National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-03
GONE TO HIS REST


the Funeral OF Rev. John VI. BROOKS.
The funeral oftho late Rev. John II. Brooks,
pastor of the Fifth Baptist church, took place
yesterday afternoon at the church, on Yer
mont avenue, near street. The front of the
huge building was heavily droped in black
rom all the windows, aud inside, both In the
church room and The sunday school room be-
Meath the affairs, galleries, and columns were
draprd and wrcathcd heavily with tho same
signs Oi woo.
The body, which was in n handsome rose.
wood caskct with oval top, fitted with large
plate glass at the head, rested I'LL of the morn
ing aud until | o'clock In the afternoon In the
hnFmcnt room, where the remains were
viewed by many hundreds. who were permit
ted to pass through for the purpose. soon
aHer r. IN. the cnskCt was removed to the
audience room above and PLACED on trcstlcs
before the pulpit the pallbCmcrs taking their
seats IN row between the pulpit aud the
remains, Tho pallbcarcrs were George Thorn
ton, the senior deacon, and ,iohn Laws deacon,
representing the church; Rev. James RoDin'
son, pastor Of Salon Mission; Rev. Noah jack
son, Mount Hall church; Rev Fielding Robin.
son, White Oak Branch church; Rev. X. y
Holmes, Rev. shelton Miller, and Rev. Albert
Owens. The palibcarcIs and the male
mouruCrs kept their hats on during the entire
ceremonies ut the church, all other men IN
the great CONGREGATION being uncovered.
The church was completely nlled long be-
fore o'clock, the hour at which the cerc-
MONIES began not an inch Of available space
remaining unOCCupled. The clcrgymcn OF
COlorcd churches IN shc district and neighhor-
hood who were present numbered over Nv
aud uis without rcgn'1 to denomination, show
ing the esteem IN Which the dead pastor was
held by his brethren. The number present
inside the church could not have been far from
I 500 floor aud bruHd galleries alike being
packed 20 that the steps of the pulpit ana inc
choir gallery were enCrUachCd upon.
Outside the church the scene was one seldom
seen here, or perhaps anywhere in the union,
on such M OCCASION. The broad avenue from
site, where Twelfth street clnhOuches We're
filled with dense mass of humanity, and the
vast crowd extended well into the adjacent
squares, especially where trees or dwellings
kavC a hint of shade. within the square
where the church stands judges of great
crowds estimated tho number at from 5000 TO
800 and there must have been iully 2WO
more in tho adjacent street. These vast
crowds were the overflow OF those who came to
puy their respects to the dead teacher OF the
Word who were unable to obtain Ambulance
10 the church. The struggle for admission was
so great that ii was only by the most energetic
efforts Of very strong police detail, mounted
and foot, aiding the church officers, that a Sc
riOus disaster from the crush was ayerteds
The crowd was so great that vendors ci
Lemonade and cutables established themselves
al various usnts and drove a good trade with
tho quietly wliting thousands outside: Among
re waiting Outsiders there was much discus
ION on nccOunt Of the decision OF the church
authorities not TO permit the funeral TO become
r grand public display, and refusing TO allow
any Of the many charitable and benevolent
societies among tho cOlorcd people here to join
publicly in the ceremonies ut the church or
grave, or In the procession that followed the
remains to their last rest, yet there was no dis
order. though with some the disappointment
was very great.
In the church the ceremonies began
promptly at . p. NJ, as announced, conducted
by Rov. William Gibbons, pastor of Zion
Baptist church, who was assisted by Rev.
Temple $. Robinson, of Mount Jezreel Baptist,
and II number OF others. The choir was largely
augmented for the occasion. and sang the
hymns that formed a prominent part Of the
services with u sweetness that seems peculiar
to the colored people. Prayers, singing, and
addresses followed in n long programme which
had been arranged by the church authorities,
and II was after O'Clock when Rev Mr.. Glib.
bOns began the funeral sermon. One of the
| prayers, by Il South Washington clergyman,
brought ont the emotional religious character
peculiar to the race Involuntarily the voice
of the Clergyman assumed the tones of ftlne-
| raj chant, the voice rising and falling with
the grand music of the Gregorian methods, and
| to this the impossible audience answered in
wailing responses of sorrow or shouts of
exultation as the prayer mourned The ne
translation to q better sphere. An address,
read by one of the assisting clergymen, gave a
| sketch of the life of the deceased, detailing
| his birth in Virginia In 1880, his settlement
here, and the establishment of this church
among the hosts OF freedmen cncamped in the
now populous and well built neighborhood in
| 1866, and his work until disease laid him low,
when the church roll will show $50 members
The funeral Grafton which followed u long
| series of addresses or farewells from the
mourning congregation was brief, but 1t was
far on toward o'clock when the procession
moved to the Young Mems burying ground, at
the head of Nineteenth street west, where the
interment took place. .,...r.