Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-06-18
An Icy Funeral.

and philosophy to the test. He is an
eloquent man strong, g,self-reliant warm
in his friendships and affections, but
what had he TO say, when they came to
cast the clods on the coffin Of the BROTH
er whom he loved, and when he came
10 reflect that this was the end-all and
that not star ray Of hope came to HIM
from the vast outer void OF darkness?
What supported him, what cheered him
with the promise Of something sweet
and restful to come? How hollow and
unsatisfying does pretty talk seem at a
moment like this And yet this is all
that Mr.. lngersoll had to offer:
Ny FRIENDs-I am going to do that
which the dead oft promised he would
do for me. The loved and loving BROTH
or. husband, father, friend died where
manhood's morning almost touches
noon and while the shadows still were
falling toward the West. He had not
passcd on life's highway the stone that
marks the highest point, but being weary
for n moment he laid down by the way
side and using his burden for pillow
fell into that dreamless sleep that kisses
down his eyelids still. While yet in
love with life and raptured with the
world he passed to silence and pathetic
dust. Yet, after all, it may be best,
lust in the happlest, sunniest hour OF al!
the voyage, while eager winds are kiss
inc every sail, to dash against the un-
seen rock and in al instant hear the
billows roar above the sunked ship
For whether in midsea or 'mong the
breakers of the farther shore a wreck
must mark at last the end Of each and
all. And every life, no matter II Its
every hour Is rich with love and every
moment jeweled with Joy, will at It's
close become a tragedy as sad and deep
and dark as can be woven OF the warp
and woof Of mystery and death.
This brave aud tender man in every
storm Of life was oak and rock, but in
sunshine he was vine and flower. He
was the friend of all heroic souls. He
climbed the heights and left all the su-
perstitions far below, while on his FORE
head fell the golden dawning of a grand
er day. He loved the beautiful aud was
with color, form and music touched to
tears. He sided with the weak and
with a willing hand gave aims. With
loyal heart and with the purest hands
he fully discharged all public trusts
He was worshiper Of llberty-a friend
Of the oppressed. A thousand times l
have heard him quote the words: For
Justice all places temple and all sea-
sons summer Hc believed that hap
pines, was the only good reason the
only torch; justice the only worship
humanity the only religion and love the
only priest. He added to the sum oil
human Joy, and were every one tor
whom he did some loving service to
bring a blossom to his grave he would
Gloon to.nioht beneath a wilderness oi
flowers.
Life is a narrow vale between the
? cold and barren peaks OF two eternltles
We stive IN vain to look beyond the
heights. We cry aloud and the only an
swer is the echo ofo wailing cry. From
the voiceless lips of the unreplying dea'
there comes no word; but in the nigh
of death hope sees star and listening
love can hear the rustic Of a wing hi
who sleeps here, when dying, g,mlstakln9
the approach of death for the return o
health, whispered with his last breath
& am better now Let US believe, II
spite OF doubts and dogmas and t9ar'
and fears, that these dear words are tru'
ot all the countless dead. And now u
vou who have been chosen from anon:
the many men he loved, to do the las
sad Office for the dead we give his sa
cred dust. Speech cannot contain gu
Hove. There was. there is, no gentler
manler man.
, How inexpressibly sad are these word
q -sadder far in their utter hopelessness
K because they are bedizened with flower
Of rhetoric that mock their vacuity an
gloom as the garlands on the conn
marked the rotting clay within An
q vet such beauty as they possess is boz
q roved from the vocabulary oil falth.-
e WHY does he speak of sacred dust {
= listening love- beyond the grave all
n Of the rustic o! wing" Is it becans
o "a hope stronger than his skepticlsm,
warming deeper than his atheism, break
:. through all his sophisms and makes hi
h AGAIN true to himself, if only tor It'll
ia while in his hour Of heart-reak, or is
the mere effort to dress up the dreaI
d blackness of his creed in the livery
!. Christian Hope and Faith9 The broth'
" that he loved lay white and still beiol
" him Was it sweet to Mr.. lngersoll
70 remember that those silent lips had u
tered mocking blasphemlcs and hf
- laughed scornfully at the thought OF in
ze mortality? Did the young girls wi
G. clung passionately to the coffin and wi
tainted when carried away, suffer mo-
acutely because they also were hopele
r. of meeting hereafter and that all the
wild love and bitter sorrow were waste
,e upon a lump ofclay? And did they,to
a. remember the mocking blasphemies tn
had scared away the listening love
y and the rustic ofthe wings" On! no
~ sad. how unutterably sad, it all seem
p, and how tawdr, all Mr. Ingersoll's pre-