The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-04-16
The situation at Morewood.
SCOTTISH RITE SERVICES.
Impressive Ceremonies over the Re-
mains of Gen. Albert Pike.

Impressive Ceremonies over the Re-
mains of Gen. Albert Pike.
WASHINGTON, April 13.-Long before
midnight hundreds of people had gath
cred in front of the First Congrega-
tional church to witness the midnight
services over the remains of the late
Gen. Albert Pike. So dense was the
| crowd that it was with great difficulty
that the bearers of the casket from the
Scottish Rite sanctuary could force
their way into the church, followed by
the long line of Masons who wished to
pay high honor to the deceased brother.
1t was quarter of an hour after mid
night before services began.
The scene in the church was preculiarly
solemn, the hour of night, the assem-
bled knights and the somber trappings
combined to make an impressive picture.
The walls Of the church were crowded
with black cloth, while on a catafalque
on platform extending out twenty feet
from the pulpit was the casket contain
ing the body of the deceased knight.
There were nine candlesticks, four feet
in heil tn, in three triangles, on the east,
we st and south of the casket, each hav-
ing upon it a lighted candle. Otherwise
the large church was unliglfted. On
the upper end of the casket was a
chaplet of white roses, and below it was
the insignia of the order and the sword
OF the deceased knight in its scabbard.
Upon a table near the coffin was skull
wreathed with evergreens, surrounded
by seven large candlesticks, bearing no
| lights. AT the head Of the casket stood
great iron cross painted black.
| All was quiet as death as he said: "It
is midnight and a new day begins for
us. Our brother has finished his earthly
probation. Death is the inexorable
creditor whose indulgence nothing in
the world can purchase. Every moment
that sees newborn child laugh at the
light sees also man die and hears the
CRY OF a breaking heart and the lamenta-
| uons OF those who sit lonely and in the
desolation of afiliction, no longer seeing
the faces Of dearly loved ones. Round
the little island Of our being, on which
we follow our various pursuits of
toll or craft, of usefulness or mis-
| chief, throbs the illimitable ocean
of eternity upon which, round the isle,
a broad circle of impenetrable darkness
brooding lies. But beyond that zone
the other ocean sparkles, and its white
crested waves dance in the light, and
somewhere in the distance the islands Of
the blessed are dreaming, girdled by the
peaceful waters. Here, in our present
home, we live our little life, waiting to
be called to other duties elsewhere, and
one by one our loved ones and our cher
ished friends glide away from us unseen
and are swallowed up in the darkness,
which is the shadow Of the broad wings
| of death "
The beautiful but weird services were
continued by taking the chaplet from
the temples Of the dead knight, the cross
from the breast, the cords from the feet
and the hands, and then in succession
the attendants approached the casl1et,
and laid his right hand upon the eyes,
cheek, mouth, heart, hands and feet,
each repeating blefsing When the
last attendant had touched the body OF
the dead, the light was turned up, and
after all had left the church the remains
Were carried back TO the Scottish Rite
teInnle..
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