The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-04-18
THE FAITH OF UNBELIEF.
Col. IngersOlTs Eloquent OratiOn Over the
COfnn of an InddeL

COnun OF
WASHINGTON, April 17.-Funeral SER
vices were held yesterday over the re-
mains Of John Mills, private secretary
of Representative Murch Of Maine, who
died Saturday Of pneumonia. Mills was
a Free.thinker in religion, and the ora
tiOn over his remains was delivered by
Col. Robert IngersOll, who said he never
before was more overcome by his feel
ings. After he concluded his remarks
the coffin was replaced and screwed
down, during which another solemn
dirge was played upon the piano. The
remains were then taken to the Balti-
more 8 Potomac Depot in time for the
night train to New York, Col. IngeTsOll
going with other friends Of the dead to
see them OF.
Following is the full text of Col. In
gefsolHs OratiOn:
'sAgain we are face to face with the
great mystery that shrOudS this world.
We question, but there Is no reply. Out
on the wide waste Of seas there drifts
no spar. Over the desert of death the
sphinx gazes forever but never speaks.
In the very May Of life another heart
upon noon, but he lived; he loved, and
was loved. Wife and children pressed
their kisses to his lips. This is enough.
The longest life contains no more. This
iIls the vase of joy. He who lies here
clothed with the perfect peace Of death
was kind and loving husband, good
father, generous neighbOr, an
honest man: and these words build q
monument of glory above the humblest
grave. He was always a child, sincere
and frank; as fnll OF hope as spring. He
divided all time into day and to- morrow.
Tomorrow was without cloud, and Of
tomorrow he borrowed sunshine for
to-day. He was my friend. He will re-
main so. That the living often become
estran ged from the dead Is true. He was
not a Christian. 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 pro-
philosophy Of Auguste COmte. Humanity
was his god; the human race the Su-
preme Being. In that Supreme Being
he rested. He believed that we are In
debted 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
thankfulness, should plant for others
yet to be. With him Immortality was
the eternal consequence of his good
acts. He believed that every good
thought, every disinterested deed hastens
the harvest Of universal good. This is
a religion that enriehes poverty; that
enables us to bear the sorrOws of the
saddest life that peoples even solitude
with the happy millions yet to be; re-
ligiOn born, not of selfishness and fear,
but Of love and hope that gladly bears
the burdens Of the unborn.
"In the presence Of death how beliefs
and dogmas Wither and decay; how low
| ing words and deeds burst and blossom.
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 grows this sacred flower of
eternal hope. Immortality is a hope
| that hope through all the ages has been
whispering to love. The miracle Of
thought we cannot understand. The
mystery of death and hope we cannot
understand. The mystery Of death and
hope we cannot comprehend. This chaos
/ to the world has never been explained.
The golden bridge Of life from gloom
emerges, and our shadow rests. Beyond
this we do not know. Fate is speech
less. destiny Is dumb, and the secret of
the future has never yet been told. We
love; We wait; we hope. The more we
| love, the more we fear; upon the tender
| est 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 wretch
edness and the purple robe Of power lose
difference and distinction In this Demo
cracy Of death; character alone survives,
goodness alone survives; love alone is
Immortal. But to these comes Q time
when the favored lips OF life long for
the cool, delicious kiss Of death. Tired