Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-12-03
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Goat renders Of newspapers were
- BY the accounts of the ere-
S13on of Baron de Palm, about q
~ aes. The New York papers
~ roaoh us with full details of a
~, sensational and interesting
1nony In connection with the
os1Elon Of the cremated remains
~ late Baron. The Sun intro.
- II narrative thus:
~ four pounds Of calcined resi-.
-. which were all that re-
11uod Of the bodily frame Of the
- Joooph Henry Louis, Baron de
&I1n. Grand Gross Commander O
o Order OF the Holy Sepulchre,
n16ht Of Malta, Prince OF the
~ Roman Empire, late Cham
1l11n to his Majesty the King oil
maria, Fellow Of the Theosophi-
aooioty, etc., after his crema
10 ln Pennsylvania, were last
h1 oast into The sea with appro
~ ceremonies. This last rit.
yoopoot, which was paid by the
koooophical Society. was neve,
o1bro performed In Europe OF
morloa, because, ~ Hierophanl
|ooot says, the formula was lost
= the ages during which the Ian
noge Of the Vedas has been grad
o1ly forgotten. This formula has
III lately been rescued from OBJ
|Vion By the Swamee, Dya Manu-
nGnoovatl, Pandit. the founder o
~ Arya.6amsj. the great Vsdi,s
r1iRlouo society OF India, will
Hioh the Theosophical Society has
noontly afdliated. He has pub
ohod : Veda Bashya, or commen
1Ry on the Vedas, In which tht
n6eoprlate ceremony for the di-
06n1 Of human ashes is described
omo weeks ago an account of the
eouOny was published in tht
~ and laat night the ceremony
rolk with such variations AS cir
nm6tanoes compelled, was per
cSmsd By the Theosophs.
After . number Of long prayers,
- whole party took boat for the
11larrows,'' whore the following
Hl6hly mslodrsmatic scene was
nnotsd:
~ the flame from the pyre died
oWly away, and the last Of the
0mbess WAS being consumed, the
Bhole company recited In English
shorter prayer. This was done in
0nteon, Hierophant Olcott leading.
Gi1 prayer Was n benizon on the
coarted soul of the dead Theosop-
&sE Invoking for him all blessings
<1d closing with the words: "Just
~ water b:esses thirsty person, 30
11oy all creatures be o blessing TO
fhoo. In like manner may water
ond al substances by the will of
IoWarA bless thee, in order that
shou mAyst be happy wherever
Ghou art. We pray that thou
mayst be free from all evils. May
Io accept our prayer and bless
c1leDAl1aya.'
The scene was strange one, and
tie oountenances Of all who were
present showed that to them the
6ofemonv was solemn. The flick.
eking light Of the blazing pyre,
while II burned, lent almost u
Khoetly air to the small room, bare
a furniture and occupied only by
The strangely robed mourners.
1here was, certainly. the solemnity
/ of funeral, even If no marked ex-
. pbogsl0n Of grief was shown. When
the Names had died away the eele-
orant stopped to the urn, and TAX
Ing up q small quantity Of the
aohes In bis hand, he cast il into a
brnsisr filed with water, saying,
a English OF perfect pronunciation
re peculiar accent: "As 1 now
tier the mortal remains of our
>fother over the waters of the sea,
y bis spirit has gone into eternity.
Nay the forces of the nature OF
which he was part preserve his
ellrits - Il will his material ele.
monts.p
This, 1t was understood, was
merely . symbolical scattering
and the actual consignment of the
oehee to the sea remained to be ac'
/ oompliehed. The little company
dispersed, and Olcott, the writer
~ vsiled Hindoo, and two Theoso
oephlsts, carrying the vase Of ashel
With them, drove to- the river
whore . small vessel was In walt
Ing. A profound silence was main
tAinsd while the party embarked
and proceeded down the bay unit
tt came abreat Of Governors Island
when, 1t . sign from Col. Olcott
the boat was stopped, with the
bow turned to the East.
Moving to the bow of the boat
the Hierophant, with bare heat
and holding the vase breast high
faced In turn the four quarters o
the heavens. Finally turning Il
the East and locking seaward, b,
raised and extended the vase q
esm4 length. Then, grasping !,
handful Of the snowy ashes, h,
eoatteFed them ppon the wint
witch bore them away. He thei
poured what remained Of the ashe.
upon the waves, saying: "Oh
Mother Sea! from whose depth al
mankind were evolved, take int,
thy bosom these relics of poor hu
manity, and guard them agains
pfolanati0D uutil the cycles are &C
0Dmpllshed aud the Great Pralay
eoOeln With these words tn
Impressive ceremonies of the eve
nluG, rescued now from the oblivion
O ages, came to q close.
We are certainly reaching an In
tesssting stage In the social ant
political development of the Unite,
States when, on the Pacific Coast
Ne have nearly q hundred thous
ard Chinamen with the temple
DoculIar to their religion; and have
en the Atlantic, at the same time
: society confsssedly devoted to th'
reIlglous teachings Of a Hipdo'
eoge. The Bible, both old and new
the Zend Avesta, the Koran, th'
Rank of Mormon all hava thai