Sunday after Confederate Memorial Day
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen
2Sam i. 17 Rev vii. 9 Psalm xlvi
John xi. 21
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday is the next after Confederate Memorial Day in the Commonwealth of Kentucky which
occurs annually on June 3rd. The memorial coincides with the birth date of President Jefferson Davis, who was born on June
3, 1808 in our Commonwealth. It is good that we have this opportunity to pause and remember our
forefathers who fell in the War Between the States as they defended their homeland from invasion. We may
also reflect on their Cause and their sacrifice, as well as the sacrifice of their families
who bid them farewell. In addition, we can take the opportunity to remember the descendents of
Southern veterans who have died while serving faithfully in the ranks of the Sons of Confederate
Veterans, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Order of the Stars and Bars, and other
related groups.
The Old Testament lesson today is from 2 Samuel. In it we hear the lamentations of David for his
King: Saul, and his friend: Jonathan. His cry comes unto us even today expressing his grief for his
fallen leader and friend. It speaks for us of the loss that we feel for those who have fallen in
battle. David sings lovingly of their lives and of their valour in battle and death. He cries: How are
the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! May that be our cry as well as we remember
their bravery, sacrifice, and fidelity to their country. Against seemingly impossible odds the
ragtag, poorly equipped, citizen Army of the South fought gallantly for her independence, and her
dead fell with honor.
Is that it? Is that all there is? A memory of gallant men falling for a Lost Cause. No my friends,
for the story continues today. Our Christian brothers fell, but are yet a part of the Church. Just as we, they await that glorious day when their Savior shall return and they shall be resurrected with new and glorious bodies in a new heaven on earth. John's vision in the Book of Revelation is so reassuring to all who have lost loved ones. God gave John a vision to sustain the saints in their great tribulation, and it sustains us today. For in the day of the Lord, these martyrs who walked with Jesus in their hearts into the maelstrom of musketry and fell, shall stand before his throne,
clothed in the white robes of purity, washed in the Blood of the Lamb. Rather than muskets, they
shall hold the palm leaves of peace - for as our psalm says: "He maketh wars to cease". They will
stand side-by-side with their comrades and former enemies who died in Christ. We shall be there too,
and join with them in praising God and giving thanks to our Savior.
How can we be sure that this vision applies to those Christians who fell during the war? How can we
know it is for us and our brothers and sisters who still fight the good fight to tell the truth of
the Confederate Christian? How can we know that Jesus will save us and resurrect us on the Last Day?
We know because of his promise. The Gospel message is clear and gives us the assurance of our
salvation and resurrection. Speaking to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, Jesus told her I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And
whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Martha's response to Jesus is the key to our salvation. The promise of eternal life and the resurrection is freely offered to all who confess, repent and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If that old Confederate died in Christ, he is alive this day with his Master. He has been reunited with the family that wept for him and decorated his grave year by year in his memory, looking for the day when they would again be together. Let us affirm our belief this day and join with Martha in saying those immortal words:
Amen
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle
Dedicated to The Ladies of the South who are decorating the graves of the Confederate Dead
Some interesting facts about the South and Christianity: There were major revivals in the camps of
the Confederacy, and it is estimated that 150,000 souls came to Christ through the preaching of
Confederate chaplains. They comforted, inspired, and encouraged the soldiers, passing out millions
of tracts that assisted the soldiers in their prayer lives. The government and officers of the line
supported this evangelical effort. Indeed the South was firmly a nation under God as their
constitution specifically invoked "Almighty God"
I commend this sermon from 1863 in Marrietta Georgia by the Rev Samuel Benedict The Blessed Dead Waiting for Us
The Reverend “Parson” Mark Carroll, Col Ben Caudill Camp,
SCV, 2005
2 Sam i. 17.
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
Rev vii. 9
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
John xi. 21
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know,
that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy
brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection
at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of
God, which should come into the world.
Dedicated to The Ladies of the South who are decorating the graves of the Confederate Dead
Kneel where our loves are sleeping, Dear ones days gone by,
Here we bow in holy reverence, Our bosoms heave the heartfelt sigh.
They fell like brave men, true as steel, And pour’d their blood like rain,
We feel we owe them all we have, And can but weep and kneel again.
CHORUS
Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true,
Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do.
Here we find our noble dead, Their spirits soar’d to him above,
Rest they now about his throne, For God is mercy, God is love.
Then let us pray that we may live, As pure and good as they have been,
That dying we may ask of him, To open the gate and let us in.
CHORUS
Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true,
Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do."
Words by G.W.R. Music by Mrs. L. Nella Sweet, 1867