Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-07-09
AN AFFECTING SCENE.

At well known house of i'll fame,
on Cary street, Saturday afternoon, was
witnessed scene that will not soon be
forgotten by those who were present.
On table in the middle of one of the
parlors lay the coffined remains of Mary
-, for some time an inmate of the
house, surrounded by large number of
female friends and acquaintance from
various parts of the city, and some
four or five gentleman who had been
induced to attend from motives of hu
manity. Gazing on the marble-like
features of the dead, they seemed TO
wear a strange smile of peace and sere
nifty, like the dying light of clear ey-
ening after a stormy day.
Among those present was Rev. Dr.
of the Methodist Church, who,
standing up in that unusual congrega-
ton, opened the serviceby reading the
solemn and sublime funeral lessons of
his Church ritual. Every ear seemed
bent in deep attention, and when he
said 'Iet us pray" every knee in that
strange throng bowed in meek suppl
cation before the mercifaI All Father.
Aud oh such prayer how tender,
how appropriate, how Christ like !
Tears fell like rain from eyes unused to
weep in prayer, and half-stihed 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 'Who-
SO confesseth and forsaketh his sins
shall find mercy" the minister then
spoke for about fifteen minutes with
thrilling pathos. He spoke first of the
departed one, who, during the fatal
sickness, had bethought her of a miss
pent life and a forgotten heaven, how
some good people, not too proud to
initiate Him who came to seek and to
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 better and
an immortal life Then turning to the
hayward and weak children of sin
there gathered, he told them there was
hope even for them there was limitless
compassion in the bosom of God. The
fresh scenes of innocent girhood com.
mon to each, the tender memories of a
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 and most
sin laden who would turn to Christ.
No words of Gliding escaped the min
isters lips, and one could almost ina.
CINE how He spoke who forgave sthe
woman that was sinner" And never
did preacher speak to ears that seem
ed more willing to hear or hearts more
ready to melt into penitence. May it
not be hoped that his words of prayer
and persuas on 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 its last
resting place, he having another flner-
al 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 tonch from the rude shovel. That's
where we'll all be soon,' said one of
girls, looking at the grave. SAnd for
gotten added another Kind hands
row placed upon the humble mound
som flower wreaths, and the strange
and thrilling burial was over.-Rich.
Ea4,tirer-