Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-12

M NA&AG ~ NV HAhiE
", wright pastor:
wish to call your attention 20 the
fourth verse Of the second rbantsr -
me book of Isaiah this morning. for
, ieei that the words Contained
sasrein are especially fitting for this
Seession. There we find, "They shall
their swords into p~lowshares,
nat he,r spears into pruning hooks;
ras.on snaii no life up sword against
as.ion, neither hall they learn war
statement. falling from the nro-
pnetic pen of Isaiah, Gods prophet
oI ia! Ii tells US of the time when
W snail rest in the harbor Of Gods
universal peace, and shall know no
more the terrors Of mighty struggles
between nations.
We are assembled TODAY that we
may pay tribute to the memory of
those brave lads who gave their all
70 their country in the hour when
she most needed it, and willingly laid
their lives upon the altar of this
great nation, a sacrifice to the cause
% democracy and liberty; also that
we may honor those brave men who
willingly offered their all, but were
spared making the supreme sacrifice
ana are with us today, helping 20 do
nonof to the memory of their fallen
comrades.
when we pause TO hold services
ike this our mind is filled with
thoughts of the victory won by the
men across the sea. with but a pass
ing thought-if even that much-of
the men just as responsible for that
victory, though they never left
America. Those who fought in
france were given a gold stripe in
place on their coat sleeve for every
SIX months Of service there; while
those who remained in the service on
TINS side were given a silver stripe
tor a like number of monls under
the flag. Too often we fail to paw
the correct amount of honor to those
who have only the silver to show
for their tenure Of service.
In this connection / love to think
OF the poem by Edgar A. Guest:
when we've honored the heroes re-
turning from France
And we've mourned for the heroes
who fell,
h we've done all we can for the
homecoming man
Wno etOou " the suOI dnu the
shell,
Let US all keep in mind those who
fingered behind
The thousands who fingered be-
hind
The thousands who waited to 90
The brave and the true, who did all
they could do,
Yet have only the silver 10 show.
They went from their homes at the
summons for men,
They drilled in the heat of the sun,
They fell into line with a pluck that
was fine;
Each cheerfully shouldered a gun.
They were ready to die for Old Glory
on high.
They were eager to meet with the
foe;
They were just like the rest of our
bravest and best,
Though they've only the silver to
show.
Their bodies stayed here, but their
spirits were there;
And the boys who looked death IN
the face,
For the cause had no fear-for they
knew, waiting here,
There were many to fill up each
place.
oh, the ships came and went, till the
battle was spent
And the tyrant went down with
the blow!
But he still might have reigned but
for those who remained
And have only the silver TO show.
So here's to the soldiers who never
saw France, and
And here's Il the boys unafraid!
Let us give them their due; they
were glorious, too,
And it isn't their fault that they
stayed.
They were eager to share in the
sacrifice there;
Let them share in the peace that
we know.
For we know they were brave by the
service they gave
Tho they've only the silver to
show
Not only here, but in every city ami
hamlet, where lives true American
ism, in this great republic. similar
services are being held. Thus we
are but a part of a great spirit of
Thanksgiving K God for the victory
that was won by the armies of the
allied nations against their foes;
and a great spirit of honor and
homage to those who made 1t posi-
bic, through their service and sacri-
flee, for the victory to be ours. Such
services as these mean so much for
the development and fostering of pa
triotism, a thing necessary for the
growth Of our nation. Patriotism
and perpetuity Of national life are
i~nseparable. Destroy the patriotism
of the individuals Of a nation and
you have struck a death blow 70 the
nation itself. There are individuals
and groups of individuals in this
country who would be glad TO see the
patriotism of the nation die, for it
would mean the furtherance % their
own selfish purposes. They are just
as big a Stacker rs the one who re-
fused TO do his duty and his bit
during the time of the war. There Is
treason still TO be put down. There
M treason Of cowardly silence when
Patriotism and duty call for US TO
cry out against the destructive sins
against j nation. The traitor IN
the time Of peace should be shot
down just as surely as he was in the
time of war. He should be shot with
the cannon ball Of public indignation
and e~xecration. He should be fired
out Of office and out Of citizenship
and hurried into everlasting oblivion.
The call today is for men win are
enough and have patriot
ism enough 10 rally around the True
Flag in these perilous times; LOT
men who will fire no blank carr.
ridges, but who will pour hot snC
on every side; men who will not deal
in feeble negations, but IN strong
positive statements and fire ines