Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-14
s"ReligiOn or Rant at the Grave
WhiChps,

Under the above head the Albany Argus has
the Following remarks on the ceremonies at
the respective graves Of William Lloyd Garri-
son, OF Boston, and e. c. Ingersoll OF Wash
in s!Enc ~.
comprises the commitment OF his body to the
ground and of his spirit to God who gave it,
This art Is the possession and practice OF the
most enl,ghtened members OF the most enlight-
Deen Anglo SaxonS. few sciolistic French
men make OF the funeral of friend an occa-
son OF celebrating themselves and of defying
Deity by ignoring or dlsputing His existence.
But such sciOlistic Frenchmen In nothing rep
resent an essentially religious people, attached
10 church the aggressiveneSS of the faith OF
soul beyond the grave and throughout eternity.
Inefe Is no creed In the earth which does not
rate the grave a door which, in the act of clos
ing Inc world that IS on the physical part opens
Ihis idea-an idea OF which the universal en-
tertainment makes it a fact-is recognized by
essentially religious whether they cruelty and
superstitiously involve human or animal sacri-
noes or but the prayers Of the pious and the
natural tears of the bereaved
"ThOse who abide in the shadow-land of idol
AIRY, and those to whom the gospel has brought
ire and immortality to light alike give to the
dead the dignity OF consideration under the
loImS OF the faith in which they lived. And
" or how differing their faith may be,
IL mas one fine and fragrant feature-con1dence
~ 10 tne existence OF the vital principle beyond
%
uetract from this feature are serious, and, in
Inc strlcteSt sense of the word scandal1u5.
Serious because they project on observation
me Iact tnat an exception has been made In the
theory that the dead are our foreruuners and
halloWed hostages to the hereafter Scanda-
ious, because since OF old 1t was esteemed a
ureaolul and shameful thing for a man ito be
buried with the burial OF an ass so In these
times Is the same occurrence shock and re-
pugnance, no matter with what circumstance
or words OF gush the vulgar and offensive fact
Is marked.
49,, ITO let the dead receive the attention and
tne mourning, the comfort OF the ministers of
religion H. Is seemly, impressive, consoling,
agreeable TO every chord which carries
the SOD OF sorrow on earth into the harmony or
hope which heaven sounds to the ear of the soul
when Solace and support are its necessity On
these accounts a religiOnleSs funeral Is horror
to the living and an 1ndigniCy to the dead In
like measure Is a funeral given over to a self
celebrating coterie OF mutual admlrationlsts
hideous and CHASTITY traveSty.
Z" Ii the Author OF Life is to receive no homage
or prayer when He recalls part of the life lie
loaned here to the next estate OF it, In His Uni
verse; then silence ana secluSiOn are what
ments which signalize the gospel Of defiance
and despair. SO when one passes out Of time,
they who, with him, have divided the opinion
OF the age on disputed questions, should mourn
as friends and not mouth as furieS above his
dust. 1t becomes them to be silent while the
tomb receives him. Then is the hour for the
feelings which makes men brothers and not
belligerents. Then is the time when what was
needs emphasis. Then is the moment when
piety and charity, not partisanship and conten-
ton, should govern the tongue. A stump meet
Ing, round just opened grave and just closed
template as the burial of brother by brother,
IN blank verse, to blank annihflatlon. Yet B)s-
ton has furnished the first spectacle and Wash
tngton the second within week."