Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-05-01
Correspondence Of the Sentinel.
BRooKEvILLE, April 27, 1857.


Mn. EDITOR: My attention has Just
been called to an article in the "Senti-
mel" of the Oath instant, written by
correspondent who signs himself, Sub
scriber." Under ordinary circumstances,
| should take no notice Of articles of the
kind; but as impressions altogether err
roneous in relation to certain matters
therein referred to, are likely to be pro-
Guced-whether designedly or notify
the writer, would beg small space in
your columns for few words in relation
thereto. | do not know-and have no
desire to know-who is the author of
that article. l was sorry for his own
sake, that, whoever he may be, one liv-
ing near Mechanicsville could have writ
ten it,
The respected and pious old lady, con-
cerntng whose life and circumstances,
death and burial, your correspondent
writes, and thus ruthlessly brings out
before the public in newspaper of the
county, seemingly for the purpose of
casting imputations upon others, was
well-known to me. have often visited
her, and | know that she has been visit
ed by members of the church. During
her last illness | did not see her. did
not know that she was i'll, living as | do
nearly four miles from the village. On
the Sunday previous, her husband had
mentioned to me that she was "much
complaining" My next intelligence, at
the close of that same week, was that she
was dedd.
On the afternoon of the Sunday fol-
lowing, the 10Th inst, she was buried
There was a driving rain-storm az the
time, and there were in consequence but
few persons present at her funeral-fully
enough however, to give to the old la
dys remains decent and respectable buri-
al | have reason to know that had the
weather permitted, there would have
been an unusually large attendance.
The funeral services were held at St.
Johns Church, Mechanicsvile short
address was made by myself on the occa-
sion After the services in the church,
the corpse was borne to the grave-if by
four persons only, simply because no
more we're needed for the purpose-as
there were present some ten or fifteen
persons. | did not count them. NV
mind and thoughts were far otherwise
engaged than, at such a time, counting
as your correspondent seems to have
done-the number present. The grave
was in the church gard, only fcw STEPS
from the body of the church, the spot
having been selected and marked out by
myself; and the remains of this aged
servant of the Lord were solemnly com
mitted to the earth, "dust to dust, ashes
to ashes, " in the hallowcd and beautiful
service of the Episcopal Church. Those
remains, therefore, lie buried NOT, as
your correspondent so cruelty and scorn-
fully says, in "Pottcrs Ficld'-but in
consecroted ground; and, already, is her
grave surrounded by neat and appro-
pirate enclosure, promptly and at once
provided for by warm-hearted and pious
member of that church.
That this respected old lady, and her
husband, were neglected by brethren"
OF the church aud neighbors around,
hesitate not TO say is an unjust imputa-
ton. The old man is sexton of the
church, and receives for his services from
twelve to fifteen dollars year, besides
other little donations. Now there are
no members of the Episcopal church
living near Mechanicsvile; and there
were many little kindly Offices which
could be rendered only by those living
near and around them. Upon inquiry,
l have always learned that these were
cheerfully extended / never for mo-
ment supposed that the humane and
kind-hearted persons living in or near
Mechanicsville, would suffer these old
people to want for any little attention.
Feelings of humanity would have forbid
den such a supposition and | was al
ways assured by the old people them
selves, and by others, that they were not
suffered so to want 1t has been my
practice-it pains me much so to have to
speak of myself-for years past, to take
along with me, on almost every church
Sunday, loaves of bread, and other things
prepared in my owa family, for these
aged persons. Articles of clothing, too,
we're from time to time made and given
to them. The gentlemen living in the
neighborhood have, | know, been very
particular in always keeping them album
dainty supplied with good tire-wood
1t is, therefore, nothing less than cru
city to the dead, and injustice to the liv-
ing, to say and insinuate, as your CORE
spondcnt does, that this aged woman,
now deceased, was neglected. in her
life, and failed to receive, on her death |
and burial, =" the attention due to our
common humanity" That we do not
any OF us-eome up to anything like the
full measure of our duty to the poor, the
Lords brethren in our midst, we must
all frankly admit. 1t is hard to think
that even for the little we do in that be-
half we should be reproachcd.
AS to the inquiries with which your
correspondent closes his article, would
respectfully refer him for the information.
If really desired, to the Holy Scriptures.
which, If he reads by faith in Jesus
Christ, and with prayer to God. will
fully instruct him, as to what it is to be
a Christian.
am, very respectfully, yours,
ORLANDO HUTTON,
Rector of St Johns Church