Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 131, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1920 — SERVICES WERE BEAUTIFUL [ARTICLE]

SERVICES WERE BEAUTIFUL

GREAT THRONG PAID RESPECT TO HERO DEAD HERE MEMORIAL DAY. The most beautiful and impressive MemoriaL day exercises in the history of the city were held here here Sunday afternoon when a throng variously estimated at from five to ten thousand people attended the services at the cemetery and paid their respect to the hero dead on the day set aside to perpetuate the memory of the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice that the ideals of their nation might live. It was a wonderful tribute that the liviing paid to the dead—a solemn and beautiful tribute —and an occasion which should serve to inspire all to greater good and Americanism. The services exceeded the expectations of all and no more inspiring sight was ever witnessed than that of the thousands who stood with bared heads as Rev. J. B. Fleming paid the last tribute to the remains of Dewey Biggs, the first Jasper county boy to give his life in the late world war. Nature never appeared more beautiful and as the minister offered up words of prayer a feeling of security and comfort settled over the throng and left an impression which wiill forever remain in the minds of all.

Brief services were held for Dewey Biggs on the Court House lawn shortly after one o’clock and were in charge of Rev. J. B. Fleming, after which the procession formed for the march to the cemetery. It was many blocks in length. The Sunday school children led the procession and were followed by the Moose lodge. Then came the bandr escort and clergy. The caisson, drawn by four black horses, and bearing the flag-draped coffin of the soldier, was next. Navy boys were in charge of the caiisson. The family of the dead hero fallowed, then the world war veterans, as a then the world war veterans, resembling a slowly moving river of brown between the banks of solid humanity.. Then came the civil war veteran, his step not quite.so firm as that of his youthful comrade, but withi a heart just as proud.. Civilians on foot and in automobiles formed the, remainder of the procession. Upon the arrival at the cemetery ! the remains of Dewey Biggs were ■ powered to their last resting place) as the firing squad fired the salute and his comrades stood at open ranks. The throng then made its way to another part of the cemetery where the regular services were to be held. Following the opening exercises, Hon. W. L. Wood took the platform to make the address of the day. Mr. Wood’s address was proclaimed by those in attendance ito be one of the finest ever given here on such an occasion. A brief review of Mr. Wood’s address follows: “I have taken the position that although the day is given to the dead, yet its lessons are for the living, that its real intent. would be lost if it failed to inspire the American heart with the. spirit of patriotism, the ideals, virtue and valor for which the American soldied gave his life. Today, millions of our citizens have abandoned all thoughts of business and their footsteps are turned toward the place where sleep our hero dead. R is evident that the spirit of patriotism in America has neither declined nor ab Mr d Wood showed that the magnitude of the civil war was greater than any other war of the nineteenth century. The number of Union engaged was 2,894,000 or more than three times the number engaged in all former wars that the United States had engaged in. He said that the grand army of the republic had not only won one of the bloodiest wars m but that they had taken holdof the; government and had brought it, through the dark period of reconstruction; that the sons of the men who won the civil war and had banished slavery from our land had followed Old Glory to France and there, with the spirit of their fath-. ers, had turned the tide of the world war, crossed the Rhine and pitched their tents on German soil.> That had not Germany seen the, handwriting and the. determination of the American soldier they have pitched their tents on the, 'campus of Berlin. Headmonwhed hearers that it was their duty to ‘ Continue to perpetuate the of the American soldier and the cause for which he fought as our forefathers had done. He said the I women of America, had done their nart in making this the ideal, na ,&n and he believed that tins naI tion would continue to be the ideal of all nations; that our flag meant

more to the world than any other flag and that this nation would continue to rise and that her citizenship would continue on a higher plane of civilization.” There were over one hundred world war soldiers in uniform and about thirty sailers, who, added to the number of old soldiers, made over one hundred and fifty ex-sol-diers in uniform. ’