The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-18
The Funeral Ceremsnies Of the Late
George C. Harding.
One of Indiana's Most Brilliant
Journalists Has Ceased to
Labor With That Which
is Mightier Than
the Sword.
Hundreds OF Friends Who Halted From
the Duties Of the Hour to Drop
Tear In His Grave-A Mastery
Funeral Address by Rev.
Myron W. Reed.

withstood the storms and tempests of ma.
ture, the trials and sieges of more than a
quarter of a century upon the broad ave
nues OF journalism, Providence so decreed
that his spirit should take its fight
and the body be laid at rest beneath
the roses and immortelles in the fragrant
and gentle month of May.
As was announced in the public prints,
the funeral ceremonies took place on yester-
day, at o'clock, from the Central avenue
NJ. +. Church.
The remains were taken from the residence
OF his sister, Mrs Yeagle, on Ash street, to
the Church, escorted by the following men,
bers of the press, of which Mr.. Harding was
q bright and shining light: OF the Journal
were Hon. John G. New, J. P. Luce, Charles
NJ. Walker, f. w. Halford, o. r. Johnson,
Harry S. New Gideon b. Thompson, j. E.
Cobb, w. o. Bates, James w. Riley and
George G. Hit OF the News, Frank
Holiday, d. l.. Paine, Gus C. Mathews
and ]. V. Cook. OF the Herald, A.
II. Dooley, Ben d. House and Morris
w. Philips. OF the Review, Charles
mer. OF the People, Enos b. Reed and
William Burns. OF the German Telegraph,
Adolph Sidensticker and Adolph Maeulen
OF the Indiana Farmer, A. J. Kingsbury
OF the Cincinnati Commercial, Miss Laura
Ream and A. J. Halford. OF the DanvilIe
Union, o. H. Smith. OF the Peru Repub-
lican, Hon. George J. Reed. OF the Asso-
ciated Press, w. w. Smith. OF the Sentinel,
Charles G.. Stuart, Charles N. Maynard, J. c.
Harrington and J. f. Durham.
The following named gentlemen were
pall-bearers, all of whom were members of
the Order of Elks, of which Mr.. Harding
was also a member; Gideon Ii. Thompson,
Ben d. House. ]. H. Anderson. Z. H. Hast
ings, NJ. H. Spades and ]. G. Kingsbury.
AT THE CHURCH.
The procession was met at the Church by
the Lodge of Elks, numbering about forty
five. The Church was filled to its utmost
capacity including class and lecture-rooms,
the most of whom were the intimate and add
miring friends of the deceased.
The body was placed in an elegant metal
lie casket handsomely covered with velvet,
ornamented with silver and ebony handles.
On the top of the casket, was a silver
plate bearing the inscription: George
c. Harding" At the base of the
lecturn upon table were floral
offerings of unique designs, and richness in
finish. The members of the press offered in
token of respect broken column of three
feet in height from base to top, which was
filled in a winding form around solid with
Marshal Mel, with tea roses and heliotrOpe.
Surmounting the top of the column, was the
letter "Hr worked in white, surrounded
with delicate border of blue immortelles.
At the base of the letter was placed large
and fragrant passion flower The base upon
which the column stood was filled with
lilies, ferns and pansies. Encircling the
base were the words, "The Press" worked
in white. A large pillow, an offering from
f. R. Hawn, Secretary of State, who had
been for years a constant friend and admirer
of the deceased. The pillow was artistically
arranged with lilies, roses and heliotrope.
The offerings by the Elks were in four
pieces, representing the cardinal virtues of
the Order. The first was large scale twenty
inches in hight, with the word "Justice"
worked with blue immortelles across the
beam. A large cross of choice roses with the
word CHARITY" worked in blue An anchor
with the word Fidelity" across the bottom
in blue. A large scroll upon
which was worked the words
"Brotherly Love-" All were artistically
and handsomely arranged, the work and
skill of Lewis, the Massachusetts, avenue
florist There were other handsome tributes
and decoration of the most choice flowers
offered by admiring friends.
The funeral address was delivered Dy Rev.
Myron w. Reed, who had for years been an
intimate and admiring friend of Mr.. Har-
ding. 1t was a noticeable fact that at fire.
quent intervals in the course of the address
Mr.. Reed was compelled to stop his speech
that he could better suppress
his feelings of grief. When last
offering the Divine blessing, Mr..
Reed was SO overcome with sadness that 1T
was made perceptible TO all of those in the
auditorium Before delivering the address
the following psalm was read by the rev.
erned gentleman.
"The Lord is my shepherd; shall not want
He maketh me lie down in green pastures; He
leadeth me beside the still waters"
The singing was led by Mr.. Ora Pearson,
with three accompanying male voices, who
were also in the lifetime OF Mr.. Harding his
intimate friends.
The following is
MR. REEDS ADDRESS.
In the Grafton of Mark Antony over the body Of
the slain Cesar are these words: THE noble
Brutus hath told you Caesar ambitious. III II
hath Caesar answered it." The faults and sins Of
George Harding have not been extenuated, and
have not infrequently have been set down In
hath he answered them. His sins are better I'M
derstoOd than his sufferings. We all know his
defects: how few know his excellencies The
task of telling the world his sins has been quite
overdone. If il were not so, am not the man to
undertake the task for me so ungracious When
man has been steady friend TO me, that settles
the question as to what side of him shall talk
of when he is dead. When he was living he was
well equipped to take care OF himself. Now is a
good opportunity for coward to track the dead
Mindful of these things. shall speak briefly of
what was good in the life OF my friend, and more
briefly of what was evil. Sir Ector says of the
dead Launcelot: There thou lest and thou
vert the truest friend to thy lover that ever be-
strobe horse; and thou vert the kindest man that
ever stroke with sword, and thou vert the meek
est man and the gentlest that ever ate in a hall
among ladies, and thou vert the sternest knight
70 thy mortal foe that ever put spear in rest"
This quotation is not filled in, and speech con
structed around Il for the sake of the quotation.
But the life of Mr.. Harding suggests the quota
ton.
Yesterday a pauper came in from the Poor
Farm to see me, and was away, and the old man
said to my wife: ''Oh, we were all sorry TO hear
that George Harding was dead. He was a friend
to such as we"
There is no doubt of the truth of that statement.
This was the main attraction OF the man-his
whoever was down. He had certain old-fash-
Oned chivalry that could be depended on. do
n OF think that he counted the cost He was not
polite nor prudent. more independent man
has not walked these streets. His opinion of men
and things ism type There Is no reserve on any
His hatred of sham and cant made him too
suspicious. There were so many counterfeits in
circulation that he now and then rejected good
bill But he never denied that the genuine ex-
unbelief He did not pity the people who, by
faith in God and Immortality, have comfort and
peace If he felt houseless himself he did
not go about tearing off the roofs that sheltered
others. but simply wished he was at home and at
rest. The atheists laugh is poor exchange Tor
Deity offended. That laugh is never heard from
him He said 70 me of the future, that he did
not know He would in due time go and see.
OF course this confession of doubt is not con-
fesssion of faith, and Is not satisfactory, but
light the great and pitiful God shed upon his way
/ in the last days OF his pilgrimage, of that we