[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 180 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H5223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   MOMENT OF SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE VICTIMS IN LEWISTON, MAINE

  Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Madam Speaker, last Wednesday night, a terrible 
tragedy befell my hometown of Lewiston. The following is a reading from 
the daily devotional, ``Streams in the Desert'' from October 25.
  ``Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall 
receive, that your joy may be full.'' John 16:24.
  During the Civil War, a man had an only son who enlisted in the 
armies of the Union. The father was a banker and, although he consented 
to his son's going, it seemed as if it would break his heart to let him 
go.
  He became deeply interested in the soldier boys, and whenever he saw 
a uniform, his heart went out as he thought of his own dear boy. He 
spent his time, neglected his business, and gave his money to caring 
for the soldiers who came home invalid. His friends remonstrated with 
him, saying he had no right to neglect his business and spend so much 
thought upon the soldiers, so he fully decided to give it all up.
  After he had come to this decision, there stepped into his bank one 
day a private soldier in a faded, worn uniform who showed in his face 
and hands the marks of the hospital. The poor fellow was fumbling in 
his pocket to get something or other, when the banker saw him and, 
perceiving his purpose, said to him: ``My dear fellow, I cannot do 
anything for you today. I am extremely busy. You will have to go to 
your headquarters; the officers there will look after you.''
  Still the poor convalescent stood, not seeming to fully understand 
what was said to him. Still he fumbled in his pockets and, by and by, 
drew out a scrap of dirty paper on which there were a few lines written 
with a pencil, and laid the soiled sheet before the banker.
  On it he found these words: ``Dear father, this is one of my comrades 
who was wounded in the last fight and has been in the hospital. Please 
receive him as myself. Charlie.''
  In a moment, all the resolutions of indifference which this man made 
flew away. He took the boy to his palatial home, put him in Charlie's 
room, gave him Charlie's seat at the table, kept him until food and 
rest and love had brought him back to health, and then sent him back 
again to imperil his life for the flag.
  ``Now you will see what I will do.'' Exodus 6:1.
  Madam Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence.

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