When Seattle Draped Its Church in Flags for the Union Dead

In spite of the inclement weather yesterday morning the First Methodist church, at the corner of Third and Marion, was crowded from top to bottom during the annual memorial sermon to the Grand Army of the Republic by Rev. W. A. Shanklin. Gray-haired veterans who attended similar services year after year combined in the opinion that the address was a masterpiece. One member of the Sons of Veterans remarked that he had attended Memorial observances all over the country and that never in his life had he witnessed so impressive a service. The church was magnificently decorated with flags, banners and all the flowers of the season.

In front of the chancel rail were two stands of arms with all the accoutrements of military service, draped with the stars and stripes. Between these and the front of the rostrum were palms and ferns, and directly in front of the pulpit itself was a collection of the most exquisite white roses. At the right hand of Mr. Shanklin's chair was a large bouquet of red roses and at his left a bunch of rhododendrons. Extended on either side were sprays of ferns and palms. Surrounding the pulpit were small stands, on which were placed cut flowers, such as roses, pansies, etc.

On the wall at the back of the rostrum was a wall of yellow Scotch bloom, and above this was a large blackboard on which appeared the inscription in yellow: 'G. A. R.' Between the letters and over the surface of the board were decorations of wild flowers sprinkled here and there with evergreens.

The long rail of the choir was hidden under a mass of ivy and snowballs white. In the center was a bunch of delicate ferns. In front of this wall were palms, hothouse plants, and a little cedar tree. In midair, in the center of the church, suspended in a bow shape, was a national flag and around the facing of the gallery were other flags tastefully draped in many different forms. The pillars that support the gallery were banistered with the mottoes 'In Memoriam, G. A. R.' and 'Welcome, Comrades.'

The G. A. R. men showed the same promptness in arriving at the church that they always did in going forth to meet the enemy. So well did they time their movements that when the 12 members from Stevens post, led by Commander P. H. Hurd, reached the corner of Second and Marion streets a few minutes before 11 o'clock the vanguard of John F. Miller post, 100 strong, led by Commander Shrock, was just reaching the same point from their hall in the Frye block. The members of Stevens post, two abreast, led the way up Marion street to the church, followed by the members of Miller post. Stevens Relief Corps, fifty strong, commanded by Mrs. Ellen Burk, was also in line and the Sons of Veterans, commanded by J. K. Brown, were there to the number of fully twenty. When the church was reached the ranks separated into single files, one going to the right and the other to the left, down the main aisles, to the seats reserved for them. The church filled rapidly, and before the first note of the big organ was heard there was not a seat in the church vacant, and the ushers were constantly bringing in chairs.

Rev. Shanklin took as his text Romans xiii:7, 'Render honor to whom honor is due,' and said: 'The occasion which calls us together this morning is the most interesting of all the national celebrations. We have assembled to pay a tribute of respect to those who died for liberty, yea, and in recounting their valor and heroism, to teach lessons of patriotism to the youth who inherit their works.'