Show I 1 V 11 1 1 1 I tavi ta VI ar n 1 1 VA WR 7 32 a w i a armon t i iv i K REV CHARLES P WEEDEN pastor of harvard church 1 t boston 1 ial I 1 w 7 larf im ti r N the foremost rank oame of memorials stands the monument to the soldier solder tho the myriad mounds of rank and stir tender and deep emotions the veterans vot erana of the thrilling scenes of 61 and 65 are passing over forty eight thousand in 1909 answered the last taps memorial day should be sacredly liepa and should most properly recall the stirring events of 0 tho the civil war what mean ye by these stones the descend descendants anti of joshua asked as they saw the me portal pile by the river jordan so the youth of oc today inquire of the silent sentinels raised to io commemorate the soldier of 61 I 1 sm reminded of an example of patriotism triciti sm not usually known colonel shaw whose monument of bronze stands upon boston common la Is not alone in deserving such a memorial up among the berkshire hills there is 11 modest shaft that marks the gravo grave of another gallant leader of negro troops I 1 refer to colonel chauncey dassett bassett of tho bassett grand army post of michigan the grandfather of my children and the lather father of that elect lady my wife how colonel bassett inspired his bis men is illustrated by the herol heroism sm of at a negro lad who was the color bearer As colonel bas sett handed the flag to the lad he gave this charge my boy bring back the colors or tell to god the reason why all AH through the fierce figat they watched that standard once it was seen to fall tho the leda arm had been shot hut but grasping tho the staff with hla his left hand the flag moved forward again waving over the dusky troops once more it swayed and dropped but afier att er the battle they found the little fellow i prostrate upon uon tho thel flag wet with his blood he ha could never bring the col aj J back ile ho had bad told to jed god the reason why bat I 1 recall a memorial which romes comes close to every veteran in the land it is the name came endeared to you by a thousand recollections recollect lona and sends tho the warm blood through your roha it is ve V e dear name of 0 comrade conrades co Con your companions compan lona ii ft armst they i have fallen but your thoughts bring the old familiar forms forma and scenes back bach again you sleep in the same ant nt and perchance share the same blanket or you watch by tho the campfire warming aud and sheltering your comrade from the cald anik them the term storm it as ho he casdone haa has dono done foryce or apu you vo divide your scanty rations or you dispense the lucky catch ot of poultry or bacon you beer hini on uba nhe hot ind and dusty march ho he stretches hla his hand or roua muck kei you tn lu the struggle str braugh the darl dan ceroua heib tx by your tide in tho the din and smoke of attack he be runs and cheers with you in tile the gallant charge or he be stands near you on an the man of wars deck and hurls burls defiance at the enemies shot lie ile laughs he sings bines he shouts he turns with stern resolve and face like flint to meet the bullet storm ills joys his bla sorrows hla his glory his hardship are yours for all the while it lp Is comrade it may be one today another tomor tomo row rows but always comrade Com r I 1 cannot forbear to mention one more important lesson from the monuments of the war it to Is this th god of nations gave the tha victory the hand has never been from history in the darkest hour a Lincol ns brain and heart a true states mans hand grasped the helm and held the nation to her course through whirlwind victory and dire disaster in critical hours when foreign powers would smile encouragement to our too foe god sent a strong man across the waters to speak for us a man of silver tongue the orators fire and the patriots soul who averted the threatened blow some well remember what utter consternation swept over the north when the mer aler jimae sunk the cumberland and ad the congress surrendered when that same evening the news sped over the wires that the monitor had bad arrived at hampton roads the air rang with shouts and men who seldom acknowledged divine interference were saying how providential allt merchants ot of wartime war time will not forget the terrible depres depression slon in business for ten years previous two thirds of the count rys exports con consisted of cotton from the south how could the great loss be met in 61 and ta 2 there was waa drought la in england and europe then the farmer stepped to the front the fields of america particularly in the west were in these years unusually abundant and foreign ports were opened to receive a value of over two hundred million dollars of the products of our soil boil H england sent bent us more than sixty million dollars ot at gold at the last when the nation was weary the indomitable grant camo came into leadership and by his sledge hammer blows dy by the left flank forward t gave the Cen confederacy the fatal stroke thus did the ring king of na tlona shield this land think not fell fellow ow citizens that your duty Is done that in rearing colossal statues your obligations are fulfilled the peculiar institutions orthis ot this country are the memorials god commands you to build support and protect see to it you who fought gallantly for your country and you who today reap the harvest barvest of herol heroism sm see to it that your influence influent ce goes abroad for foe puri pura morals moral and guard as your life tua the liberties s handed banded down to you abe TheT future of our nation lies in what citizens make it today the world is looking to america thera areno new continents there ienir other race that possesses as does docs the anglo saxon liberty and a pure re lugton and these are arc the mighty factors that will determine the tha future ot at tho the world for good friends we aro are stul in the th broaca field of battle 1 still in via tie bivouac of ue who will be the aero your answer will be in the ana courage with which you defend the tha ara ani ahn liberties of your hold the nat natless leas life sacred dare bar heed berte beneath atts the folds oi of her flag inglet Int Let in atno blood ot of your fa fathers theirs a aad 4 farm aa aria da |