, 1879-06-20

NQCHELLE, ILL, Autt0 lt.-1t &cEtHa TO mo
tllcrc can be ITO reasonable doubt IN regard to
thc meaning Of the pathetic words spoken by
Col lnecrso}l ucon the sad OCCASION Ut tic
funeral OF beloved brother. 1t is, indeed, Il
hope III yain. doomed to sudtlcn disappointment
III tho ,iear future, that would anticipate the
surrender Of the gifted orator's cari:cst and
mature convictions.
The pnssngo which seems to inspire hopc
for specify conversion OF the Colonel but
wlfcl. Is entirely misunderstood by Mr.. I. NJ,
Mckowli, Is tic following;
"Lifc Is a uarguw yale between tho cold and
bSrren pcaks of two etcrnttlcs. We strive IN
yau to Look beyond the h!cl,.a, We cry aloud,
nild tic only nnswert is the echo Of our Willing
cry. From the voice1esa lips Of the unreplyin,
dead there comes 10 word, but III the night OF
death hope sees u star, unl listening car can
hear tic ruatle Of wing.'
The occasion upon which these words wcsc
spoken absolutely defines their intent and
meaning. Surely scientific lecture upon "ecn-
ersc lfu" wputtl hero be out OF the question.
Individual ]lfc Ia tho narrow valo lying between
the cold and barrett peaks Of vast utcrnisy III
the past. previous to Our existencc nn] tho vast
eternity II, the future. after our existence. We
strive til vain To obtain glimpse of l[fo In ao
eternity to come, as VIC strlso ~ vulp to rccoE-
rixo individual existence In the eternity t!lat
was beturo Us. Eternal ages lluyc rolled on In
the misty pass wien VIZ Nero not. Lilo lawns,
we liye hut u ilson,cnt+--iic. Again tile pcnitl.
hin Of otcrn!tv sweeps through thu countless
agcs In the future, but we know It not. We
try tn win for thDss gone before, but from the
no word.
Can the meaning Of this grand hut simple al
lcEury bo tntsltnderstood1 Can these words
coins fsoln tile iips Of ono who then and there
p
many years, tho result Of honest thought, BY
confession Of MI absolute Abandonment OF The
tllturics uf which he IL the acknowledged repre-
scntattvoi Il this were 70, II t!le great Orator
Ind INTENDED to mako sucha proclamation to tho
world. hts words would not sluyu been c!nll in
nl1tgnry mud doubtful language. Ant! what raro
opportunity would have leru presented itse!f to
gs1rify himself sittle less than sn'ntly among the
1htgAty hosts III believers BY rrOclatnlng 1t
aloud In thunder notes, III words unmtstakablo
ais he la WONT to do, whose echOcs would Layu
electrified tho millions wllu llke your GORE.
apondeut, yraru nn, hong tint ono 50 great, 80
fnitil III the God nn1 ttla religion they SO Ter
ycn11r wurship.
Nlas to ciiii,s to straw SO tender, 90 frail,
and to be disappointed su sadly rs our frteni
must DC wLen this vain hopu shall vanish Tor
ever.
Sr. lngcrsoll, upon tll!s occasion, In brief
states his philosophy, his belief, that from tho
tead tl!rre conice no word. Docs this sound
like "sllrrcnder"l 1lItu, In closing he says:
"1lupu seea star, nntl listening car cin heur The
rustic Of awl'ly,- -mcaning. uf course. that those
possessed oi urc lUpb (rreuuliy) )butsess phllos-
ply thai himself hce beyond dcatt, Iiraycr, all
i'nMurtality,-a faith, however, ,wh|cll in lias
not beeu aele to entertain, aud which l.v rannot
share.
llc. however, expresses homo that all the dead
arc "bettcr now": and III order to Er1sp at an-
other straw Mr.. Mex. nisapplies Col. lnger-
soli'a language: When" lito, whose everY hour
and ntsu t,I,tttn sFG1
witlla Joy," Is possible, n realtty,-whcn 1t Is
even conceivable In tllG ctrrl,al nEes OF tho
fntnrc,--tfien, Indeed, imcFu nnnhutton IL IN
t1nwcleame Thought: But whu has ptwer Of
t,nnous happiucss! WAo. Of all tho millions
now iying. t!as realized, during the short Fpan
of life even. such ut.nlioycl pleasures Us l'ero
dcserioed} Is not tl!t kiss ,sc prcss upon The
eSstasy Of 1ny sadly suggestive Of the time III
tho tear futurn When ia nearer one and dpur-
cr onr still" will claim alone, these carrsscs of
love now such source Of pleasure tn usf Aru
VIC not all conscious III tho tlluht Ut ttnle of the
osernal change going on pGrpotuaily through.
out the yust usiyesaci How planets nrc
horn, exist. and die; how even suns
viii cease to shed tltlr hrat, antl lteht,
will rcseu slaskness an.' tlcaths Aud yet yuu
iMagiuu Yourself, fruil worn. Of tho frailcst
planet Ut t!ien, all, exempt from this universal
Inv Of naturo which hays uIlko lo ali tnlngs, aui-
H1AIe or WntltH1alct - Ht H&HSk 6Iff ...
but, indeed, ta,lu we'll be better tllenn Would
You uwakcn from tts b!lssful slcop, "wioss
every moment Is rsrll with 10y" {cnMparcl with
the average Ills Of llieh tho blHtnbcring infant
upon It's Motllcr's Grcustf DO you Yonrset,
when exhausted from your daily labors, whe,.
yon return to your pearefl! lolnc to take the
burden OF your shoulders, to rest your Hcary
limbs, to tellcYa your ltIid iron business cares
usl tFouhlvs, when the struggle OF life las ex-
hauetrtl your energies, Nlltl when YOU hayo
Toasted aiia been lluppy tiilFng loug evening
of life within tho char,ncd circio ot your loved
onea, do you tl!cn tircatt to-go to sitept
To do IL tu sleep! Only this. -anA nothing
more. OTTo WETTsTEIS,