New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-27
MR.. PALMER'S BODY IN ASHES.
COLONEL INGERsoLL'S GRAFTON.


| liefs, who listened 10, the burning words witt
which Colonel Robert G.. Ingersoll consecrated hi
| dead fellow Free Thinkers memory, and then re
manned TO take part in the private religious service
conducted by the Rev. r Heber Newton. Th
house was crowded TO the doors Stairway nnt
hallway were filled with people. The coffin LAY
in the front parlor, with few wreaths OF dower
about it, and the face of the dead man was uncov
cred The near relatives Of Mr. Palmer had seat
in the passage on the second floor. They were Mrs
Palmer, Charles P. Palmer, Courtlandt Palmer, jr.
Miss Mary Palmer Miss Eva Palmer
Miss Annie Palmer, Robert Amory Palmer
r S. Palmer and e. H. Dickson. Amone
the friends on the lower floor were Mayor
Hewitt DR.. Gottheil. of the Temple EMANUEL
J. NJ HILL the theatrical manager; J. Hoffman,
DR.. Robert Able, Mr.. Palmers family physician
James Forster. secretary Of the Palmer estate
John L. O'Sullivan, ex-Minister to Portugal a
prominent figure in the Diss Debar case, and
leader among the mystics Thaddeus b. Wake
man, Mr. Palmer's close friend and associate IN
" free thought Abram Wakcman. D. Greenleaf
Thompson, formerly vice-presdcnt Of the Nine
tenth Century Club and now elected By the Gov
erning Committee to be president OF the club until
May; Mrs. Henry Draper, G. L. Vernam, OF the
Morton House; Mr.. Alexander, the artist; Frank
D. Carpenter Mrs. r G. Ingersoll, Marc Edltz, the
architect; George II. Forster, president of the
Beard of Aldermen Assistant District-Attorney
Jerome, Samuel Fisher. Macgrane Coke, Benjamin
S. Church, Mrs. Hayden, Mrs. Raymond, Moncure
d. Conway, Cyrus Butler Mrs c. D. Wallace, Dr.
F. B. Robertson, Edgar Fawcett, Wilson Melon
aid, John G.. HUM, Judge S. Lachmann, Dr. W. A
Dwinelle, Dr. Foote, William Oppenheimer, Mrs
Lille Devereux Blake, Excise Commissioner An
-. Il. Invt
ury Club
HE HAD DICTATED THE ARRANGEMENTS HIM
SELF
The arrangements for the funeral had been
outlined by Courtlandt Palmer before his death.
His wishes observed in almost every particu-
lar. There was one slight deviation, however.
" shall not be buried from any Christian church,
he wrote in his letter to Colonel Ingersoll, nor
do wish any Christian hymn sung. Let the
song be paean of triumph But the beautiful
and sympathetic voice of Macgrane Coke sang
the sweet Song of the Evening STAR from
Tannhauser, before the sgnostics Grafton, and
" Lead Kindly Light" of the sweetest of
Christian hymns, after the minister's eulogy.
When the last notes of Wagners song stole
through the hushed house. the silence was broken
by the voice of Robert G. Ingersoll lie assembled
a few steps of the stairway, leaned on the balus-
trade, and said in low, clear tones:
My Friends: thinker Of pure thoughts speaker OF
words doer Of generous deeds has reached the
that all the dead have reached and where the
voyage of every life end and his. friends, who
Fastening after him. met TO do the last
kind acts that do for man-to tell his virtues to
lay with tenderness and tears his ashes in the sacred place
OF rest and peace Some has said that in the
hands of death And only what they gave away. Let
believe that pure thoughts brave words and generous
die Let believe that they bear fruit
and add forever the we'll being OF the human that
selfdenyng life increases tho moral wealth Of man and
gives future VIII be grander than the
past.
In the monotony Of subservence and the multitude OF
blind followers nothing is inspiring than free and
independent mind. who gives and asks reasons one
demands freedom and gives what he demands who
refuses to be slave or master such man was Courtnd
Palmer to whom pay the tribute Of respect and love-
A TRIBUTE TO HIS HONESTY.
He was honest man. He gave tho rights he claimed
This the foundation which he built To think for
himself give his thought to ohers-thls privilege
md right, duty and Joy with him lie believed in
PERSONAL independence and manhood He protected the
children Of tho brain from the Herod OF authority lie
the realm OF the brain from the brute force of
superstition.
lie investigated for himself maiorites nothing
i'm; could be old enough plausible enough
ribe his judgment lie a believer in intellectual
hospitality He insisted that those who spoke should
ear, those who questioned should answer
houd strive for victory others but for the
discovery of truth and that that TRUTH when found should
g welcomed by every human soul. lie knew that truth
fear Of investigation that It loves the day. He
that its enemies tigory fear and darkness that
S friends arc freedom, bravery and light
WHERE HE FOUND HIS CREED.
In the positive philosophy OF Auguste Comte he found
is creed, and rest serenity, cOntentmen He felt that
living indebted the noble dead. and that each
lould pay his debt he should pay it by extending
best Of his the good that has been done.
should be the bearer OF the truth This
gion Of deed within the reach Of man. within the cir
Inference OF the unknown, religion understood by the
lad and proved by the heart religion that appealed
ason. 1t was a religion develop the civilization OF
human By enlightenment and education by teach
& each be noble enough live for all This is the
,spe man. gospel OF this world this is the religion
humanity This is the philosophy which contemplates
1t with scorn but with pity, with admiration and with
We.
He denied the supernatural the phantoms and ghosts
no filed deluded land Of fear, There but
Ncion for him-s religion Of pure thoughts,
BILE words, selfdenyng deeds-the religion Of
,pe and help. History his prophet,
ason his guide duty his deity happiness his end in.
llgence the He knew that man must be the
evidence OF He did not believe in religion and
lence, but in the religion OF science. He lived and
bored for his fellow-man de welcomed light His
&c was ever turned toward the east
According 70 his light he lived The world was his
untry TO do good his religion There is no language
express nobler creed than this nothing grander
mprehensiye, perfect lie was AFRAID 70 DO |
ong and therefore he not afraid TO die He knew
end was near; he knew his work was done he stood
thin the deepening twilight knowing that for the last
ne the gold fading from the west and that there
aid not fall within his the trembling lustre Of
other dawn. He knew the night coming. but In
II night the memory OF deeds shone Like
words can pay a tribute to the man who lived his
al who was turned aside neither by envy nor hatred,
, contumely nor SANDER, nor scorn nor fear.
Nv the cradle Of stands the angel OF sorrow. Z
n dies leaf falls In the distant forest babe is born,
, the world sweeps No tell which is
er-life with its glores Its GOgothas. or
th with peace. rest cold and placid brow, and no
Inory pain.
At this point Colonel Ingersoll raised his arms
owe the rapt faces of his hearers and stretching
TIL his hands toward the coffin, exclaimed: !
FAREWELL dear friend The world is better for your
Farewell dear friend The world is better for your
we death Farewell We loved you Living, and We love
now I!
Colonel Ingersoll then recited poem, entitled I,