Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-12-07
Interesting Burial Ceremony.

interesting BNT111 ceremony
Mrs. Joseph Simon and her daughter
Rachel, the victims Of the terrible kero-
sene accident at Troy few days ago, were
members of the extreme orthodox sect of
Polish Jews. In accordance with the rules
of that body, the nearest relative Of the
deceased is authorized to ofliciate, and the
husband and father accordingly conducted
| the ceremonies at the funeral. at the
house the bodies were laid upon the floor
and shrouds were wrapped around them.
A large number Of candles were placed
around the bodies and lighted After
chanting and reading prayers the bodies
were placed In two rough boxes; two tea
cups were broken and fragments were
placed over the eyes of the departed. The
| exact meaning OF this act does not seem to
be generally understood, but the opinion of
the best Hebrew authority is chat it is in
accordance with an ancient custom, when
vessels Of different kinds were broken and
placed in the collins. Others say that the
pieces were placed over the eyes to prevent
the dust from getting in. The deceased
| were then conveyed to the burial ground,
and on arriving at the grave the lids were
removed from the collins. A serious OBJ
| StaCle at this juncture caused @ temporary
| delay; but one grave having been dug, and
according to an old Jewish doctrine each
corpse must repose in Il separate grave.
Superintendent Kelley soon prepared an
other grave, and the ceremonies proceeded
| Two bags about twelve inches deep were
! flied with sand, and one placed in each
coffin This action corresponds to the
| sprinkling of dust over the graves OF
| Christians.
| In ancient times the Jews did not use
| cotlinS, but simply covered the dead with q
shroud and placed them it the ground, so
That they might decompose as soon as pos
sible. IT,. padlocks were then produced,
| one being placed i'll each coffin, locked, and
the keys thrO" II away. Ihls action is sup
posed to lock up the fate OF the family, so
that no misfortune may happen to the re-
latives. The clothing OF the deceased was
then rent, in accordance with custom
dating back to the days of the patriarchs.
1t is a sign Of mourning, as it is recorded
that Jacob, Oh hearing OF the death OF his
son Joseph, tore his garments. The lids
were then replaced, and when the collins
| had been lowered into the graves, the
clothing worn by the deceased at the time
Of death were gathered together and placed
in the respective graves. This action is
also in pursuance OF d very ancient Gus
|
any sudden death all the articles found on
or near the body at the time of death
should be buried with the body, SO that i'll
case they should be needed at any future
tire as evidence, the judicial officers would
know where to find tnemI Many Of those
present then pushed three handfuls of dirt
each into the grave, and, after reciting a
prayer, started on their return home
! Albany IN. " Press.
A MINISTERIAL RoMANCE.-Superin-
tendent Crothers of the Hartford Conn
Walnut Hill Inebriate Asylum tells this
story Of an eminent clergyman. well known
in Hartford many years ago:
A clergyman Of fortune, position an(
much reputation, he lost his daughter
by a violent death, and began to drink tc
drown his sorrow. It was in vain his wife
and friends opposed demonstrated, imploret
and persuaded; he drank on, the appetite
steadily Increasing, until he became it,
slave.
HIS congregation dismissed him, his wife
died OF a broken heart: be squandered his
fortune, lost his friends, and at last became
u reporter for New Y ork paper, through
means Of which he picked up scanty liy-
ing. From bad to worse he swept doW1
rapidly, and, for some offense committed
while drunk, was at last sent for six
months to State prison. On coming cut
and returning to The city he became a fish
peddIer, drinking desperately all the time
One day while drunk he was injured an(
taken to the hospital, where he was recog
nized by the attending doctor, and finally
sent to an inebriate asylum. He remained
CT, J,c nnf raI.DcnH
was returned by his friend, the doctor.
A year later he went away to the fal
West to begin life again. Commencing il
| small church, IS pastor, he became III
few years one of the leading men, an(
finally, president Of q college. Last yea,
he eied, q man renowned, aud regarded a
the ablest divine Of that section. Among
| his papers were found some OF the fact;
| concerning his early struggles, i'll Which
| he gratefully acknowledges the wisdom o
his old college friend, in forcibly removing
him from temptation in an asylum, which
was the only possible way III which hi
could escap pc Springfield (Mass.) Repeb
! lic0n-
Harry st Clair professed penitence in
religious revival in New London, Conn.
and Joined a church. A few days after
ward ne walked into a church meeting, de
claled that his pretenle of conversion wa
II sham, and that he properly belonged Il
the devil" He then went off On a spree
"Do you believe in the use of the rod
my dear Professor asked lady who's
children were making life a burden to al
the guests in the hotel, In some cases
madam but there are Others" glancins
at her gamboling. darlings, "where l pre-
fer the revolver"
| A strip of land one and a half miles lone
and three hundred yards wide, in 'Crai
Bottom" Highland county, va, has upor
| it 1853 large haystacks, besides What has
| been stored away in barns.
| Rev. DR.. Blelsoe, editor Of the ''South
ern Review" whose illness from paralysis
! has been heretofore noticed. is gradually
growing weaker, and but faint hopes are
entertained OF his recovery.
The observation Of the thanksgiving day
named by President Hayes was recon-
mended by the Grand Jury and County
Court of Page county, Va, to their people
in an official address.
The Baltimore Sum says it is believed
that Father Kane, of Washington, D. c..
will be appointed Bishop Of the Richmond
diocese in place of Arch bishop Gibbons.
New AszxeFGtsereg
For other New Advertisements see 3rd page].
-1o>~---~@~-~--~-