Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-10-14


force It's appositeness to this use. II
is the one thing which most envy of
Europe. this wealth of its great men
and the noble and beautiful use which
1t may make and does make of their
graves, through which it carries
down through the centuries what is
best OF them, keeping their memory
green and imperishable, but more
than that, transfusing. as it were,
their virtues into the daily life and
generation of the hour. Here they
lie In stately tombs all over England,
the men who deserved well of their
country, who have served their fellow
men, who have hOnored their race
the soldiers, the philanthropists, the
teachers-a lesson, stimulus, an in
spiration to all that come after them.
And 1t Is alike to the honor of Eng-
land. and convincing evidence of her
moral vigor and integrity, and of long
national life yet to come. that their
recognition, their great homes, are
open to all. Riches will not buy a
tomb In Westminster Abbey, nor q
| life of ostentation. and luxury and
display but its walls are open to the
young lieutenant, the young clergy
man, the sailor or private sol 1ler or
dremmer or cabin boy who does his
duty. and dies In doing 1t.
Perhaps the distinctive feature of
Westminster Abbey to thoughtful
stranger is the wonderful catholicity
of its tombs. After all we uncon-
sciously think Of it as an aristocratic
burial place Of the established church
of Engand-words Of Limitation. We
find its consecrated crypts open to hu-
manity-literally to all the world. 1t
has been elequently called the temple
of silence and cancellation, and this
language is the literal truth. Vari-
ances OF faiths, harsh judgments of
personal lives. the asperities of poll
tics, the rancorous struggles of ambi-
tlon, the bitterness of parties, all are
forgotten in its still aud passionless
chapels where side by side sleep friend
and foe. The clangor of arms and
the damnatory clauses Of old creeds
are hushed in It's hallowed and silent
aises. Here. walking among its
graves, eloquent Ia their mute and
voiceless expression, came again and
again on tombs or monuments Of men
that almost startled you by their asso-
ciutions or the dramatic contrast OF
their lives with their last resting place.
You find in place Of honor John and
Charles IVesiie, their tablet legended
My parish il the world"-the found
ers of MetbOdism In tue pantheon of
the an ngelic church. Cromwell and
the two Charescs and Gen. Monk
sleep near together. An English mob
Ia unhappier times, once rified the
tomb OF the puritan statesman and
soldier. and scattered his dust and
bones, but the empty grave aud its In
scribed slab are still their in honor Of
the man. John Dryden, the Roman
atholic; Isaac Watts, the non-con-
formist; Mrs. Slddons. the actress;
Kemble, tie actor; Copgreve, the
plh, writer of broad freedom, to speak
gently near hs ashes; Casaubon, tic
Frenchman; Spanheim, the Swiss;
Theodorus Paleogus, the Greek some
Of the family Of Louis Philippe-all
lle peacefully In the resting ranks OF
the noble army Of its dead. 1t might
be easy enough to 10y most OF these
men here now In our better and gent
ler times, hut think Of the bitter pas
slons Of older days when statesmen
paid with their heads for political
mistakes; think Of the mercless and
Ignorant hatred which 30 short time
ago passed for religion and faith, ana
you can begin 10 guage the strength OF
mind and moral courage and nobility
ahead Of their generation OF the mon
who dug some OF these graves.
Honor to whom honor Is due. The
honor for this great service to human
ity IL due OF recent history ultimately
to the Dean OF Westminster land In
earlier centuries, suppose, to the
Abbott, who Ia finally responsible for
every tomb, monument or inscription
the church, and whose veto can ex-
cludo any body, living or dead, and
any tablet. Lot me explain mo-
ment how man Is buried In West
mlnstor Abbey, how the greatest hon
or England can bestow IL given. IL
10 40 thoroughly illustrative Of the In
terror OF English life, OF n power OF tra'
ditiou and usage OF which we know
absolutely nothing, aud which we can
hardly understand or comprehend at
all, that time In not lost In learning IT,
This great honor, for which kings
hope aud prelates strive and soldiers
die, rests In law to-day, entirely and
absolutely. In the hands Of one man
Dean Stanley, the dean Of the Abbey
Ho can bury any one IN the Abbey he
pleases, and he can close Its doors
against any one he pleases. and there
ia no power In tho land, civil or eccle-
alastlcai, that can force or control his
judgement or discretion In the matter
| IL Ia one OF those instances continual
| ~ arising out OF the fortuItous historl-
cal development Of England In which
enormous or public trusts or franchise