The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-05-01
RALPH WALDO EMERSON,
Remains Of the Poet and Philoso-
pher Committed to Their
Last Resting Place.
AN IMMENSE CONGREGATION AT
THE SERVICES.
Eloquent Addresses by Judge HOar and
Rev. J. Freeman Clarke.

CONCORD, Mass, April 3O.--The last rites
over the remains of Ralph Waldo Emerson oc-
cured this afternoon. "a special train from
Boston carried large number OF people
Many persons were on the street attracted Dy
the services but were unable to gain admission
to the Unitarian Church where the public GER
emonies we're held. Almost every building in
town bore over its entrance door large black
and white rosette with other Nmbre draperies.
Public buildings were heavily draped and even
the shomes of the very poor pore outward
marks of grief at the loss of their friend and
fellow townSman:
The services at the House which were strict
ly private occurred at z. 80 and were conducted
by Rev. W. FL. Furness of Philadelphia. They
were very simple in character and only Mr.
Furness took part in them. The body lay in the
front northeast room in which were gathered
the family and close friends OF the deceased.
The only flowers were contained in three vases
on the mantel and were lilies or the valley,
red and white roses and arbutus. The adioin-
ing room and hallway were filled with friends
and neighbors. The aged mother OF the poet,
his wife and daughter Ellen, sat near the cof-
fin. DR.. Furness occupied position in the
passage way between two rooms and made q
brief and touching address saying the peaceful
face lying before them only indicated the like
quiet of the soul within and reflected its peace
and purity while it yet tenanted the body. He
tueu reClI6Q l6QnySOuS Doecrtou aOIuo
and repeated from Longfellow the words read
at the poets own funeral a few weeks ago.
Appropriate quotations from the Scriptures
followed.
The procession then formed for the public
services at the Unitarian Church which is but
a short distance from the house. The Con-
cord social circle led the way, then followed
the hearse and pail bearers-Charles Emerson
and Haven Emerson, nephews of the deceased /;
W. H. Forbes, Emersons son-in-law; J. Elliott
Cabot Emerson's biographer; Prof. James b.
Thayer, Harvard Law School; DR.. Edward
Emerson, Ralph Forbes and w. Thayer, all
relatives of the deceased-and following them
a.few carriages with the family and intimate
friends.
At the church many hundreds were waiting
the arrival of the procession and all space ex-
ceDt reserved pews was packed. In front of
the pulpit were simple decorations. Boughs of
pine covered the desk and in their centre was
harp of yellow jonquils, the gift OF Miss Lo-
lisa M. Alcott The other floral tributes were
an open volume upon one page on white
ground the word "Finis" in blue flowers. This
was from the teachers and scholars in the EN-
erson School. By the sides OF the pulpit were
white and scarlet geraniumS and pine bou CHS
and high ON the wall laurel wreath.
Before $50 the pail bearers brought the plain
black walnut coffin which was placed before
the pulpit, the lid was turned back and upon it
was put cluster of richly colored pansies and
a small bouquet of roses. While the coffin was
being carried in "Pleyels hymn" was render
ed on the organ by request OF the family OF de-
ceased, DIR. James Freeman Clarke then enter
ed the pulpit. Judge X. lockwood Hoar re-
manned by the coffin below and when the con-
gregation became quiet made brief and pa
thetic address, his voice many times trembling
with emotion. Mr.. Hoar began his tribute
with the words ''The beauty of Israel is fallen
in its high place." He then spoke OF the world
wide sorrow which was felt at the poets death,
and of the special veneration and grief OIL MS
townspeople who considered him their own.
He also read a selection from Parnassus, begin
ming, "He has gone; is dust. He the more for
tunate; yea, he hath finished" Then turning
to the open coffin, said:
"That lofty brow, the home of all wise
thoughts and lofty aspirations; those lips Oh ell
oquent music; that great soul which trusted IN
God and never let go its Immortality; that
great heart to which everything was welcome
that belonged to man; that hospitable nature,
loving and tender and generous, having no re-
pulsion nor scorn for anything but meanness
and baseness Oh! friend brother, father, low
or, teacher, inspirer, guidel Is there nothing
more that we can do now than to give thee OR
hail and farewell.
Another selection beginning "a sweet at
tractiye kind of grace" was then read by
Judge Hoar and in conclusion he recited one
&. Dr.. Watts hymns, specially liked by Mr..
Emerson commencing Lord, when quit this
earthly stage"
OuuS0 I1Odr ho WOfO iOAioHoo W sAiN
congregation singing the hymn
ss'Thy will be done, 1 will not fear,
The fate provided by Thy love-
Rev. Mr. Furness then read selections from
various portions Of the Scriptures.
Rev. James Freeman Clarke delivered a long
and very interesting address upon the life and
works of the deceased, after which feeling
prayer was offered by Rev. Howard NJ. Brown
of Brookline. This closed the exercises in the
church and over an hour was occupied by
passing files of neighbors, friends and visitors
looking for the last time upon the face OF the
dead poet. The body was robed completely
in white and the face bore natural and peace
ful expression. From the church the process
sion reformed and took up its way to the
cemetery. where the grave was made beneath
q tall pine upon the hilltop to the east in
Sleepy Hollow cemetery, the overturned sod
being concealed by strewings of pine boughs
and border of hemlock spray surrounded the
grave and lined its sides completely. The SER
vices here were very brief and the casket was
soon lowered to its final restings place. Rev.
DIR. Haskins, a cousin of the family, an Ep1s-
copal clergyman, read the Episcopal burial SER
vice and closed with the Lords prayer, ending
at the words "And deliver us from evil" In
this all the people joined. A. Bronson Alcott
read an original poem, after which DIR. Hasks
ins pronounced the benediction. After all was
over the grand children passed in turn by the
open grave, each throwing into its depth
bouquet of flowers. About fifteen rods to the
westward on the same Hill are the graves of
Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry d. Thoreau.
In the same lot with the new made grave
are buried several of the Emersons's, includ-
ing brother, William, and his wife, Haw-
thorne's funeral, which was a simple village
affair, occurred in the same church and Long
fellow and Emerson were among the pail bear
ers
Tributes to Emerson.
PORTSMOUTH, April 30.-A memorial service
to the late Ralph Waldo Emerson was held in
the Unitarian Church this forenoon. Rev.
James Deromandie. the pastor, preached an
appropriate sermon.
LONDON, April 30.-All the leading London
papers publish full biographies of Emerson,
their leading articles without exception ex-
pressing sympathetic and affectionate ad-
miration of his sweetness and dignity of char
acter.