| Show NOBLE WORK DONE BY G A R magnificent organization Is first among the brotherhoods of men the destinies of the grand army bave been presided over by the truest and the best from its very inception the grand army of the republic was destined to a great and noble work and to supply a place in the desires of patriotic men that no others had been able to do the provision es chewing politics and rel gion and providing for the banding together under the most sacred obligations to work together for the defense of their coun try for the alleviation of each other s woes for the uplifting and betterment of each other and those dependent upon them touched a responsive chord in the heart of every soldier who knew by experience that berv man who signed such an obligation would be true to it the plan for the organization of posts in every hamlet town and city and to unite them in departments in every state and once a year to meet in a grand national encampment would insure the perpetuity of their comradeship that the post would sup ply the place of the soldier s regiment the convention of the department of the state his corps and the national encampment that of the army to which he belonged at the of these meetings he could live over again scenes which were burned into his memory by the heat of battle he would have a re source in every dilemma that might overtake him through life and friends to succor him in ic kness and ap aid who would follow him ill aug 30 1871 though scarcely at the zenith of his manhood aug 29 1882 estill post 71 G A R department ot illinois removed dr stephen son s remains to petersburg III and them among the sold tere ot hose hill cemetery with impressive ceremonies thus rescuing him from the oblivion of an unmarked grave judge james A matheny ot spring field in delivering the eulogy at the grave alluded to dr stephenson s au thor ship of the grand army ot the he public in the following eloquent lan guage when this thought first came to our comrade his whole soul was filled with the grand conception without rest or weariness ats every energy was devoted to the accomplishment of the grand desire with a patriotic inspiration he saw clearly the great goal to be attained he felt that he was erecting an altar upon which the fire of love for the whole union would burn and burn forever he saw with prophetic vision the star spangled banner of the nation not a confider con feder aaion of discredited states but a na tion s banner unfurled to the breeze and with fancy s ear he heard the tramp of millions of soldiers of the grand army as they gathered beneath it to shield and defend it from every harm my friends how well he read the future his grand anticipations are more than realized the camp fires ot the grand army are burning fronin ocean to ocean thousands and tens to the grae when he was finally mus it the ritual appealed so strongly to them that to day forty years after the war the grand army of the republic is many thousands strong it has borne upon its rolls more than ex union soldiers it has ex thousands of dollars in charity for its members and their families to the grand army of the republic more than to any other order do the antor dunate look for aid it a comrade Is sick he sends to his post for sympathy and help it he seeks employment he can rely upon his comrades to vouch or him he knows when the end comes that he will be laid to rest by the members of his post and that a stone will mark his last resting place and thai it will never be reared in a pot ter s field and that each recurring ot may flowers will be strewn above the low green mounds where sleep the loyal dead it is a curious fact that the genius who was the author of so magnificent an organization should have been in his last days one of the very un tortu nates for whom he was so itous in his halcyon days overtaken by misfortunes and an ill starred fate dr stephenson after years of discouragement d ed and was buried ar rock creek menard county of thousands of his brotherhood ot soldiers meet nightly in fraternal tra greeting the banner that he so loved is floating stainless and pure in god a bright sunshine never again to be soiled and torn by traitor s hands though not here to witness it the grand dream of his life has assumed the proportions of a bright reality the note that he struck single handed is illuminating an entire land and at te last is mingling its radiance ove the consecrated spot where our corn rade reposes all unconscious that hia hour of triumph has come the law of compensation pervades all nature A new thought proclaimed a good deed done or heroic act per formed will sooner or later meet ita proper reward it may tarry long 1 may linger in its coming but come 1 will with unfailing certainty in obedience to that law we have come even at this late day to do honor to our da parted comrade and friend let ua not stop here let us by some fitting testimonial proclaim to all coming our appreciation of the grand accomplished complis hed by our departed friend and companion let us seek no further his meinta to disclose nor draw his frailties from their dread abode there they alike in trembling hope re pose the boom of his father and his god mrs john A logan in cincinnati enquirer |
