The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1864-04-20


for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me,'' he raised his fingers and his eyes
calmly as though in his pulpit, his voice as
firm and as strong ever After this exertion
his strength seemed to fail him. Sinking back
in bed 1t is all right for me, but she will feel
it'-pointing to his wife. Friends again gath
cred round his bedside, and he babe and smiled
them good-by. His little son being brought in
he said: "Dear little fellow-he's a beautiful
boyl" kissing his hand to the child as the nurse
carried It away in her arms. This was his last
act on earth. Calmly closing his eyes, he SEEM
ed to go to sleep. great, and good and gener-
Gus man dead.
THE SCENE AT THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
The remains of the 1amented Thomas Starr
King were laying in solemn state at the First
Unitarian Church yesterday, and the scene there
presented was one long to be remembered by all
who witnessed it. The body of the revered de-
ceased lay within metallic caslxet the face COW
cred only with the glass lid upon table in front
of the altar. The casket was tastefully draped
with the banner of our Countrywide glorious
banner of that country which by him who is
mourned to-day, was loved with a devotion
which no tongue can express-festooned with
the solemn embems of sorrow. The Masonic
apron of the deceased lay upon the coffin beside
a cross composed of early flowers fashioned by
loving hands, and other symbols of grief. The
altar also draped with flags, trimmed with
black Grape, and at the main entrance of the
church, the flag, also draped in black hung at
half-mast. The remains were guarded by a Com
mittee from Oriental Lodge No. IA, f. and A. M,
of which the deceased was Chaplain, wearing the
insignia of the Order At twelve o'clock the
doors were opened, and the waiting throng
poured in in steady stream, which continued
flowing slowly down the western aisle past the
coffin and out at the side entrance the eastern
side of the building. Not word was spoken,
and only deep sob from the breast of some one
who loved the reverenced and deceased in life,
from time to time broke the solemn stiffness
which prevailed the temple, as one by one the
multitude bent over the casket to look for the
last time upon the mute, wax-like features of
him whose utterances have in the days that are
past stirred to their deepest depths the emotions
of their souls. BY half-past one, over three thou
sand persons had passed before the altar, and
through all the afternoon and evening, up to 10
o'clock, the tide of sorrowing humanity came
and went in silence, in almost unbroken
stream. At O'Clock in the evening a chaplet of
violets was laid upon the coffin, and to this fra
grant tribute of love, from on the far eastern
borders of our continent was attached by a sin
gle ribbon this dispatch:
"NEw YORK, March 5-1:3O p M.
Put vioets for me our dear friend who
rests"
The funeral services were conducted under the
joint charge of the Grand Lodge of the Masonic
Order of California and of the Trustees of the
Church.
In accordance with the instructions from the
War Department, received by telegraph, Gen.
Wright ordered minute guns to be fired from the