Memorial Day in Mexico
May 20, 1918
Mexico Independent
In spite of clouds which threatened several times during the day to mar the exercises, Thursday, May 20, 1918, will be held in the minds of the people of Mexico as one of the memorable days. The program began by the dedication of the service flag for the town and for Home Guards, which took place on the steps of Washington Hall, the dedication address being given by the Rev. D. L. Roberts. The town flag contains seventy-seven blue stars and one gold star. The flag for the Home Guards has twenty-one stars.
The line of march to the cemetery was then formed as follows: Masonic Band of Oswego, G.A.R. and W.R.C. in automobiles, about fifty members of the Red Cross, the Home Guards, Boy Scouts, firemen, and all department of the school. In all, this was one of the largest and finest parades ever seen in Mexico.
After the ritual service of G.A.R. and decorations of the soldier’s monument at the cemetery by the Home Gard and pupils of the school, the line of march returned to Washington Hall, where the address of the day was given by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Charles A, Fisk of Syracuse, village president Dr. L. D. Pulsifer, presiding. The first on the program was the singing of “The Star Spangles Banner” led by Prof. W. A. Goodier and a chorus of young ladies from the high school. Prayer was offered by the Rev. W. A. Howes, a solo rendered by W. J. Ure, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address delivered by Harry Learned, after which the vast audience was privileged to listen to one of the finest addresses ever delivered in Mexico. We wish we were able to reproduce it in full. His opening remarks were to the veterans of the G.A.R. in which he stated the principles for which they fought over fifty years ago are the same as those which prompt our soldiers of the present was, except the their scope is worldwide instead of national. The object of the present was is not or gain of power of territory, but the soul of the nations. He urges that the nation’s sins be put away, that our boys may be made the bet possible, and that the country shall be in the best condition to receive them when they come back.
The bishop paid a fine tribute to Donald Stone in the course of the address. In an illustration he gave an account of a dying soldier in a hospital who asked the chaplain to tell the people at home he “died for old England with a good heart.” Bishop Fisk then spoke of the gold star that had been added to the Mexico service flag for the young hero who was too modest to let the people at home know of his deeds of service and bravery, so his friend had to write home the story. There was no doubt that Donald Stone “died for America with a good heart” and that Mexico should strive to make herself worthy of that sacrifice of Donald Stone. The exercise closed with the singing of “America.”
The last service of the day was a community prayer meeting which filed the prayer room of the Presbyterian Church to capacity. At this meeting a testimonial of appreciation of the address of the afternoon, which was offered by S. T. Dibble, was adopted and the Rev. W. A. Howes was asked to forward the same to Bishop Fisk. A resolution, expressing the sentiment of the churches of the community, asking President Wilson to do all in his power for the bringing about of national prohibition during the period of war, was passed and the Rev. D. L. Robert was commissioned to forward such resolution.