The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-03-06
Strange Funeral.

patton.
Strange Funeral.
A MINISTER WHO PREACHED A SERMON
OVER HIS OWN CORPSE.
NEW YORK, Feb. 25.--Who ever before
heard of dead man preaching his fune-
raj sermon over his own remains?
That occurred yesterday.
Furthermore, the dead wife of the
corpse sang hymns over the coffin.
For the past four years the Rev. Thos.
Allen Horne had resided at Larchmont,
and spending the declining years of his
life attending to little farm. In sum-
mer he watched with pleasure the yachts
sailing and steaming about the Sound.
Eight months ago his wife, the partner
of thirty seven years of his life, was car
ried to the grave.
But to him she was still alive, and of
ten at evening the sweet sounds of her
beautiful voice pealed forth, singing the
hymn:
1--WE shall meet once more
=
Latterly Mr.. Horne had been laid up
with pneumonia, and last Friday he ex-
pired at the age of seventy-seven.
He had left explicit instructions as to
his burial and the services to be held
over his remains, and yesterday his din
ing room and parlor were filled with
mourners who had come to pay respect
to his memory.
Shortly after 1 o'clock the ceremony
commenced, and from the table was
heard the sound of an angelic voice sing
ing that beautiful hymn:
"a few more years shall roll,
A few more seasons come,
And we shall be with those
In the land beyond the SUM-"
For some time a feeling of superstitious
awe pervaded the apartment, as many
distinctly recognized the voice of Mrs.
Horne, but when they perceived that it
came through a photograph they grew
more composed, though many wept as
they recalled the owner of that sweet
voice.
AS soon as the hymn was over Charles
Horne, q nephew of the deceased, made
some alterations in the machine and in
serted roll that contained the funeral
sermon of his uncle, uttered by himself.
Seldom has a more impressive one
been listened to. 1t sounded so weird
that two ladies tainted and had to be
carried out.
The well-remembered voice of the de-
ceased clergyman told of how at the
time that his audience would hear him
he would be in that land
Where the wicked cease from troubling
And the weary be at rest"
He went on to say that he would have
passed the portals of ignorance and
would have entered that existence where
there would be no further mystery, but
where all things would have been made
plain.
1t is usual at a funeral to eulogise the
dead, and the pastor who breaches the
sermon seldom touches on the deceased
mans faults, but faithfully carries out
the old preeept: DE mortuis nil nisi
bonum.n
On this occasion the virtues of the
dead man were left alone, and instead
there was a long list Of faults enumera-
ted, for which the mourners were asked
to pray for Gods pardon.
There was a stop, and the nephew put
in another roll.
The voice took up the address where
it had left off.
1t enum Grated the virtues of the de-
ceased wife and prayed God that the
speaker might be considered worthy to
become member of that portion of
Gods kingdom where she might be en-
thrOned.
AT this point of the address the voice
of the deceased had evidently broken
down, and from the instrument the ter
rible sounds Of a strong man weeping
and unable to restrain himself broke out
with terrible realistic force, and caused
shudder of horror among those who
were present at this extraordinary SER
vice.
The next few sentences were uttered
in broken voice, and prayed God that
if it pleased Him to remove the speaker
by sudden death or to take him away
in the usual manner, he would consider
prayers after death as efficacious as
those before.
At the close of his address he called
upon his hearers to join him and his
wife in singing the hymn, "There is
Better Land"
The nephew arranged two instruments
on the table and at once the soprano of
the wife and the baritone of the hus-
band joined together in singing. Several
of the audience tried to join in the hymn,
hut their woes were choked with emo
ton and they were unable to proceed.
The interment took place in Woodlawn
cemetry. After the coffin had been low
cred into the grave the impressive bu-
rial service of the Episcopal church was
read over it, still in the voice of the de-
ceased.
The end came without hitch, the
final words being: "God grant that in
the sweet by and by we may all meet in
that beautiful land.'
The Rev. Thomas Horne was q familiar
figure to the yachtsmen of Larchmont,
and on any summer day he might be
seen with his green spectacles, broad
straw hat and sun umbrella sitting on
the east cliff in the vicinity of the old
clubhouse reading his book.
Remember that Ayers Cherry Pectoral
has no equal as a specific for colds,
coughs and all affections of the throat
and lungs. For nearly half a century it
has been in greater demand than any
other remedy for pulmonary complaints,
All druggists have it for sale
Piles Piles! itching Piles.
SYMPTOMs-Moi intense itching
and singing; most at night; worse by
scratching. If allowed to continue tu-
mors form, which often bleed and ulcer
ate, becoming very sore. SwAYNE's
OINTMENT stops the itching and bleed
I, 1c