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Friday, March 23, 1962
THE NEW BERN MIRROR, NEW BERN, N. C.
Page Seven
MIRROR
MEDITATION
By EMMiTT L. BRINSON
It was a beautiful morning,
March 14, 1962. A little chilly per
haps, even though the sun shown
brightly through the trees.
Hundreds of Citizens were gath
ered at the New Bern National
Memorial cemetery to pay honor
to those who gave their iast mea
sure that a nation might remain
alive. As one looked about, al
most every name on the white
markers rang with strange famil
iarity, yet the departing dates
t were one hundred years ago this
month. Many had fallen in the
1 Battle of New Bern.
The cemetery was well kept,
I with budding shrubbery, majestic
trees, and the busy little birds
indicated spring was just around
the corner. Stately statues stood
orderly about with plaques of in
spired memorial inscriptions.
Scott
TILE
CO.
TILE AND
FLOOR COVERING
L C. SCOn/JR.
1l
ir
There was very little movement
among the people. Only hushed
greetings of recognition. This was
a solemn and sacred occasion. A
feeling of respect and patriotic
emotion prevailed. It could be sens
ed as it radiated throughout the
Qrowd.
The click In cadence of the
pacing color guard and firing
squad was* strangely at reverence
as it marched past. The commands
in muffled whispers added to the
tone of feeling of this gathering.
They took their position at a statu
esque attention. Old Glory unfurl
ed and gracefully draped itself in
stillness as if commanded by the
silqnt voice of a waning breeze.
One could almost feel the pres
ence of thousands of troops stand
ing erect behind each stbne, in
Blue and Gray, with dignity an4.
pride, watching those gathered.
Here were the offspring of those
who won and lost a cause. A people
now tempered through trial and
error, molded into the greatest
nation the world has yet produced.
“The United States of America!”
Prayers were offered and a visit
ing dignitary, the Lt. Gov. of Ohio,
spoke briefly in tribute. Maybe it
was that the tempo was set for
the impact, but somehow the next
few moments told the writer it
was more than that, for there un
folded one of the most unforget
table moments of my life.
A young southern minister, the
Rev. Fred A. Mauney, stepped to
the center of the gathering in front
of the Color Guard. He paused a
few seconds and a hush quickly
prevailed. His voice, well pitched,
rich, and with inspired expression
rang out as he delivered the fol
lowing message, great indeed were
his words and it shall live forever
in the hearts of Americans every
where.
“Today we stand not in the
center of tragedy but in the very
heart of triumph. General Douglas
McArthur was right — “Old Sol
diers never die. They just fade
away.”
A hundred years have come and
gone. But the memory of even the
first, who was here committed
back to the very dust from which
'he came, has not gone. In rever
ence, and with pride, we salute
those who “died that a nation
might live.”
One century ago a bold line
divided our nation into the North
and the South. Today there is no
North, nor South; no East, nor
West. Now we have the United
States of America. The bodies here
buried seal forever our unity.
On the wings of a March breeze
their spirits can be heard to whis
per — "United we stand. Divided
we faii." Today there is no gray,
nor blue unfurled in division.
There is only the red, white, and
blue of the star spangled banner
to wave over the “land of the free
and the home' of the Brave.”
No! These soldiers have not fad
ed away. By their sacrifices for
their convictions and their Country
they shall never be forgotten.
What message have we for those
whose spirits are yet with us?
What answer have we for the test
of Gettysburg, Vicksburg, New
Bern, and the scattered brittle
fields of the Civil War?
Let us speak with life and with
lip. Let these be told of their
triumph. Let the message ring
loud. Let it be clear that this na
tion “Conceived in liberty, and
dedicated to the proposition that
all men are created equal shall
long endure.”
To these “honored dead” let 'it
be said that they have not died in
vain. Let the spirit of their voice
of their President ring around
the world that peoples of all race,
color, and creed shall know that
the new birth of freedom has
matured; and that “The govern
ment of the people, by the people,
for the people, shall never perish
from the earth.”
Here, among the stones that
mark the memory of these who
have fallen, we think not in terms
of sadness but of gladness; we
bow not in defeat, but hold high
our heads in victory! we herald
no news of tragedy but sound the
note of triumph. For the spirits
of those who came from the North
and those who rallied to the South
have not faded away. In unison ,—
their voices sing with ours:
“God bless America, Land that I
love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with the lighf
In New Bern It's ...
Five Points Milling
Co.
for
GARDEN TOOLS — LAWN GRASS — FERTILIZERS
PEAT MOSS — INSECT SPRAY
from above.”
And now, until the sound of
the last trumpet and the dawn of
the Resurrection Day, when this
corruption shall put on incorrup
tion and this mortal put on im
mortality, let us here and now
affirm that their death is swaliow-
ed up in victory.”
As he came to the words “in
Unison their voices sing with
Ours” the phenomenon occurred.
A gust of wind swelled as with
the breast of every one there.
It lifted and unfolded the still
draped flag from its standard and
it fluttered proudly erect. It waved
and*8napped briskly in the breeze
as if it expressed the voice of
Americans past and present, and
it remained at a vigorous rippling
attention unto his last words and
until the last volly was fired.
As the first note of taps echoed
from a far off corner the great
flag again bowed in reverence and
iay in still calmness. As if again
expressing in unison the respectful
prayer of those living and dead.
For a few seconds after the dy
ing tones of the trumpet faded
away, a strange stillness hovered
over all. Even the birds were
noticeably quiet — not a sound —
the penetrating vacuum seemed
to encompass eternaily the un
spoken words in the hearts of each
tearfui soul.
“Dear God — only under thee
and thy guidance will America
remain Free! Great! and Strong!
We pray that it shall always be
so.”
Earnest resolution has often
seemed to have about it almost a
savor of omnipotence.—Samttel
Smiles
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