Year: 1870

Va
Committee of arrangements, if he so desires.
And we would hardly think it incumbent upon
us to take any public notice of his remarks, had
he not thought fit in the closing paragraph
of his article, to administer, what amounts to
public rebukc, to those of his brethren who
have taken different course.


LIST. In the first article of his objection, our
friend remarks, ''that it would be mistake
to shock the moral sentiments of any part of
the community, &c." to which we answer
first, that it is begging the question, before
the merits of the case are adjudged, as to
whether the moral sentiments of any consid-
cradle part of the community would be shocked,
and secondly, that in case those sentiments
were shocked, whether they would be so on
reasonable grounds. We should have had
greatr confidence in his assertions, if he had
based them any sufficient ground,
ground involving the whole merits Of the
question, and this we think he has failed to
do


I'd For, though it is true that 'the military
marching" the emusic playing" (evcn if such
were contemplated) ''and the bells ringing"
| (toling) would attract the notice of a great
many persons, we fail to see, how in these,
the usual Accomplishments of funeral train,
there is any immortality involved, or any des-
ecration of the Lords day, when conducted
under the careful guardianship of RESPONSE
bic persons.


Sd. That military pageants are customary
in foreign countries may be the case, that
they are a feature of Roman Catholic or inf
del Europe may also be true but this of it
self would not be sufficient to impugn the
propriety of commemoration services with
military accompaniments. 1t is not unusual
for military funerals to take place in our own
country on Sunday, and with the sanction of
the church whose services may be required
for the occasion Martial music involves no
peculiar desecration of sacred things. 1t
may be as solemn as an organ or even as
bass viol and other hand instruments which
in times past have been used in the temples
of the Pilgrim descendants. And again,
granting that the proposed observance
may be fundamentally hostile to the charac-
|
grims brought to New England" is this
SO very obnoxious to our moral sentiments
Do the most scrupulous of us, SO approve
of the character and spirit which the Pilgrims
impressed upon the Sabbath, as TO wish to
continue either, as they were, for the guild
ance of ourselves OF our children? We ac-
cord all honor to the Pilgrims where
insoever they walked according to Gods
Gospel, but we do not consider them i'm
macuate, nor to have furnished their
descendants in New England or elsewhere
with a true pattern of Christian doctrine or
observance. Leaving other objections to be
answered as they may fall in with our remarks,
as we have said we do not think Ar. Bing-
ham has fairly adjudged the question on its
merits, indeed he has allowed it no merits at
all, that we can sec.


The memorial of the dead is something Of
peculiarly sacred character. The commem-
Grafton of those who have suffered and died
in nations cause, is a service in which all
who are of the nation, and who have entered
into the fruits of their labors are nearly in
terested. For apart from the immediate evils
resulting from national conflict, We are to re-
member that a renewed national life is.pur-
chased for us at the price of the blood of the
slain. The commemoration therefore of those
who have died in behalf of the nation, APP
peals to the deep seated and sacred feelings of
all. But besides, these feelings are directly
personal to many. who may derive much
consolation from the fact, that as people we
are willing to render some tribute of gratitude
and affection to the memory of their dead.
Such feelings are directly connected with re-
ligion, if religion gives us any foundation of
comfort for the present, or of hope for the
future.


| When, therefore, having taken every rea-
sonable precaution against an abuse of privi-
legc, we can throw around the commcmora-
ton of those who have given their lives for
the nations unity, the sacred influences and
| spirit of the Lords day, are but adding
another agency for establishing on better
basis, the morality of our people. We desire
to give the services, which are emnently re-
| ligious a religious association and we leave
with confidence the guardianship of Gods
day, to those who are moved to direct the
memorial offerings of the people. And should
few church goers be thereby necessarily him
dcred from attending Divine service, on the
day appointed, we should regard their absence
from such cause in the same light as of those
who might be called upon to visit the sick or
afflicted.


We will remember also that probably a
large part of those who are personally inter-
ested in the commemorative services, are of
class of persons who from the necessity of
their case would be prevented from yielding
up portion of their time on a secular day,
and yet whose interest would be none the less
sincere and who would bring as much honor
and as ''worthy tribute of affection to the
dead" as their more favored fellow citizens.
With these remarks which have been pro-
longed far beyond our original intention, we
/ l.. Al. Al. H.,