The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-22
Eloquent Sermon without Religion
MARKS the Occasion-Judge Junius
Rochesfer's Words OF Praise.

dence at Fremon at ] O'clock and escorted
the remains and Mr. Boman's family 10
the Chamber OF Commerce, where the
body was placed in the reception room,
surrounded by a number Of floral wreaths
and other tributes. There about 200 former
friends OF Mr. Boman had asseInbl n majority of
them being fellow-members of the Washington
Secular Union. of which he was n director and
treasurer All the rooms on the ground fioor as
well as the entrance hall, were crowded.
The ceremony opened with solo selected from
several hymns and beautifully rendered by Miss
Houghton. The funeral Grafton was then deiiv-
cred by G. b. Reynolds, secretary of the Wash
ington Secular Union who spoke With much
feeling, his voice often betraying deep emotion.
He said:
In the presence Of dcnth how beliefs and
dogmas wither and decay. Character alone sur
mortal.
s.As fond mother, when the day Is DER,
leads BY the hand her little child 10 bed,
Hall willing, half reluctant TO be led,
And leaves his broken playthings on the floor,
stu gazing Mt them through the open door,
Nor wholly rcassnred and colnforted
BY promises OF others In their stead,
Which, tho more splendid, may not please him
more,
50 Nature deals with us, and takes away
Our playthngs; one by one, and By the hand
Leads us to rest so gently that we 60
Scarce knowing II We wish 20 go or stay
Being too full OF sleep TO understand
The what we know"
Denth ~ a wonderful equalizer Saint or sim
ncr, iniidel or Christian. death enters all homes
We do not much wonder when our neighbors
our own home we stand appalled, Then indeed
we realize we are all travellers on the
same Journey, OF life, and, OH how
much we need each others love aud SYM
pathy. When the grim messenger laws
his rcmorsclcss hands upon orr loved ones our
hearts arc. saddened, numbed with grief the
der and our hearts bleed In our weak human
1ty we moan and sob, and tears blind our eyes
il seems TO us the sun OF our life is darkened for
ever, the sky of memory enshrouded In the dark
pail OF night, the stars OF peace blotted from the
armament of our future.
Yet we know the whitest foam dances upon
est when surrounded by the blacklist thunder
clouds. Joy and sorrow make up the lot of our
natural existence. Today the clouds OF doubt
may skirt the horizon and obscure the meridian
Of our fond authorizations Adverse winds NAV
blow and the storms of misfortune rage
But soon the angel OF light and loveliness,
Hope, will Irvine the sweetest roses round our
sorrow bowed. aching heads, aud dress ND for us
bower of future happiness, festooning il with
the choicest of elysian flowers. The dark cell OF
dcspairing grief has always at least one tiny pin
hole to let the glory of hope shine In.
II Is wonderful to the mourner how the soul,
II frst snllenly repelling the light of gladness,
admits thcfrst. one little ray OF hope uneon.
sciously, apd Is so soon beguiled into n blessed
state Of calIn resignation to the inevitable.
Joy and sbrrow are the beautiful forms Of sim
pathy In which hope appears as a gracious angel
lowering over the sorrowfIl OF earth.
Death Isl the inevitable law OF nature. Let us
calmly realize IL, and go forward in hope and
persevcranfe, relying on our own indomitablc
L. auQ energy All we shall find long, broad
ADn4hNfnt~fHcccs OF comfort among the shreds
strewn in lifcs pathway. Only let us be sure To
gather them as we 60: pass them not by, or we
lose them forever. There Is no retracing our
steps In the journey OF life. We pass over the
road but once. Oh let us be careful, watchfui,
70 DO all the good we cam help Others all we can,
20 that at the end OF the journey hearts shall
not be burdened with regrets for opportunities
neglected.
Life and death are essential conditions. ON
every side we see life and death, organization
and decomposition, formation and decay, follow
ing each other as regularly as day and night
spring, summer, autumn and winter. But for
errors of our education we should look calmly
on death as q simple condition OF nature, neither
70 be feared, desired or dreaded.
When our loved ones die we weep and mourn
We do so pity them. Yet is not much OF our
SORROW selhshe Not for those at peace, calmly
sleeping, swcetiy resting. their labor DER, their
work accomplished, need We weep.
Our broth lived most useful life, his work
well and faithfully done. Today he is at rest
sleeps the eternal sleep OF peace. Yet our hearts
are sad. Tears I'LL our eyes; we are bereaycd
The dear companionship, the wise counsel, the
true sympathy, the ready help, his loving minis.
trations are lost to US. But tor our dead, all is
well with them. Ia the language of Eliza Cook:
!. lis long, tits a last, tbs a beautiful rest,
When all sorrow is passed from the brow aud the
breast;
And the lone spirit truly and wisely may crave
The sleep that is drcamess, the sleep OF the
grave"
Dead--resolved back TO the clements from
whence we came We shall not utterly cease TO
exist, for we survive in the love and fond aztec
ton OF those near aud dear 10 us. We live in
the memory OF those our lives have benefited II
we have done justly, loved mercy, sought To
promote the welfare and happiness OF our fellow
creatures, shall live, our influence be felt and
our memory cherished by those we have by gen
erous act or utterance oil enobling thought or
brave example, cheered or inspired to nobler,
happier more useful lives. There is real peace
and joy-true comfort in the last hour oil lie if
we know we have done well and that the good
accomplished viii exert its influence for all
time. No noble act, no generous impulse of the
breast has ever pcIished.
Superstition has taught us 10 fear death In
health tue thought of tine gave 10 many is hor.
fible. But when age or utscgsc have brought
decrepitude, when there Is na0ght but severe
pain ana suffering, then, oh SO weary, YOU long
for rest, Tor peace, the end; ior sieep-the calm,
peaceful. eternal sleep of the grave that knows
no awakening; trouble, pain, sorrow, ended for
ever.
We arc assembled TO do honor TO the memory
of true, brave heart. His constant aim was 70
promote others happiness. Ia the cause OF hu-
snanity, the advancement OF universal mental
liberty, the defense of the wronged, in behalf OF
the principles of right our brother had the couF-
age 81 lion. For those who sorrowed or SUI
fered he had heart as kind aud sympathetic
~ that OF the most gentle woman,
Ferry, Hamilton county, near CHATTANOOGA
Tenn May -, isf4 His relatives, all his friends
were devoted 60 the cause al the South. His
father, loyal TO the Union, had, Just before his
death, exacted promise fTom each of his boys
that they would never take up arms against the
union Al his relatives, On the outbreak oi the
rebellion, sided With the south. Ills bruthers
Joined the Confederate army and tried every
means first to persuade, then 10 eoerce, But hls
Royalty 10 his father, his respect Tor his plighted
word, his sense of justice, his tender pity Ter
the oppressed, induced him 90 forsake home
fortune. kindred, friends, aud enter the ranks
Of the Union army % do battle fer Justice and lib
crty. HE enlisted February, lSe2, III the Fourth
Tennessee Infantry, was brave anu faithful
soldier, and was honorably discharged June,
lst5.
friends or capital save his own iudomltable
energy, industry and integrity, Never afraid or
ashamed ri honest toll ne worked hard, prac-
uced economy. invested his savings IN real
estate and from the very smallest ol iudieious in
vesnncnts, by his keen foresight, Integrity aud
locTalisy, he aiiaSsets competency. csltb
only gave opportunity 70 graniE MS heneNolenec.
The wealthy respected, the Po0E dearly loved
him.
You all know his life The very worst that
can be said 81 hisn--he dared IN think Tor him
self and give utterancc 60 his honest convictions.
he worshipei at the shrine OF truth MS god was
nature; his church all humanity; his creed
sustice-.justice tempered with mercy, his motto.
Put yourself ia his places his constant endeayor
TO make all around him happy, he read, studied.
thought for himself. He re!osCei Ia the glorious
freedom and enoblng truths Of liberalism, bat
seorned the empty professions o. talth. the
eigotry. the Intolerance and the tana1c4Sn OF
the church. lie had only contempsuo1s gecrn
Tor the false claims OF divinity, but the tenderest
eosnpassson, the most willing. liberal help Tor
The needs OF suffering humanity.
lie was an tnhdei aud had the courage 70
syow L.
ttnSHfe 70 step aside from the popular current
g oxAet. aud dare Ia tAink fox themselves oar
1''aes eea;ssed. and his lie iUsslaed his bs.