Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-07-01
- Written ior the Republican.
THE MISSION CEMETERY AND
CHURCH.
BY j. r. r.

MIR. EDITOR: The private and home
duties and graces of the citizen are not
all that are required at his hands.
If we would have men regard us as the
model the patron of society, there is
something more required of us. The
man or woman or the community as a
whole must feel that they have public
character as well as private reputa-
ton, to sustain, and if both are not bal
anced. the stranger has right to Judge
fus according to our showing, and will
awai d to us justly as they fund us.
am comparatively stranger among
you, and SO far as l am acquainted, OF
it has been my privilege to know the
people of Upper Sandusky in their So
cial position Or private character
would be willing to award to them all
of the better qualities and graces of our
nature. But there is a gate open-a
hinge out of place-a screw loose some
where. Where is it? Is it want of
organization? If so it is high time the
people bestir themselves, and become
so far organized as to protect the sacred
place of the dead. if they neglect the
wants of the living. I am aware that
what lis every body's business is no
body's," and it will never be attended
to. and these things can only be attend
ed by an organized force, and the means
provided to carry out the object.
My attention was called to this sub
ject by a visit with lady friends, stran-
gers here, but not strangers to the SIM
pathics and the better qualities of our
nature or to our Mission Cemetery, that
place made sacred and holy by many
memories of the past; and oh, in what
condition did we find it ? the visitors of
to-day will be able to answer. One
of the ladies said her father and grand
| father had often stood in the pulpit OF
the old mission church. in her early
days to proclaim the everlasting gospel
to the Wyapdottes and the few white
settlers of this region. These Rev
Gentlemen have long since been called
up higher, and are now reposing in the
mansions of heavenly bliss. but theil
spirits are lowering around the scenes
OF their former labors, which should be
as bread cast upon the waters, the fruits
of which should be gathered many days
hence. And this daughter who wa!
bors of her father. where she expected
to fiji d the dead reposing on ''f1owery
beds of ease,' she found it pasture
field of herd of cattle, where every
little memento of the living for thu
dead had been destroyed. The fiower
that had been planted in tears by thu
hand of the fond mother, the doatins
father. and the lovely sister. had beer
ruthlessly destroyed, and torn from tn,
bosom of the dead by the herd tha
was permitted to rang unmolested upor
the city of the hill-this reposing
place of the dead.
If there is any place on Gods foot.
stool that should be sacred. where all o.
our better nature should cluster, where
| LlCu oHOulu IlSdo liCCiys " AOLC Jul
baser passions should never enter, il
should be the resting place of our de-
parted friends. And if you want tc
touch a woman's heart, take her to the
neglected graves of the loved ones, ovel
whom the parting tear has been shed
be her stranger or not, the same sympa-
thies will spring up, and tears will
again flow over their sacred ashes.
was appealed to by one of the ID
dies to know if this thing must be so
if these mementos to the dead must be
thus ruthlessly destroyed by cattle, an6
if something could not be done to ar.
rest the hand of the spoiler from desc
Grating the tombs of the dead, for sale
she / am constrained to cry shame
shame. on the baser passions of mer
that are allowed to enter here.
1t is always the case when we have
friends, or strangers visit us, that We
are fond of showing them scenes O
greatest interest be it natural curiosi.
ties, works of art, or ancient structures
The mission church was all object of in
terest to our friends. The Mission
church, what is it to-day? A dilapi
dated pile of stone and mortar. relic o
bye-gone days, but does 1t compor
with the spirit Of the times? No. Thi