San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-05-10
-.rvpIL SPEECH BY INGERsOLL.
..,.. v,,,.ry which shrouds This World"

The great preliminary funeral serv-
;.ssoyer the remains of Mills, who
q, several years has acted as clerk
=. representative Murch, of Maine,
~ Jul Mace Sunday evening from the
sS;dence of Col. N. w. Fitzgerald,
~ K st. Washington. The remains
~ .ssve taken to the Baltimore and Po-
, s depot, whence they were sent
" Port Jarvis, N. Y. Mr.. Mills was
an independent thinker as far as re-
1;a;on was concerned, and as it be-
nsme known that Col. Robert Inger-
soll would make some remarks before
N. casket was closed, there were a
large number insattendance. Among
those present were Senator Van Wyck,
Representive Murch, ex-senator Fow-
ler ex-senator Dorsey, and Register
Rr,ce. There were also a number
who we're prominent in the so called,
;n6del circles. Before the Grafton
began there was played selection
mon the|piano. Asimila1 selection was
nIayed as the casket was closed. The
deceased was an intimate friend of
Col. Ingersoll, and requested that he
should deliver his funeral grafton.
Col. Ingerson stood near the head of
the coffin, and with voice filled with
emotion said:
again are we face to face with the
great mystery that shrouds this world.
We question, but there is no reply;
out on the wide waste sea there drifts
no spar. Over the desert of death the
sphynx gazes forever, but never speaks.
In the very May of life another heart
has ceased to beat. Night has fallen
upon noon, and he lived, he loved, he
was loved. Wife and children press
ed their kisses on his lips. This is
enough. The longest life contains no
more. This fills the vase of Joy. He
who lies here clothed with the perfect
peace of death was kind and loving
husband and good father, generous
neighbor, an honest man, and these
words build a monument of glory
above the humblest grave. He was
always child, sincere and frank, as
full of hope as spring. He divided all
time into to-day and tomorrow. Yes
terday was without a cloud, and Of
tomorrow he borrowed sunshine for
to-day. He was my friend. He will
remain so. The living oft become
estranged; the dead are true. In the
Eden Of his hope there did not crawl
and coil the serpent of eternal pain.
In many languages he sought the
thoughts of men, and for himself he
solved the problems of the world. He
accepted the philosophy of Auguste
Comte. Humanity was his God; the
human race the Supreme Being. In
that Supreme Being he rested. He
believed that we are indebted for what
we enjoy to the labor, the self-denial,
the heroism of the human race, and
that as we have plucked the fruit of
what others planted, we, in thankful
ness, should plant for others yet to
be. With him Immortality was the
eternal consequences of his own acts.
He believed that every good thought,
every disinterested deed hastens the
harvest of universal good. This is a
religion that enriches poverty, that
enables us to bear the sorrows of the
saddest life, that peoples even soil
tudes with the happy millions yet to
be; a religion born not of selfishness
and fear, but of love and hope; the
religion that digs wells to Stake the
thirst of others, that gladly bears the
burdens of others yet unborn. In the
presence of death, how beliefs and
dogmas wither and decay; how loving
words and deeds burst into blossom!
Pluck from the tree of any life these
flowers, and there remain but the
barren thorns of bigotry and creed.
ALI wish for happiness beyond this
life; all hope to meet again the loved
and lost. In every heart there grows
this sacred flower of eternal hope.
Immortality is a word that hope
through all the ages has been whis-
perng to love. The miracle of thought
we cannot understand. The mystery
OF death and hope we cannot eompre-
bend. The chaos called the world
has neverbeen explained. Thegolden
Ondge ofGfe from gloom energies and
on shadow rests. Beyond this we do
not know. Fateis speechless; destiny
is dumb, and the secret of the future
has never yet been told. Welove; we
wait; we hope. The more we love,
he more we fear. Upon the tender
est heart the deenest shadows fall.