The Evening critic., 1883-04-16
THE MYSTERY OF DEATH.
An Eloquent Funeral Grafton by
Colonel IL. q. IngersOlI.


The funeral services over the remains OF the
late Mr.. John @. Mills took place yesterday
evening at the residence of Colonel N. W. Fltz-
gerald, on street. Mr.. Mills was au inde-
pendent thinker and had requested that Col.
onel II. @. 1ngersoll pronounce the funeral
Grafton. There were a large number OF dis
tinguished people present Before the Grafton
began there was played selection upon the
piano. similar selection was played as the
casket was being closed. Colonel 1ngersoll
stood near the head OF tho coifin, and In
voice filled with emotion said:
"Again we are face to face with the great
mystery that shrouds this world. We ques-
ton, but there is no reply; out on the Wide,
waste sea, there drifts no spar. Over the
desert of death the sphinx gazes forever, but
heart has ceased TO beat. Night has fallen
upon noon, but he lived, he loved, he was
loved. Wife and children pressed 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, genor.
GUS neighbor, an honest man, and these words
build a monument OF glory above the
humblest grave. He was always child, sin
cere and frank, as full Of hope as spring. He
divided all time into to-day and tomorrow.
Tomorrow was without cloud, and OF to-
was my friend. He will remain so. The liv-
Ing oft become estranged; the dead are true.
He was not q Christian. In the Eden OF his
hope there did not crawl and coll the serpent
solved the, problems Of the world. He
accepted r., the ~, philosophy PIP, OF Augnste
race the Supreme Being. In that Supreme
Being he rested. He believed that we are
1or what WE enjoy tb 70 the ,ne
and that as we have plucked the fruit or
what others planted, we in thankfulness
ehould plant for others yet to be. With him
immortality was the eternal consequences of
his own good acts. He believed that every
good thought, every DISTINGUISHED deed
hastcns the harvest OF universal good. This is
religion that enriches poverty, that enables
us to bear the SORROWS of the saddest life;
that peoples oven solitude with the happy
millions yet to be; religion born not OF
sel1shness and fear, but OF love and hope; the
religion that digs wells to Stake the thirst OF
others, that gladly bears the burdens Of the
unborn. In the presence of death how beliefs
words and deeds burst into blossoml Pluck
from the tree OF any life these flowers and
there remain but the barren thorns OF bigotry
and creed. All wish for happiness beyond
this life; all hope to meet again the loved and
lost. In every heart there grows this sacred
flower no Of eternal !. hope; immortality is word
pering to love. The miracle OF thought we
cannot understand. The mystery OF death
and hope we cannot comprehend. This chaos
called the world has never been explained
The golden bridge of life from gloom emerges,
and on shadow rests. Beyond this we do not
know. Fate Is speechless' destiny is dumb,
told. We love; we walt; we hope. The
more we love, the more we fear. Upon the
tenderest heart the deepest shadows fall. All
paths, whether filled with thorns or flowers,
end here. Here success and failure are the
same. The rag OF wretchedness and the
purple robe Of power lose difference and dis
t1nction in this democracy of death. Charac.
ter alone survives; goodness alone lives; love
alone is immortal; but to all there comes a
time when the fevered lips of life long for the
cool, delicious kiss of death. Tired OF the
dust and glare of day, they hear with 10y the
rustlipg garments Of the night. What can
We cay OF death What can We say Of the
dead? Where they have gone, reason can.
not go, and from thence revelation has not
come. But let us believe that over the cradle
nature bends and smiles, and lovingly above
the dead in benediction holds her outstretched
hands,"
At the conclusion of the address Mr.. W. R.
Speare had the casket placed In an outside
box of oak, and the pall-bearers, Senator Van
Wyck, Judge j. ]. Noah, Hon. It. B. Murch, DR..
II. n. Howard, Professor Henry Ulke, Mr.. d.
D. Lum, Mr.. W. W. Jackson and Colonel r. l..
De Akers, bore their silent burden to the
hearse. 1t was placed on the $3.50 p. m. train
and carried to Port Jervis, N. Y. where inter.
ment Will be had.