WORDS FROM A CONFEDERATE MONUMENT AT DECATUR, GEORGIA
 
Front side:
 ERECTED BY THE MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF DEKALB COUNTY, TO THE
 MEMORY OF THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF THE CONFEDERACY,  OF WHOSE VIRTUES
 IN PEACE AND IN WAR WE ARE WITNESSES,  TO THE END THAT JUSTICE MAY BE
 DONE AND THAT THE TRUTH PERISH NOT.
 
Right side:
 AFTER FORTY TWO YEARS ANOTHER GENERATION BEARS WITNESS TO THE FUTURE
 THAT THESE MEN WERE OF A COVENANT KEEPING RACE WHO HELD FAST TO THE
 FAITH AS IT WAS GIVEN BY THE FATHERS OF THE REPUBLIC.
 
MODEST IN PROSPERITY, GENTLE IN PEACE, BRAVE IN BATTLE AND UNDESPAIRING
 IN DEFEAT, THEY KNEW NO LAW OF LIFE BUT LOYALTY AND TRUTH AND CIVIC
 FAITH, AND TO THESE VIRTUES THEY CONSECRATED THEIR STRENGTH.
 
Back side:
 THESE MEN HELD THAT THE STATES MADE THE UNION, THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS
 THE EVIDENCE OF THE COVENANT, THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE ARE SUBJECT
 TO NO POWER EXCEPT AS THEY HAVE AGREED THAT FREE CONVENTION BINDS THE
 PARTIES TO IT, THAT THERE IS SANCTITY IN OATHS AND OBLIGATION IN
 CONTRACTS, AND IN DEFENSE OF THESE PRINCIPLES THEY MUTUALLY PLEDGED
 THEIR LIVES  THEIR FORTUNES AND THEIR SACRED HONOR.
 
Left side:
 HOW WELL THEY KEPT THE FAITH IS FAINTLY WRITTEN IN THE RECORDS OF THE
 ARMIES AND THE HISTORY OF THE TIMES.  WE WHO KNEW THEM TESTIFY THAT AS
 THEIR COURAGE WAS WITHOUT A PRECEDENT THEIR FORTITUDE HAS BEEN WITHOUT A
 PARALLEL, MAY THEIR POSTERITY BE WORTHY.

 

 

May the Lord bring forth once again such mighty Christian soldiers as these brave men of generations past to stand in defense of liberty in our day.  As Thomas Jefferson so prophetically stated "that the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants" we once again find ourselves facing the prospect of either conflict or slavery.  There will be no middle ground.  May we stand for righteousness, in obedience to our Lord and Saviour, despite all costs.