Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-30
A WHITE FUNERAL.

h,iii0r Dcscrct Ncisg
| can remember, ms n Il we're but
yesterday. the flrst funeral ever at.
tended. can recall but little else, for
| could not have bceu more than four
or i've years Of age.
The service was for the burial Of u
man who had died very suddenly. He
was very large, strong, active man
In middle life. For several days he
had been suffering from from severe
cold. In spasm OF coughing au
artery broke aud he sunocaled
from hcmorrhagc. lic left n
large family. He was widely
known. There was an Immense Father.
Ing ut the funeral. The service was
conducted bya Prcsbyier anora Baiti 1
minister, | am not certain which, but
think, from the nature ofn hymn, some
lines Of which stlll lingcr IN my
memory, that II must have been 4
Presbyterian.
How the blackncs. Of the assembly
fixed itself upon my hralnl Men,
women and children were black from,
head TO foot. Tho only relief was the
pale faces OF tho m0urnens seen occn.
alonally, ~ they raised their black
wells 10 wipe away tho tears
that strcanle1 from their ewes.
The dead man, though Torn
and reared In tho church, Ind never
formally become mcmbur, and this
fact made tho occasion more sombre.
| can remember that mau. Ho wns n
man Who's heart was oven larger. n
possible, than his great body, Id vns
known for bis kinlncss 10 the poor.
Ills hcarthstons had always welcome
ana warm corner for the needy and
none ever went hungry from his doors.
Hut The TACT that he had died with.
out joining a church; the fact that he
had gone IN Ills prime with no time 10
make religious profession OF faith,
nhsuc MS FUNERAL 20 sad that II
has remained indelibIe In my memory.
can recall The preacher, as black ~
the people, .portraying the torments OF
me DAMNED That must certainly he In.
iot OF MI who died without the church.
can hear tue sobs Of the wife and the
children OF that dead man. They conld
not but believe that Ind gone 10 hell.
even whlle they remembered, In their
agony, how good n father anu husband
he hal been. remember tho hymn
That closed tho services. II began:
In the cold grave TO which We haste.
There are no acts ~ pardon passed,
Hut nSed the doom of all remains.
Ana everlasting silence rcigns.
! remember my father leading mo nv
the hand ~ he went TO the coffin 10 look
farewell upon the face Of the lead. and
eau recall my childish wonder thnt INV
fathers eyes should al with t,nrs oy,.r
the man who was not II his family. wns
too young 10 feel the strain upon IN,
valves " sympathy. Hut Il was a horrI.
hle experience, DO not wonder that I'm
later life | came 10 doubt all theuIogv
that portrayed God US a being wha
could condemn 10 eternal tofm.nis
men aud women vino had lived prod
useful ana clean lives outside OF IN.
churches and exalt 10 eternal bllsrt Tins.
who hnd been hypocritcs inside N
them. have spoken over The d.s,,
many a time since that day In nv
childhood and think that experience
M. always come up In my memory 10
ncIp mo speak wof,ls Oi comfort 10 those
who mourned.
ihe whpie of the black misery OF
that day iOse before me rs | aat In I'M,
tabernacle ON sunday aud listened 10
the services over the I,mnlus M
'Brother' Wells. What n CONTRAST
How pleasing the change. What "A
progress ! saw In my lifetime In Tho
conducting Of funeral. Here theTe
was nowhere 10 be seen the black e,n.
blem. Of Woe. II was a WHITE puS.
hhALi The decorations were white.
the caskvt was white, the music was
white with tho sweetness OF ten.
der consolation and the nddre,sos
were white with love, esteem and
Insurance for the doad = Low.
aud esteem for his worth IA u man ami
assurance OF his we'll being and well.
uoing whittier he had gone. II was ali |
very beautiful. Thc whole occasion
wls one that kept my eyes brinming |
WIN tears, not OF sorrow, not Of dread, |
put OF that deep satisfaction that rose |
Al slglt OF a vast ASSEMBLY, liking la.y..