Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-22
Reply to Funeral Rites"

EDITOR FREEMAN Il took up No. Of the
Green Mountain freeman, March l8th) few
days since in which noticed an Article en-
titled /" Funeral Rites,' from the pen of A. S.
B. of Ludlow, Vt, and though no names are
called, it is a criticism upon my attendance as n
Medium at the funeral of my father who left us
JAN last. In it he says;
I" Among the Spiritualist but little respect is
shown for the dead. 1t would seem that their
wild enthusiasm serves to harden the heart
| eradicate the tender affections and dry up the
fountain of tears. Not long since a respecta-
BILE man Of this vicinity died A daughter Of
| the deceased, a speaking and singing medium
of some notoriety delivered the funeral dis
course"
That did attend the funeral Of my father
and through me was given the discourse, adj
nit without blush, without an apology |
did it at the request Of my mother, the most ur-
gent request she ever made of me in my whole
life, and | thank God and the spirit of my de-
parted friends that had strength given me to
do what Mr.. B. SO much condemns. | consider
it no"mark of disrepect to the departed to have
their own friends perform this last offer
have known Ministers who have done thus, and
no one thought of condemning them.
Mr.. Thomas Baldwin of Plymouth, VT,
Clergyman of the Congregational Order, of
whom no one would speak disrcspectfully as a
man, would have oficiated at the funeral Of
daughter whom he loved as well probably as
any parent and felt rs deeply her loss, only that
she, not knowing his telling, selected another.
And never heard any one say they thought it
a mark of disrespect to that daughter that he
:. would have done 50, or an indication that he
was devoid of natural affection. Therefore if
D | spoke of myself without Spirit Power as many
try to believe, there would have been no more
y impropriety in it than would have been in his
case, or the case of the other, for the love of q
q parent to child is ever said to be greater than
: that CT child to parent can be. And in his
n case, religion and not " Stoicism " was said tc
10 be the cause of bis unusual calmness
And believing as | do that there is no real
death, that the spirit of our departed friends
are with us as Guardian Angels, that they are
happier than they can ever be here, that Gods
Laws are 50 beautiful and perfect that no tie
e can ever be riven on Earth, that they only ex-
ID tend themselves into Heaven thus drawing III
4 upwards. cannot mourn as one without hop,
re when my friends are called away. | have to,
much trust in God to weep and wiring my hand
20 in despair and clothe myself in the habilimcnt
% of woe, when look upon the silent form who's
soul has gone up to dwell with the Immortals
Therefore when requested by one on Earth a
dear to me as the one in Heaven, whc
- strengthened by Spirit to the work, did wha
=" my own soul said was right, though l kne,
the world would condemn.
| throw back the charge the gentleman makes
OF that Spirtualism hardens the heart and Grad
OF icates the Elections. If, since raised from m
W. long illness by Spirit Power, and given tn
wv strength to do for others, have failed in augt
" within my means, for the comfort and happines
n a0 of the one now passed away, | hope the gent
on man will instruct me as though were his ow
;o- daughter, for if so, l ,couH not fail secon
81. time as have yet parent left on earth, fl
ate whom | would be proud and happy to lay dow
al my earth life, if by that could purchase h
the happiness that her love and care have me