While I could not make many services due to work conflict and an ailing
mother in Georgia, I did make the service of the Ladie's Memorial Service
Association of Montgomery in historic Oakwood Cemetery. It was a wonderful
event and Leslie Kirk is to be commended on her hard work. I know many went to
services at the capitol and throughout the great state of Alabama.
After our wonderful annual Dragoons picnic at the Confederate Memorial
Park this past Saturday, I spent some time online reading commentary on Confederate
Memorial Day.
The Reverend Bob Slimp is the Chaplain for the Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton
Camp in Columbia, South Carolina. He posited these words on the subject and I
felt they were worth passing on to you. I hope you find them as inspiring as I
did.
Rev. Bob Slimp
"A Confederate Memorial Day Message"
If we are to survive as a Southern people we must remember our
ancestors, preserve our culture and prevent future attacks from eroding our
love and loyalty whose the landmarks of our heritage. We must take the offensive
instead of remaining on the defensive. Two examples of this are: the Battle For
Columbia" and the "Wade Hampton Memorial Service" both of which
are becoming permanent events that are gaining in popularity.
We must educate our people as to why the War for Southern Independence was
fought. General Robert E. Lee stated: "All that the South has ever desired
was the Union as established by our forefathers should be preserved and that
the government as originally organized should be administered in purity and
truth." In other words, the South fought to preserve its say of life after
it was invaded by the North. The Yankees were the aggressors and President
Lincoln was determined to start the war and defeat the South so that he could
change the Constitutional Republic into an irresponsible Democracy and take
control of the Southern economy do he could build a much stronger Union than
allowed by the Constitution.
Our ancestors were Celts from Scotland and Ireland, English and Germans and
French Huguenots all settled in our Southland. They brought their Christian
faith with them. Their Christianity produced a strong sense of regional loyalty
and a tenacious devotion to family and friends. Coupled with the fact that the
South was basically an agrarian society which made for a very pleasant and
peaceful lifestyle. It is easy to understand why Southern people, both soldiers
and civilian, fought so desperately to preserve their way of life. Without a
doubt, when the Southern men left their homes to go to the battlefront, they
went with a deep sense of personal pride, devotion and honor to defend their
farms, homes and firesides, plus their families, cultural and religious values.
The Northerners at first came to America for the same reasons as the
Southerners, but by the very beginning of the l800s they began to change from an
agrarian to an industrial society. They depended on factories and ship building
and commerce. Their Christianity lost its purity. Most of their churches became
liberal and Unitarian, and so they began to replace the Biblical Gospel with
the Social Gospel that called for among other things, the abolition of slavery.
As their trade with Europe increased, they wanted to make money from high
tariffs. Lincoln himself said that he had to invade the South, because he could
not raise the tax money he needed to build a more industrial nation as long as Southern
harbors remained free ports. When South Carolina seceded, he was determined to
invade the South as soon as he could provoke the South Carolinians into firing
on Fr. Sumter. In l850, Presbyterian Pastor and Theologian, James Henley
Thornwell, said the following at the dedication of Zion Church in Charles, the
largest Church in South Carolina which was exclusively for the purpose of
educating black slaves and free blacks: "The parties in this conflict are
not merely abolitions and slaveholders - they are atheists, socialists,
communists, red republicans, Jacobins, on the one side, and the friends of
order and regulated freedom on the other. In one word, the world is a
battle-ground - Christianity and atheism are the combatants and the progress of
humanity is at stake." He describes the cause of the war, which he knew
was coming, perfectly.
After the invasion, Major General Patrick Cleburne knew what defeat would mean
to the South when he stated: "Surrender means that the history of this
heroic struggle will be written by the enemy; that our youth will be trained by
Northern school teachers; learn from Northern school books their version of the
war, and taught to regard our gallant dead as traitors and our maimed veterans
as fit subjects of derision. After the Lincoln policy of "total war"
against Southern civilians, and the utter destruction of States' Rights,
Cleburne was proven right.
Reconstruction was imposed to utterly demoralize the Southern people. But even
in defeat Southerners were not willing to give up their beloved homeland, and
in part they recovered it, by the very late 70s. The North failed to destroy
Southern pride, culture and Christianity.
Our duty today is to win the battle for the all out cultural war being waged
against us by our enemies, including some traitors who have turned their backs
on their native South. But win we must. We mube be on the offensive and counter
every attack by those who would destroy us. Above our, we must honor our Confederate
ancestors and continue to honor the God they worshiped.
We must continue to live up to the Charge given us by General Stephen Dill Lee.
Let's truly observe Confederate Memorial Day.
The following is a poem by Gerald Johnson, Commander of the COL. Charles F.
Fisher Camp #813 in Graham North Carolina in l999. Incidentally, it could be
read at US Veterans Memorial Services as well.
"Never Forget the Confederate Vet"
Would the North reason? Must we fight?
The Constitution agreed -
the South was right!
But it was might over right -
if you'll but read - that broke the back of the "Confederacy."
Early victories gave us hope-
That in a year or two-the "Yanks" would choke!
After all we had "Stonewall" and Robert E. Lee -
But fate would determine our destiny.
Battle worn and numerically thin-
The war for "Southern Independence" as coming to an end.
As brave men fought and multitudes gave all-
Soon the Confederacy with their dreams would fall.
Our women were diligent, remaining true to the cause -
Whatever was needed - they did without pause.
The land was scorched - the fields were bare -
The stench of death filled the air.
Oh when before had so many suffered so much?
Battle flags now furled - midst a silent hush.
It wasn't for slavery that they freely gave their lives -
But for a noble stand called HONOR, or SOUTHERN PRIDE!
Once a mighty army marched - as they said their goodbyes- Now only tears filled
the mourner's eyes.
And WHY? I ask? Did they die in vain?
Tell me why these souls were slain?
Conquered, but NOT defeated - we must NEVER FORGET -
our history - our heritage - THE CONFEDERATE VET!
Deo Vindice!
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