Alternate Delegates THOMAS HAND BALL COMMANDER CLEMENT BIDDLE, M.D., U. S. N. JOHN WELSH CROSKEY, M.D. JOHN HENRY SINEX JOSEPH ALLISON STEINMETZ HOWARD WOOD, JR. On motion the nominations were closed. On motion the Secretary was directed to cast one ballot for the ticket as nominated. The Secretary reported that he had cast the ballot for the managers, delegates and alternates as nominated. On motion a vote of sympathy was extended to the President on account of his illness. On motion adjourned to the supper room. J. GRANVILLE Leach, GEORGE CUTHBERT GILLESPIE, Secretary. Vice-President. THE TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution IN THE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL CHAPEL Valley Forge, Pa. On December 16th, 1917 BY THE REV. W. HERBERT BURK, B. D. "Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."-1 Samuel 7:12. This is a most remarkable service, for it commemorates the march of Washington and his army to Valley Forge on that sad December day one hundred and forty years ago. It commemorates not a victory, but a defeat-the last step in that long series of reverses which began in the battle of Brandywine on the 11th of September and ended at Valley Forge on the 19th of December. It included the battle of Germantown, in which Washington's brilliant plans failed, and in which General Nash was mortally wounded, and the Americans lost in killed, wounded and missing more than 1,000 men, out of a force of only 8,000 regulars and 3,000 militia. The fort at Billingsport was lost two days later. Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer fell in the next month, and Lord Howe was left the undisputed master of Philadelphia, the "rebel capital," and of the river up which ships and men and supplies might freely come. Unable to dislodge the enemy, unable even to dispute Howe's title to the town, Washington turned his back upon his foe and sought safety for his little army amid the wooded |