Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-01-18

orany other class of men under the
heel OF tue oppressor. Be good Chris
llans, and you will be good Democrats.
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"Whence and WHITTIER
A FUNERAL ADDRESS KEPLETE WITH
TENDER SENTIMENT AND TOUCH
ING PATHOS-"OUR RELIGION
HELP FOR THELIvING-
HOPE FOR THE
DEAD"
In remote corner Of the Congress
slonal Cemetery yesterday afternoon,
small group OF people, with uncovered
heads ranged around a newly opened
grave. They included Detective and
Mrs. George o. Miller, and family and
friends. who had gathered TO witness
the burial OF the formers bright little
son Harry. a recent victia of dlphlhe-
ria. AS the casket rested upon the
trestes. there was a painful pause,
broken only by the mo!hel's sobs, until
the undertaken advanced toward a
stout, forid complexioned gentleman in
the party and whispered 10 him, the
words being lnaudible to tie loOkers-ou.
This gentleman vas Col. Robert G..
Ingersoll, friend of the Millers, who
attended the funeral at their request.
He shook his head when the under.
taker first addressed him. aud teen
said suddenly: docs Mr.. Miller de.
sire it ?" The undertaken gave an al
flrmalive nod, Mr.. Miller looked ap-
peallngly toward the noted orator, and
then hastily Col. Inger.Oll advanced to
the side Of the grave, made motion
depolng desire for silence, and in
voice OF exquisite cadence delivered
Une of his characteristic eulOgies for the
dead. The scene was intensely drama
tic. A fine drizzllng rain was falling,
aud every head was bent and every ear
turned to catch the impassioned words
of eloqueHce and hope, that fell from
the lips Of the distinguished speaker.
Col. Ingersoll was unprotected by
either hat or umbrella, and his invoca-
ton thrilled his hearers with awe, each
eye that had previously been bedimmed
with tears Frightening, and sobs be-
coming hushed, Col. Ingersoll said:
Ny FRIENDS 81 know how vain 1t
is to Gid a grief with words, and yet
wish TO take from every grave its fear.
Here in this world, where life aad
death are equal kings, al! should be
brave enough to meet what all the dead
have met. The future has been filed
with fear, stained and polluted by the
heartless past. From the wondrOus
tree Of life the buds and blossoms fall
with rippeued fruit, and in the common
bed of earth the patrlarchs and babes
sleep side by side.
Why should we fear that which will
come to all that is? We cannot tell.
we do not know, which is the greater
blessing-life or death. We cannot
say that death is not a good. We do
not know whether the grave Is the end
of this life, or the door of anothar, or
whether the night here is not some-
where else dawn. Neither can We
tell which is the more fOrtunate-the
the child dying in its mothers arms,
before its lips have learned to form a
word, or he who journeys all the length
of life's unelen road, painfully taking
the last SLOW steps with staff and
crutch.
Every cradle asks us whence 2"
and every cofiu, "Whither:" The
poor barbarian, weeping aboYe his
dead, can answer these questions as
intellgenlly and satisfactorily as the
robed priest of the most authentic creed.
The fearful ignorance OF the one IS just
as consoling as the learned and un-
meaning words Of the other. No man
standing where the horizon of a life
has touched q grave, has any right to
prophesy future filled With paiu and
tears. 1t may be that death gives all
| there is of worth 10 life. II those we
press and strain against our hearts
could never die, perhaps that love would
wither from the earth. May be this
common fate lreadS from out the paths
between our hearts the weeds OF selfish
ness and hate, and | had rather live
aud love where death is king, than
have eternal life where love is not.
Another life is nougnt, unless we know
aud love again the ones wuO iOYe Us
here
They who stand with breaking hearts
around this little grave, need have no
tear. The larger and the nObler filth
in all that is and is 10 be. tells us that
death, even at lis worst, is only perfect
rest. We know that through the COM
mon wants OF life-lhe needs and duties
of each hour-thtir grief @lll lesson day
by day, until at last this grave will be
to them place OF rest aud peace-al-
most OF JOY. There is for them this
consolation The dead DO not suffer.
If they live again, their lives will surely
be as good as ours. We have no fear.
We are all children of the same mother
aud the same tate awaits Us all. We,
TOO, have our religion, and it is this {:
Help for the liviug-Hope for the
dead.
At the conclusion OF Col. lugersolps
remarks, the little coffin, covered "ith
beautiful aud fragrant flowers, was
| llo.araJ into its laat raSilnU Olace DV