MARTINSBURG — Local veterans were honored Sunday at a
special Veterans Day tribute service at Rosemont Grace Brethren Church in
Martinsburg.
The guest speaker at the event was the Rev. Raymond Barger, of Hagerstown, who
served in Vietnam as a first lieutenant and who recently retired from fulltime
service in the Maryland National Guard.
In his address, Barger said service to one’s country in the military and
service to God in the church were similar. He said several personal attributes
were needed to be a good soldier, whether in service to country or service to
God, the spirit of volunteerism being only one.
“We’re expected to be volunteers,” Barger said. “We no longer have the draft.
It’s an all-volunteer military. ... Jesus never drafted anybody into service.
He didn’t send a letter and say you have to come and serve. He did send an
invitation.”
In his address, Barger said complete faith was also required.
“When you serve the U.S. flag, you must have faith in the government that it
will supply all your needs. When we serve the Christian flag, we also have to
have faith that Jesus will supply everything that we could possibly need in his
service. He will give you all that you need to do your duty,” said Barger,
adding complete commitment and obedience are also requirements.
“When we serve our country’s flag, we are expected to be completely and totally
committed to our country and not to allow anything to prevent us from
performing our duty,” said Barger, who asked congregants to imagine a soldier
in the midst of a battle approaching his commanding officer and telling him he
has to leave because of business he has to take care of in a certain city at a
certain time.
“It sounds corny but there are a lot of Christians who are just like that, who
say I want to follow you but I have all these other things I have to take care
of,” said Barger, who closed his address for those both in and out of uniform
to commit to God.
— Staff writer Edward Marshall