Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-07-18
AN AFFECTING SCENE.

Gary street, Saturday alternoon, was
witnessed a scene that will not soon be
forgotten by those who were present
On table in the middle Of one of the
parlor lay the coffined remains of Mary
-, sometime an inmate OF the
house, surrounded by large number OF
female friends and acquaintances from
various parts of the city, and some four
or five gentlemen who had been induced
TO attend from motives of humanity.
Gazing on the marble like features of
the dead, they seemed to wear strange
smile OF peace and serenity, like the
DYING light of clear evening after 4
stormy day.
Among those present was Rev. DR..
-, of the Methodist Church, who,
standing up in that unusual congrega-
ton, opened the service by reading the
solemn and sublime funeral lessons Of
his Church ritual Every ear seemed
bent in deep attention, and when he
said Let US pray" every knee Ia that
strange throng bowed in meek suppl
cation before the merciful All-Father.
And oh such prayer !-how tender,
how appropriate, how Christ-like !!
Tears fell like rain from eyes unused to
weep in prayer, and haltstitiled sobs
might be heard again and again while
the good man invoked the pity of Hea-
ven for the unfortunate living by the
cold remains of the dead.
Taking as his text the words ''Whoso
contesseth and forsaketh his sins shall
frd mercy" the minister then spoke for
about fifteen minutes with thrilling pa
thoS. He spoke first OF the departed
one, who, during the fatal sickness, had
bethought her of misspent life and a
forgotten Heaven, how some good peo-
pie, not too proud to initiate Him who
came to seek and save the lost, had
come and prayed with her, and how, at
last, she died, her heart all thrilled with
heavenly peace and sweet hope of a
better and immortal life Then turning
to the wayward and weak children Of
sin there gathered, he told them there
was hope for even them; there was linn
itless compassion in the bosom Of God.
The fresh scenes of innocent glrlhood
common to each, the tender memories
of mothers love known TO all might
be dimmed by successive years OF SIN
and folly, but still there was hope
there was salvation for the weakest aud
most sin laden who would turn to
Christ. No words of chiding escaped
the ministers lips, and one could almost
imagine how He spoke who forgave
1.-The woman that was sinner. And
never did preacher speak to ears that
seemed more willing to hear or hearts
more ready to melt into penitence. May
it not be hoped that his words of prayer
and persuasion will be the "water of
life" to many weary one, bringing
with it renewed hope to desolate hearts!
1t was to be regretted that DR.. --
could not attend the corpse to lis last
resting place, he having another funeral
to preach that evening. The body OF
Mary - was lowered into grave
in the general burying ground at Oak
wood, and stranger hands threw the
clods upon her coffin, while not word
was spoken to indicate that it was a
human body thus forever consigned TO
mother earth. The sun was far down
the west when the grave received its
last touch from the rude shovel.
"That's where we'll all be soon, said
one of the girls, looking at the grave.
"And forgotten" added another Kind
hands now placed upon the humble
mound some flower weaths, and the
strange and thrilling burial was over
Richmond Enquirer.