Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/94

 82 Southern Historical Society Papers.

most energetic and tumultuous in their accomplishment, the air of repose. The South, inspired by lofty ideals of duty and stimulated by precious faith, has done well in preserving, amidst poverty and toil, the wholesome truths of that great struggle.

"The fullness of time has come." The daughters and grand- daughters of the regiments that followed the leadership of Lee and Jackson, Branch and Bragg, upon the crested ridge amid the stormy presence of Battle the women of our State have " set up a stone for a pillar," to testify to unborn ages our reverence for our dead.

Jacob, who is woven into the text and fibre of the Book of Genesis as a thread of gold may be woven into cloth, set up a stone to commemorate a solemn epoch in his life, and named the place whereon the stone was set up Bethel.

Verily, " there is no new thing under the sun." In the vision of John, that sublime and pathetic figure on the Island of Patmos, one of the Cyclades away out in the ^gean Sea, there is promised to him that overcometh "a white stone." The day and the people have met.

This white day in North Carolina, distinguished as the anniversary of our first and second Declarations of Independence. 'Tis good to be here. Let us administer the sacraments to our hearts.

Standing here, encouraged by the living and hearkening to voices from the tomb, let us baptize ourselves afresh in the name of liberty.

The most perfect oration which has been rescued from the rigor of time is that of Pericles over the dead who perished in the first campaign of Peloponesian war. These men, like our comrades in the great war, fell short of success.

What is it that gave to these countrymen of Pericles their imper- ishable renown ?

The philosophy, the science, the literature and intellect of ancient Greece may be traced in their influence on all after ages of the western world.

But the memory of this dead resists annihilation by the force of a greater power than all these. It is by force of this principle:

" That bravery never goes out of fashion."

Margaret, of Richmond, the mother of Henry the Seventh, would often say:

" That if the Princes of Christendom would combine themselves and march against the common enemy, the Turk, she would most willingly attend them and be their laundress in camp."

Her chaplain, Fisher, preaching the funeral sermon, said of her,