful part In the
shaping of our state and glorious
nation.
Then. too this week has been a
memory week. and Memorial Day &.
memory dag. Some think 4, unkind
n recall Tie memory 81 The dead or
even speak TO the hercav.d Of their
losses but Is not memory blessed
privilege. when We can think NJ those
whom W" have loved long since and
lost awhile
How POOR, indeed. Virginia would
he bereft ~ thr memory Of hcr he
ro"s. when saw tho Noa, NJ the
American Legion. depicting our
brave boys in action. Earland"d with
rcd peoples. with tho words: I.AsI
wc forget imprinted thereon.
thought 81 my baby brother. who
died In France. and. no doubt, there
wore many teardImmcd eyes as We
thought OF our brave and heroic
dead
The very memory Of the loved
ones should bless rs and make US
more Eentl" and tende- toward the
living. Every memorial observance
shows nobility and tenderness and
senuncness ~ heart, /; * neither
manly nor womaniy to he either hard
hearted or forgetful Truly The
hearts NJ our State and nation are
sof,cned. and sympathy. sensihility
and true greatness are promoted nv
our observance ~ Pageant Week and
national Memorial nay.
We may not agree with every
thing that has been said and done.
ana we arc not called upon to do
50. There may he some who turn
such times into frIyolities and fol-
Hes and fat! to grasp the greater
Significance, but these have been
days OF important and impressive
lessons To the thoughtful. Have they
not taught Christian patriotism
Love for State and nation is not only
natural sentiment in every true
heart but il is right in the sight
NJ God No man can ignore his reia-
tinn to his country and not sin
against Cod.
Then again. I think the events OF
the past days have impressed upon
our minds the value OF peace. 1t
has shown us that war can only he
justified by righteous cause and
has made us hope and pray that war
may he no longer necessary evil.
We have bcen shown the cost Of war.
What II cost in dollars and cents
has faded away. and may some day
I've wiped out and forgotten; hut
that II cost us hundreds Of thou
sands Of precious lives will never he
forgotten.
Obtained Mt Great Price.
AT great price We obtained this
freedom. This Statc-this nation. II
was the price Of biood-the blood of
nations heroes whose memory we
so gladly honor. We will not soon
forget the value of peace purcha Sod
At such q cost.
Then. finally, | think these days
nave brought us lessons of gratitude
and hope. Someone has said: Mem.
ory Is the mother of gratitude SO
when we recall our State and ma.
tional blessings. made possible h,
tie acts OF brave men and women
how much cause We have for graft.
,ude to Almighty God. And surely
as we have seen and heard agar
OF FirSinia's and Of Americas great.
ness. we can say: The Lord haiti
done great things for u.s. whereof
we are glad
Surely We can hope, and hopinr
take M tho challenge put into IN,
mouth Of her who stood for Virgins
in the closing scene of tho greal
drama:
land this high charge I give unto
my children:
Forget not: fail not; shape the year,
tn come
That those who gave us our Ercat
heritage
Shall not he shamed. Lift up you,
hearts. and live