The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-29
DUST TO DUST.
The Burial Of the Tower Children-A Largo
Gathering-An Impressive Scene.

ONeT tue edTJ0, btll lneTe was solemn
sadness overshadowing the neighboring
community of Clarendon, in view of the
recent mournful catastrophe which resulted
In the immolation by the fire flend of two
bright and intelligent youths, in the de-
struction on Saturday morning of the
residence of Henry G. Tower. Eleven
o'clock had been fixed for the memorial
service at the neat little chapel at North
Clarendon. "Bury me in the morning"
seemed appropriate and fitting, because of
the delightful day which had arisen as it
were to give a cheerful aspect to the sad
solemnity, and perhaps in token of that
brighter and higher life to which God IN
his providence had transplanted the victims
of a sad diss ster.
Long before the hour appointed for the
service, the people began to assemble, in
sympathy to the bereaved parents, and be-
cause of the peculiar calamity that had be-
fallen their community, filling the chapel
to its utmost capacity. The audience room
had been decorated with evergreen, inter-
twined with flowers. The desk and its
surroundings had been decorated by the
kindly hand of the ladies of a sympathizing
community with plants and beautiful
spring flowers, wrought into various gar
lands, exhaling their fragrance and present
ing scene of beauty and cheerfulness rath.
er than solemnity. At quarter past eleven
o'clock the funeral cortege arrived, under
the direction of MIR. G. G. Pierce. The re-
mains were enclosed in handsome casket,
with silver trimmings, which was covered
with elegant floral offerings, consisting of
wreaths, bouquets and CROSS, filling the en-
tire lid of the casket. 1t was borne into
the church by four of the associstes-of
about the same age-of the unfortunate
boy, namely, Irving Spofford, Charles
Pitts, James Wilmarth and Birdie White,
and placed in front of the desk. The
scene, as the casket was borne in by these
playmates of the victims, was one which
none can describe, and drew tears from all
eyes.
The pulpit was occupied by Rev. Geo. H.
Morse pastor of the Congregational church
in Clarendon, and Rev. J. X. Richardson
of the Baptist church in Rutland.
The services were commenced by singing
the hymn, commencing
ave shall meet beyond the river"
which was rem ei ed by quartette con-
sisting of Messrs. Frank Marsh and Mr..
Barrett and Miss Alice Eddy and Laura
Brown, with Miss Brown at the organ.
Appropriate and tou, ng selections of
Scripture were read by Rev. Mr.. Morse,
which was followed by rendering hymn
by the choir,
"There is rest for the weary"
A funeral address Of great pathos and
appropriateness was then delivered.
| REV. MR.. MoRsE's ADDRESS.
| The discourse was founded on the words
"For we know that II our earthly house OF
| this tabernacle were dissolved We have build
| Ing OF God, an house not made with hands,
| eternai In the heavens"
The speaker said A most distressing
calamity has called us together to-day, one
rarely occurring in any community, and
never before in this. Never before by such
a distressing calamity az that which assem-
| bles US at this hour. 1t has called out the
people of this town and surrounding COM
munities in deepest sympathy. We speak
Of 1t as as providence Of God. 1t should
be perhaps rather denominated an event
which God permits to occur which He
might have called attention to if He so de-
sired, but He saw fit not to call attention
to 1t until it was apparent the lives of the
| nbil6rap ppt1ld MT ha oaua1 Gn1 odd
this to be done. 1t is a providence of God
which carries with it an important lesson.
We cannot divine the reasons for this event
or why these children were taken away,
they may have been taken away from the
evils of the life and world which was be-
fore them, and we hope it is well with
them. We may feel that whatever has
happened to the living in this event, it is
well with the children.
A lesson comes from this event to the
family and the community. The import
ant Lesson comes, "Be ye also ready, etc, :"
and the lesson of dependence upon God.
Man would have done all he could to have
averted this calamity but the lesson still re-
mans to us that we are dependant beings,
as in such events we find our own human
weakness, we are lead to consider our man.
fold obligations to God for his protection.
Gratitude for mercies received is another
lesson taught by this event. Man needs TO
acknowledge the mercies of God. He
teaches us by these acts to draw nearer to
Him. These parents have ieason even for
gratitude, when the thought comes to them,
why were not all consumed Gratitude tor
the preservation of their own lives come
even amid the thickenng clouds that
surrounds them in this hour of their af-
| Fiction. They are saved while others per-
ished. We can place little dependence on
what we have to-day and know not what
shall be ours tomorrow. We should set
our affections on God as the supreme de-
pendence. We are led to see by passing
events what is not foretold. The house
and the home are consumed. 1t behooves
US to set our affections on that higher home
where calamity does not come. Earthly
things may be as beautiful as we please to
make them. A night sweeps them away.
We should look to that eternal home to
which God invites US. Let us look to
things above where Christ has provided the
eternal home, where 1t may be hoped a
unitAd family may be found. To survivors
II Is left TO know that God doeth all things
well. God designs mercy In his
methods, but his methods are often
times severe. His Establishments should
draw us towards him. The shep-
herd gathers the lambs to the fold. So
God sometimes comes to our homes and
takes the precious ones to himself This
affiictiye Providence, although severe
one, should bring us In submission to His
will, that we may occupy the mansion pre-
pared for us. A father who had been a
successful merchant, centered his heart on
worldly affairs afterwards his wealth
vanished, bodily Affections came upon him;