The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-23
CITY 1NTELL1GENCE.
GRAYEYARn GOSSIP.

We poor toling mortals know little as to futurity,
and even such knowledge If 1t may be 80 called, is
but surmise. Very few of us ever STOP In the hurry
and hustle OF worldly life. to think OF future
destiny. We pod on and on, spending the, time
allotted us here in the never-ceasng search after
wealth, until suddenly the irresistible mower,
"Death," cuts us down, and all our gainings but
revert to others, who take up the rope and continue
70 auu thereto col upon coll III you were TO stop
man and ask him TO make provision for his place OF
interment nine chances out OF ten he would consider
you either impertlnent or idlotc; and such q
thought would not for moment be allowed to weigh
upon his mlnd for, If IL did, more than probable
some worldly scheme would be npped in the bud
and an anticipated increase of wealth frustrated
Thinking OF his burial place. his thoughts would
naturally revert to his DEATH and with such thoughts
would come the resolution TO do better and lead a
more Christian life.
Itis true cemeteries and burial grounds are every
now and then projected and selected, with an eye to
their especial fitness and adaptability for the pur-
p. Sc intended, and everything in the way of nature
and art is brought to bear 10 render the place as
attractive and pleasing to mortals as possible. The
effects Of romantic scenery, natural and artificial
are well studied, and everything possible is done to
remove sombreness and sad thoughts Yet beneath
all this worldiness there yet lies worldiness, nothing
less than pelf. Those men who project and carry
out all such projects do as business just as tine
undertaken studies for the production OF handsome
burial casket which will for the moment satisfy tue
wishes of the friends OF some departed soul. They
all enter into the affair for the sole pdrpose Of
which is to bring to their Golfers its real value and
much percentage profit. Were you to tell them this
they would scorn the assertion and Indignantly
refute t-doubtess, too to add weight to their ref
tation, would, If they happened TO be laymen, refer
you to the action of the men Of God ministers OF the
Gospel. But the assertion is just applicable to
them. Despite their religion their actions often
guided by prospects of worldly aggrandizement, and
If the gam Is not devoted to their own purpOses it
is applied to some others equally as earthly.
Within the past few years our people nave had
numerous examples OF this. Sites selected years
agOne for the resting places of the departed by
gregatiOns then wOrshipping in humbleness and
almost obscurity, have been sold for business pur
poses, the bones of the dead upheaved removed
Ott-fmgS scattered
fashionable set of worshippers to obtain means to
erect handsome church edihce in some other
locality considered more genteel and respectable
Perhaps few old friends, whose near approach to
their own 1nality raises serious thoughts in their
minds, will remember that the bones OF those once
loved in the flesh are there nterred and will attempt
"a resistance OF the proposed desecration. But OF
what avail are such objections? ? They are pushed
aside by younger heads, and overruled as but the
opinions OF ''Od fossils" The pick and the shovel
are soon employed, and the bones of the dead are
upheaved and scattered. And what remains for
these Uold fossils as they are STYLED to do Sim
ply to gather together these bones, friends and
strangers alike re-inter them in some other place,
and once more weep over them, at the same time
Vanly striving to induce themselves to believe that
they are the remains OF those they most fondly
for.
The rich and poor share alike in this respect; the
wealth OF the the poverty Of the other proves
no barrier But few years ago the stranger, the
OutCast aud the suicide inferred in the, then,
POtter's fields; those same fields are now used for
pleasure resorts, and the grandchildren of many
who remember seeing buried numberless bodies,
now romp around and along the gravelled walks
which the old bones OF those gone before.
Amongst the multitude which daily passes through
and by Franklin and Washington Squares, how many
recall the fact of their havdg once been graveyards?
out Of every one hundred persons, we venture to
assert that ninety-nine would be found who do not
even dream OF such thing. How many OF those
Of citizens who visited the circus which lately per-
formed on the lot on Eighth street. above Race,
thought that beneath them once rested the remains
OF men and women who, when in the fesh had
wasted valuable moments in just such frivolities.
Could they but have risen from the dead and aP-
fDr h-tf
with the sinful grmaces and alike snu language
of the clowns, what stories would they have told?
What secrets OF futurlty would they have revealed?
Would they not have admonished each and every
one to quit the scene, repair to their homes, cohe
themselves in sackcoth and ashes, and at once do
penanCe for the sins committed? Would they not
have preached to that needless crowd sermon
more effective than any ever delivered by mortal
man? Would they not have shown to the ambitious
merchant and the greedy money-getter that his par
ticuar mode of life but folly, and but leading
him to the committal OF deeds that would in the end
prescribe him from all heavenly pleasures Aye,
and they would have done more good In one short
half hour than will the preachings and the teachings
of all the professors OF religion in the world COM
bned ever accomplish.
But amidst ali the changes which have been
caused through love OF gain or stride Of business,
one spot, one battle-ground, yet remains undis-
turbed and that, too, in the cry heart of the city.
Were you to ask man standing at Fifth and Ches-
nut streets to direct you to the nearest graveyard he
would most probably advise you to take the Ridge
avenue cars and ride out TO Laurel Hill, or else,
perhaps propose visit to Woodland Cemetery, via
would be within stone's-throw of either of you.
And where 1t is we will now tell you.
Many years prior to the Revolutionary War,
member of a religious society called the Seventh
Day Baptists" devised unto the society plot of
ground for burial purposes situated on the east side
OF Fifth street, between what are now Chestnut and
Market streets The first interment was in f7i6 and
successive ones were made until 1902. Although
others may have been inferred therein since then,
no trace Of such can now be found
On the 2sth OF November, 1928, Stephen Girard
leased this burial ground from the trustees for a
should not be disturbed, but that the portion used
for graves should ever be kept as such and in good
order. Upon the part unoccupied Grard had
erected or caused to be erected, brick building,
the same now used as the Office of the trustees
of the Girard estate. The other portion was con-
Seaed SeaSi by ynen brick Sbs wall some feet in
about 10 feet by 80 deep has been Since then kept
grow over the graves of the dead, and their fra
GRANGE is often waited on the air to the surprise OF
many who, in passing on summer nights, wonder
sands that daily pass the spot few ever dream OF its
being miniature cemetery, and few even OF those
who visit the market adjoining know how near they
are to the dead. Many unknowing ones have often
wondered that the Eastern Market Company did not
purchase this plot, and thus complete their building
10 the end OF the block; but the fact that no such
purchase could ever be negotiated will now serve to
settle all such surmises The trustees of the Glrard
estate have been applied TO time and time again TO
make sale Of this now valuable property; but the
invaTiable answer has been, sit is impossible to
make such sae;' and the readers Of this, their
children, their grandchildren and their great-grand-
children, will have passed away before such a pur-
chase can be effected
In the northwestern corner OF this plot standing
against the wall before mentioned, Is a time-worn
tablet bearing the following inscription
"This Monument erected April A d. 1929, by the
Trustees of the First Congregation of the Seventh Day
Baptists residing in the Township of Hopewel in the
County OF Cumberand, West New Jersey, and the Tris
tees of the Seventh Day Baptst Of the Church of Christ
in Piscatayay East New Jersey toperpetuate the
of Richard Sparks who in his last testament and will
and devised this lot for buring ground use OF the
Society OF seventh Day Baptiss, and himself in
tered therein A. d. 1l6 agreeaby TO his request in
will with several Others ancestors and relatives of mem
bers of said Societies. who were laid within twentvdve
feet Of the north end of the same. ~
I'm memory of Elizabeth West, aged widow of viii