^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THIS IS ABOUT MY CIVIL WAR ANCESTOR:
AUGUSTA GORDON WEISSERT
More about Augusta G. Weissert
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eulogy for Augusta Gordon Weissert:
Address by James Oastler, D.O.
Delivered in Calvary Presbyterian Church - April 27, 1923
Looking back, contemplatively over those seventy-nine years, bounded on the other hand by 1843, on the other by 1923, very likely '61-'65 stood out in bold relief. (It were right that it should) Looking back, contemplatively over those seventy-nine years, there was awakened within him a keen sense of thankfulness to God, who had so wondrously led and sustained him and he said, " If I had to do it all over again, I would do the same thing. I would follow the same course."
Frankly, I do not wonder that he was able to make such a happy, victorious statement. I do not wonder. It needs no comment of mine, or yours, who are here today, to indicate that his life had absorbing interest for his home, and value for his fellow man, his God and his country.
Born in Canton, Ohio, (even we of Wisconsin will admit he chose a choice state in which to be born); educated in Wisconsin, a graduate of the High School in Racine and the University of Michigan; admitted to the Bar, 1869' served better than four years in the Civil War with the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteers, the Eagle Regiment; was breveted a captain for bravery in the battlefield, received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point from Abraham Lincoln, but was forced to decline, because of wounds received in battle.
A member of the Grand Army of the Republic since 1866. Commander of the Department of Wisconsin, 1888-1889, Senior vice-commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, 1892-93.
Established as a lawyer in Milwaukee since 1876. Elected presidental elector at large for Wisconsin. Was school commissioner of Milwaukee for four years. Was presidental appointee on the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Was a member of the National Military Park Commission that had entire responsibility for that wonderful National Military Park at Vicksburg and represented Wisconsin on that Commission. This latter event was the only one that I had a pleasure of rejoicing with him. I remember the joy in his heart when he and Mrs. Weissert visited the Military Park at Vicksburg and their daughter Florence unveiled the beautiful Wisconsin monument.
So the events of his life ran.
Do you wonder that he said, "If I had to do it all over again, I would do the same thing. I would follow the same course?"
Would not anyone of us be glad to have lived through it once like Mr. Weissert to be glad to live all over again, if so be, God were ever to allow such a privielege to mortals!! You would vote it was all public service, not highly paid, but decidely useful. It was all the happiness of public service !
Mr. Weissert had four paramount interests--God and Country---Home and Church. These were life to him.
If any one of you want to see right into the heart of him, then listen to the convictions expressed not in my language, but in his, and expressed by me, may I say, or with the purpose to eulogize Mr. Weissert (that I have been forbidden to do), expressed in my hope that my generation and yours may imbibe the spirit of these convictions and be governed by them, both in individual and national affairs. Here they are:
"Life is made happy (and every one who remembers him knows that he was happy, always happy, despite everything always happy), "life is made happy only by friendship and service. Money is good only in its wise expenditure and for others."
"I always felt that service for my fellows, so far as ability lay, brought me the greatest reward."
"I have felt repaid that I devoted my life to public service."
He was a good soldier, was he not, in the highest sense of the word !"
We thank God, we all thank God, and rejoice that God put his hand upon him, directed him, energized him with nobility of faith and purpose that flowered forth into useful, humanitarian service for God and Country, Home and Church.
With our thankfulness is mingled a prayer of petition that his mantle may fall upon us, that the state, in these perplexing days may be guided aright, that our youth may bring it unswerving, unselfish devotion, as did the fathers before them and that God may be glorified.
And now the other word I want to say has to do with a text of Scripture from the New Testament, Phillipians III, verse eleven:
"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."
Whatever else the particular passage may be it is certainly an intimate piece of writing, which reveals the inner spirit of its author. It lays bare the deepest desire of his heart. The sentence from which this text is taken is a very long one, but we can extract from it the main trend of thought in a few words.
"I count all things loss," says the apostle, "beside the knowledge of Christ my Lord. Everything else is of little account to me, so that I may win Christ and know Him in the power of his risen life, in fellowship with the spirit of his suffering, so that, if possible, I too, may attain to the resurrection of the dead."
"Not as though I had already attained," he goes on to say, "But I follow after that, in the end, I may reach the high calling of God in Jesus Christ."
In other words, the New Testament does not speak of the hereafter as A LIFE WHICH IS OURS, WHETHER WE ARE WORTHY OF IT OR NOT. IT IS A PRIZE TO BE WON. IT IS A HEIGHT TO BE CLIMBED, A BATTLE TO BE FOUGHT. IT IS A WONDERFUL INHERITANCE into which we MAY ENTER THROUGH Lord Jesus Christ.
If Mr. Weissert's death might avail to sound the new battle cry, to arouse in anyone here, some spiritual aspirations or might avail to awaken a determination that YOU too, will throw yourself unselfishly and courageously inot the world battle for national integrity and truth, for God and Country, for Home and Church, then I am sure that he would feel that his final influence was the highest and the best.
May such be his final benediction.
There are one thousand and one things that occur to me to say about A. G. Weissert and that will occur to you to say, to and from Forest Home." (This was the cemetary he was buried in) "I add to this one word. He himself was a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He endured hardship and suffering as a good soldier. He kept the faith. He has received the crown of righteousness reserved in Heaven for him.
Deep as is our sorrow and deep is our sense of loneliness will be, there is no note of despair or defeat to be sounded in this service. It is the note of victory, the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
His battle scarred, worn out body we lay in the grave. His spirit we think of amid the company of the redeemed. For his wife and daughter and all the members of his hime and family, we invoke the abiding presence and sustaining grace of God.
And finally, thanks be to God who giveth us such a victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."
E.B. Wolcott Post No. 1, Grand Army of the Republic, conducted the service at Forest Home Cemetery closing with the "Taps."
-------------------------------------------------------
As I retyped this ...a lot of it reminded me of Sarge. At Greenbush, this last September (at the reenactment) he was in it, among us ...in memories..and in spirit. Many came up to me and I was assured that no one who knew him will ever forget him. .I need to thank them all for their love, friendship and support.
Many times during the day I think back of something that happened...something we shared and I have to laugh or smile. We had good times..we shared love ...and we shared a great deal of our life together. Nothing can take this away, no one can, so in a way Sarge continues to live.
Sign
My Guestbook
View
My Guestbook
