A Higher Calling (Acts 5:17-29)
Gary McManus, 05/26/2013Part of the DCC Basics series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
May 26, 2013 Memorial Day Sunday
Acts 5; topics: death. . .and life. . .and honor
. . .and faith. . .and the Bible has much to say.
We have heard of so much death recently.
Trivia: Memorial Day was started by women of
the southern states to remember Civil War dead.
This year is a part of the 150th commemoration of
the American Civil War (1861-1865).
New research now puts Civil War deaths much
higher than traditionally thought; maybe as many
as 750,000. That is equivalent to 7.5 million US dead in 2012 numbers (both sides). And that in just four years. Also, 50,000 civilians died in the war.
On this Memorial Day Sunday we remember the sacrifices of those like Augustus Sayford who died May 1, 1863.
Trivia: Much of the research on Augustus Sayford was done by Erich Ewald and published. See Indiana Magazine of History, Vol.92, Dec.,1996.
Trivia: The science of embalming the dead was developed during the Civil War since many families wanted to bring their deceased loved ones home for burial. Many burials were done on the battlefields and only later removed to
large cemeteries. There were no “dog tags” for i.d.
Many dead were buried “unknown.” The information that the Sayford family received about Gus was precious. There were burials near Port Gibson. Gus’ remains are probably there.
Trivia: Today, the Vicksburg National Military Park stretches over 1,800 acres of fields, woods, and ravines. It includes the Vicksburg National Cemetery, the final resting place of 17,000
Union soldiers, the largest number of any national cemetery. (historynet.com)
Trivia: In May and June of 1863, Gen. Grant lost roughly 5,000 men (killed and wounded in battle) in taking Vicksburg.
Trivia: Mississippi declared its independence from the U. S. January 9, 1861, in Vicksburg, the State Capitol. It was the second state to do so. The state issued a Declaration proclaiming
"[o]ur position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery --the greatest material interest of the world". Mississippi was one of
only two states in the Union in 1860 where the majority of the population were slaves.
The battles of the Vicksburg Campaign, 1863
Port Gibson (May 1) , Raymond (May 12)
Jackson (May 14), Champion Hill (May 16)
Big Black River Bridge (May 17)
Siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4)
The names of veterans of the Civil War that we know for certain
from this area are printed for you in the bulletin
—some came from this congregation.
Col. Lawrence Chamberlain, served in the 20th Maine.
President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
Was delivered at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg November 19, 1863, (The battle of Gettysburg fought July 1-3) Lincoln reminds us that our servicemen’s sacrifices leave us with obligations.
Jesus said: Matthew 10:24
“The student is not above the teacher. . .
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