Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-12-06
NO. 29l.
iNLscELI1lNEoU !, Us. READING.

TOMB OF THE WASHINGTON FAMILY IN Emo
LASD-Hon. Charles Sumner. has addressed
letter to Jared Sparks, describing tie ME
mortal Stones" of the@W ashington family,
precise copies 'ofwhichd have been sent to
him by Earl Spencer. The largest is Of
Lawrence. Washington, the! fatherzof John
Washington, who emigrated to America.
He was the father Of eight sons and nine
daughters, and !. died Dec. Is. l6l6. The
other stone is Of Elizabeth Washington,
daughter of Lawrence and sister of the emf
grant, who died March 19tb,. 1922; also Of
Robert, her husband who died nine days be-
fore her. On separate brass, beneath the
the last inscription, are the arms of the
Washingtons without any addition. These
have the combination of stars apd stripes,
and are sometimes supposed to have suggest
ed our national flag. z
In addition to the statement in Sparks
Washington, it appears that the church in
which these stones are found, in Brington,
near Althrop, in Northamptonshire, is the
parish church Of the Spencer family, and the
first mentioned slab is found in the chancel of
the church, by the side of the Spencer family,
the other In one of the sisles. iaa ;.
In the village still stands,the house said
to have been occupied by the w Washingtons
when the emigrant brother left them. The
registry of the parish contains the following
entries: -, -, II: f.,:...,.z.. ...e.
1916. ""Mr. Lawrence W Washington was
buried XVIII day of December" e.a
1920 "Mr. Philip Curtis &c Miss Amy
Washington were married August s."
1922. Mr.. Robert W ashington was buri-
ed March ye llth.." En-, .o.,,.;,. II ....s
-. 'Mrs. Elizabeth Washington, wid-
ow, was buried March iye 20th.g r4s.
As the memorial stones are Of much histo-
ric value, they, are to be permanently placed
where they can be seen by the public; per-
haps at the State House in Boston, near Chan
try's beautiful statue of Washington.
The word ..''Selah,"' as it occurs in the BIZ :
BILE, must. have some significant meaning,
and yet there seems to be much doubt in ref
erence to the matter. Itis Hebrew word,
which the translators have left as they found
it, because they could not agree 90 to its
meaning. The Targum and most of the
Jewish commentators give to the word the
meaning of eternally, forever The version
Of the Septuagint translation appearsto have
as musical or rythmicsl note
Herner regards it as indicating change
Of tone; Matheson, as a musical note, equiya-
lent perhaps, to the word repeat. According
to Luther and others it is equivalent. to the
exclamation; Silence. Gesenius says, Selah
means, .let the instruments play and the
singers STOP" Wocher regards itas eguiya-
lent to sursam corda! (up, my soul)! Som
mer, after examining all the seventy-four
passages in which the word occurs, recogni-
zes in every case. IAN actual appeal or sum-
mons to Jehoyah:". they are callsfor aid, and
prayers to be heard, expressed either with
directness. OR if not in the imperative, 'hear
Jehovah!" and the like, still earnest address
es to God, that be would remember andhear,
&c. The word itself he regards as indicat-
ing a blast oftrumpets by the priests. Selah
itself he thinks is an abridged expression
used for litigation, indicating the sound Of the
stringed instrument, and Selahi's vigorous
blast of trumpets.3 think the word
marks the beginning OF a, new measure Of
verses; and Others that it joins what follows
to that which goes before, and shows that
what has been said deserves always to be re-
Some have thought Selah show
ed the cessation of the actual inspiration of
the Psalmist; and others that it is simply
note to indicate the elevation the voice; still
others that it is equivalent to Amen, belt so,
or letit be. .s....: s-.s. ..es. ~. !, ! u