Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-01-21
Is Death Dreadful?
A FUNERAL ADDRESS NJ col ROBERT @.
INGERsoLL.

slonal Cemetery yesterday afternoon,
small gronp OF people with uncovered
heads ranged around a newly opened
grave. Thoy included Detective aud
Mrs. George .. Miller. anl family and
friends, who had gathered to witness The
burial Of the formers bright litIle son
Harry. AS the casket rested upon the
uestles, there was painful pause bro
ken only by the mothers sobS, until the
undertaken advanced toward q stout.
fofid-complcxIoned gentleman 10 the
party aud whispered TO him. This gen
llsman was Col. Robert G Ingersoll,
friend of the Millers, who attended the
funeral at their request. He shook his
head when the undertaken first address
ed bin, and then said. suddenly: Does
Mr.. Miller desire it p The undertaken
gave an affirmative nod, Mr. Miller
looked appealingly toward the no'ed ora
tor, and then hastily Col. Ingcrsoil adj
vauced to the side of the grave, made
motion denotiog a desire for silence and
in voice Of exquisite cadence, deliver
ed one of his characteristic eulcgies for
the dead. The scene was intensely
dramatic. A fine drizzling rain was
falling. aud every head was bent aud
every ear turned to catch the inpassion
ed words that fell from The lips Of the
speaker. Col Iogersoll was unpToiect-
ed by either hat or umbrella, and his in
vocation thrilled his bearers with awe.
each eye that had previously been be-
dimmed with tears frightened, ard sobs
becoming bushed. Col Iugerscll said
My friends: know how vain it is
to g,ld grief with words, aud yet |
wish to take from every grave its fear
Here in this wo'ld, where life and destb
are equal kings. all should be brave
enough to meet what all the dead have
met. The future has been filed with
fear, stained aud polluted by the heart
less past From the Wondrous tree OF
life the buds and blossoms fall with rip
ened fruit, and 10 the common bed o.
earth the patriarchs and babes sleep cid
by side.
Why should we fear that which will
come to all that is Ne cannot tell. We
do not know, which is the greater bles-
siug-life or death. We cannot 50,
that death is not good. We do not
know whether the grave is the eud Of
this life or the door Of another, or whe,h-
er lhe night here is not sons sh,re el-.
q dawn, Neither can Ne tell which i.
The most fortuuste the child d;ing in
its mother arms te'ore lis lips have
learned 10 form a word. or he who jour
neys all the length OF IFS uneven road
taking the last sl9w steps Uitp
staff a,d crulch.
EVERY cradle ask IA Whence?
and every coffin Whish-f7 Tie po r
bar bsriau. wee ping sbavs his dead, est
answer these questions IS intelligent,
aud satisfactorily as tbs robod priest o.
The most an bSntic creed The ttsrtvl
ignorance of the one Is lst az c0nsoiin.
as the learned aud unweauirg words
the other No man, standing where ID
horizon OF life has touched a grave, h.s
any right to prophecy future 6lIei VIII
pain and tears |, may be that dealt |
gives all there is Of worth to life T.
those We press a d strain against on,
hearts could never die, perhaps that love |
would wither from The earth. May b.
this com mon !ale .reads from out tht
paths between our hearts the weeds o.
sel6shness and nate. and bad rather |
live AID love where death is king. than
have eternal life where love is not. An.
other life is naught, unless We know sh0
love sgai0 the ones who love US here.
They who staud with breaking
hearts around tbis little grave need haV,
no fca,. TIE larger and the nober fate
in all that is aud is TO bs ttils Us the
death, even at its worst, il otls pertlc'
rest. We know that through the COM
moo wants Of life-the neods aud duties
of each hour--theIr grief will lessea day
by day, us,il at last this grave will b.
to them a place Of rest aud peacs-ai
most Of joy There is FOR them tbs
The dead do not suffer. |
they live again. their lives wilt surely be
as good As ours. We have DO ieSr. We
are all children % the s1tne mother, ana
The same fate awaits us ell We loo,
have our religion. and it Is this: Help
Tor the liviog-Hope for The dead"
AT the couclasion OF Col. Iugersol's
remarks, the little cufiu. covered uish
beautiful aud fragrant flowers. was low-
cred into its resting piscs.-Washing-