Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-05-25
The Funeral Without a Tear.

the poor house called at my door, giving me
notice that one Of Us inmates was dead, and
requesting my attendance at The funeral on the
following day. }. d., who had been summon
ed from life Of poverty and loneliness 10 the
bar Of God, was literally friendless man.
had occasionally met the aged pauper, gray
headed and decrepid, walking feebly along the
road with his Ilnkering instruments in his hand,
but knew lille Of him, except that he was in.
temperate in his habits; neglector Of religion
and It's worship, and an inhabianl Of the Poor
Farm. But his term Of probation was now cio-
sed, and he had gone to his final account. The
thought came over me with overwhelming pow.
er; for when those leave the world. for whom
Christian charity can indulge liuie hope of their
union TO Christ; the resurrection and the lle,'
we shudder to follow their departing spirits.
lie once had a pleasant home. wife and chill.
dren; indeed they were still living, some thirty
miles distant. But he had looked "upon the
wine when it is red-when it movelh itself a.
right" he had tasted and cherished his appetite
I'LL It became an ever gnawng worm in his
breast, and by his brutal intoxlcation and his
unhappy temper, had entirely alienated his near
est kindred. They had no intercourse with
him for years; the chords Of natural affection
had ceased to vibrate, and he was left to wan.
der through the world lone man. When. 10
consequence OF increasing ntirmties, he was
unable longer TO provide for HIMSELF he was
brought to the Poor Farm. This was afterwards
his home, except when he occasionally went
abroad on Itle excursions, mending old brass
and tin. The week before his death he return.
ed from one Of these excursions, sick and ex.
haustcd. He said he had but few days to live,
buI evlnced no concern respecting the event.
Being asked, iule before his death if he was
willing to die, he replied indiiTerenty, 81 don't
know" Poor mani How should hel Friend.
less and forlorn, deprived Of the affection of
those whom nature taught him TO love, and with
his moral sensibllilies bunted by his brualizing
course, life had TO him no interest, eternity no
hopes. And thus the old man passed away; no
relative near TO sooth the pains of dssolvlng
nature; and the hoarse January winds, bowling
their dismal wall as in mockery Of his dying
groans, alone sung his requiem.
At the appointed time, while the sun was
flinging from the drited snow its dazzling light
and the keen northern blast was still sweeping
the desoate fields, repaired TO the house of
death. A few of the neighbors were assembled,
and two or three very distant relatives When
entered, the overseer said to me, 81 suppose i'll
will not be necessary to prepare seats, as your
service will probably be short, you will not think
of preaching a sermon for the old gentleman" "
4 have but one rule for condu citing funerals"
Il replied; "the souls Of all are equally precious
it was as awful and solemn thing for this poor
friendess man to meet his God, as for the rich
and honored; and we may learn the same lesson
from the event. shall perform essentially the |
same services for him as for the richest man in
my parish" few benches were Immediately |
and the few present seated themselves
in becoming seriousness.-Alter implorng the
blessing of Heaven, and singing the hymn,
"Princes, this clay must be your bed,
lnspite of all your powers,
The tall. the wise, the reverend head,
Must lie as low as ours"
| addressed them for few moments on the |
solemnity of the souls entering on the unknown
scenes of eternity, and appearing before its fl.
nal Judge to receive its irrevocable sentence;
and the slight difference there between the rich,
the honored aud loved in life, and The poor and
frendess, unless they have secured the friend
ship OF Christ and are adorned with the priceless
riches of his righteousness. The auditory ap-
peared solemn, for the presence of death u the
thoughts of the Judgment strike most with ser'
business; but there were no tears.
When the services were closed, we passed
into an aioining room where lay the remains,
cold, still, desoate. All contemplated them in
silence, but none wept. The coiin's lid was
screwed down, and those appointed took up the
corpse, and carrying it, unaccompan!ed by the
weeping train, TO its sepulchre, inferred it amidst
frost and snow; and there we left the friendless
man, 'ashes to ashes, dust TO DUST" till the udg
ment morning.
1t was a mournful spectacle, that fearless Gu.
neral. A wintry grave is always drear, but how
doubv drear when uncheered by the warm SYM
pathy of endeared friendship. Never before
was sostruck with themelancholy beauty of the
sable circle weeping around the bier of one be-
loved; it is like tho ilIumined background of
glowing sunset, reflected on calm, black, leaf
less scene of winter.
But let US gather instruction from the event.
Let the Incorporate. yea, the moderate drink
er, the passionate and vicious be admonished.
The ungoverned indulgence or reckless tamper-
ing with the appetites, and the unrestraned graf
ifcauon Of the unruly inclnations and temPers,
not only rob US Of the friendship Of God but
also of that human friendship which, is like the
beauty of spring to the cherries heart, tenderly
our dying pillows, and sorrowing
over our DUST
lmpenitent reader, was it not sad to see that
frendIess man committed TO his cold frozen
grave without a tear to warm the SHOWS that en-
his bosom? 1t was sad, one might we'll
have wept at the sight. But all how much
sadder the funeral Of the lost soul, where there
will be no tears but as one bitter waiing. Oh,
how gloomy scene will that be? The COM
passionate Saviour, who wept over Jerusalem,
will have no tears for "the sinner doomed. "
Angels will not weep saints will not weep; and
and his own dear friends and associates while
on earth, will then have forgotten the symPa'
tbat;c tear bPin1 either overwhelmed with their