Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-05-11

It is not long since We published an in-
teresting description OF the funeral In
China of the Mrs. Evelyn With
row Houston. wife of Rev. M. H.
Houston, and daughter of VIM. Withrow,
Jr., of Waynesboro. A letter from Mrs.
Stuart. one Of her associates in mission
airy work at Hangchow, written to 1.-THE
Missionary gives description of her
burial place In that far off and strange
land. The writer says
The precious dust of her whom we 80
loved, is quietly awaiting the resurrection
morn Ia our beautiful little cemetery
about two miles outside of this grsat city.
Our English friends have purchased LOT
adj lining, for the same purpose, 30 that
even In death our little foreign 2communi-
ty will not be separated. A spot more
lovely By nature could hardly have been
selec' ed. A low growth OF trees by Inc
roadside screens the lot partially from the
gaze of passers-by. About City feet of
level space from this row OF trees. the land
risas in teri aces up Qnite hill, and every
where is thickly studded with young
forest OF oak trees On the first or lowest
of these terraces. powered amid these
pretty trees. our dear friend is sleeping
peacefully amid the thousands of Chinese
dead, whnse graves crowd thickly around
In every direction But this grave is so
different In appearance from anything
around 1t, that it cannot fail to attract at
tention; especially now that it is surmOun-
ted by beautiful monument OF light
stone. such as is used in China for this
purpose. K-sting on a PEDESTAL OF the
same stone. is shaft about four feet in
height. and more than foot in thick ness
On the face fr.nting the grave. is an in
scripti0n in English, giving the usual date
&C., and at the bottom q verse from the
Psalms, II shall be whittier than snow"
favorlte and comforting text TO her in her
last hours. The other three faces are
covered with the inscriptions in Chinese.
giving IN terms concise a. possible the
gospel plan of salvation. and the Chris
tial's hope of eternal happiness, ard add
ing that it was to bring this glorious re.
ligion to the people Of China. that she bad
left her friends and native land, crossed
the broad seas. and finally resigned her
life in this, to her, strange land. Thus,
rs she hoped and desired before her death.
her silent gravestone is preaching a SER
mon to all who. attracted by its unusual
appearance. come to scar more closely the
written words. ''She being dead, yet
speaketh." The top IT this Central shaft
ID prOLcCLou NY 0GOuo CatVlux vi y
Chinese tiled roof with four projecting
corners, from the top Of which rises .
Maltese cross all in the same stone. New
or before has this symbol of Christian faith
arisen In This vast city Of the dead. One
beautiful afternoon not long since the mem
b4rs Of our mission here all went out to the
grave to see the newly-erscted monument.
and plan for some improvements in the
ground. Just before We left. we all stood
round the grave with bowed heads. wtile
prayer was offered that the words inscrib--
ed on the % Onument might be blest to the
conversion of some Chinese. 1t was an
affecting sight to witness the bereaved
husband and motherless children earnest
ly joining in this petition. A few hum
dred yards from this spot rises abruptly
from the plain the lofty peak where we
have passed so many summers; and encir-
cling this beautiful vale in every direc-
ton, are grand old mountains. like
giant sentinels to guard this precious
dust. When 1.-THE trumpet shall sound"
we know that they who ''sleep in Christ"
In this strange soil of China, will hear and
come forth to be reunited forever with
those dear to them gathered from their
native land.