Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-02-12
HIGH TO THE SKY
Il Where Suicide Hlrth's Ashes
Have Gone.
MS OWN FUNERAL SERMON
The Anasrhiss Leaves . sesss1 Dshlsd
Which Il Read ~ the Door ef
ths crsmssory.


DrTRoIr, Mich, Feb. 1.-THE body
Of Frank Hirth. the anarchist who
committed suicide by taking morphine
on Wednesday. was cremAted yesisr-
day afternoon, IN accordance with the
wishes # the dead man. HE ashes
will not he preserved IN IN urn. but ~
his own request will be scattered 10 the
four winds.
Hlrth had always had socialistic
tendencies. and WAS very active in the
movement 10 Chicago for soma time
preceding the Hsymarket rsotA Al
that time he was arrested on suspicion
OF writing most tinflsmmatory articles in
Spies paper. but no damaging evidence
WAS found against him and be vas dis
charged. The dead man left funeral
sermon which he had written himseif
and which he wished to be read at the
furnace door just before his body was
incinerated.
The sermon 10 ~ foilowG Here ]
am NJ the furnace of Natures work.
snop! Having been known in life As
Frank Hirth. born IN th town of Wh.
hngen In tpe grand dueny of Baden. in
Germany, l have resolved on the dis
solution OF my mental and physicsal
heing. Desiring . change of station In
this unbounded universe, Of which l
constitute but an infinitely small part.
| nave extingulshed my earthly exist
ence by my own hand.
shoald Not Bs Criticised.
Lo, . suicide and . crank and cow
ard, some weak-minded person may
call out. May be the outburst Of some
one who introduces himself to the
crcdulous public as one OF the elect
and special agent Of some defied mon-
stroslty. TIE Lord. ~ he terms An un-
known image, has smitten with mad
mesa for his unbelief. Vel, let those
whose bravery in an humble submis-
SION TO all the woes and Ills Of earthly
life, without being seif-sustaining and
= mystery TO their immediate sur
roundings, not be criticised for their
action.
But If going into death deliberately
and with peaceful seIf-possession OF
mind which leaves no doubt Of It's
good purpose 10 an act Of cowardice.
then all the human records "a this re-
spect need just revision.
Al to those who find II madness aud
punishment going from physical pain
and disability, together with all the
other mlseries dependent thereon, TO
eternal rect, and from social environ
ments 10 the domain of liberty, then
let tue good and holy enjoy the biess-
ings of all bountiful pain and tribuIa-
ton Of earthly life all themselves and
20 the fullness thereof. A reunion and
rcamslgamation of my remains. with
all the constituent parts making up
the universe IN all Its grandeur and
magnificence, shall constitute my new
life.
Mind and Matter.
Whether mind be matter. an ex-
quisitely diluted fluid unanimous, or
either = gaseous substance which
wholly imperceptible as yet TO our bet
ter rudimentary senses. or whether
matter lie mind and the material world
be only images or reflections of the
mind as the idealists philosophers
perce:ves IL, or whether both matter
aud mind dwell irseparaoly together.
the result of its combinations or effect
IN my being have OF late been unsatis-
factory 10 me. Hence this dissolution.
And yet as the human senses are bu.
of the same mind or spirit which per-
vndes and enhvens the entire spheres
of creation, Il 10 no more reasonable To
expect to fa;hom its depths and power
than TO measure foot rule by its Own
self or by portion thereof.
Possessing, therefore, no inetrumen-
taiity which il not of this universe, l
enter from this profound darkness INTO
. sphere equally as ciouded and veiIed.
My psychological construction has been
60 ss not TO have enabled me 10 adapt
myself TO the all-pervadipg spirit Of
the present age. whose ways are all but
righteous and just. | therefore leave
no treasures behind me but devoted
wife and, perhaps, an adult son, II he
still be alive.
His Enjoymenea.
Although my enjoyments OF earthly
luxuries have been limited TO the small
weekly earnings OF common ware
worker. my greater part of eujoyments
have always found ia q complacent
| elf-satisfacsion of good done for the
great masees by = rigid agitation
against asar.ce and the fleeing Of the
poor by the wealthy who, ~ rule.
possess more psedominating propen-
s.ty for an undue acauisstion OF wealth
and governing power.
AsI thus have bssiled for life for
nearly fi.ty-sx years and have also IN
/ vsstiga.ed, to the extent Of my Limited
abiliiy, every phase of iis relation to
man and nature. ! never once recog-
nired an image horne Of superstition
aud false teachings deservant Of my
regard. therefore feaFiessly and with
. sslf-oomposure bordering on state
/ Of pieasantaess enter into my new
nnssa II closely veiled eternity.
Let my ashes he stream upon sephYrs
u.acs 10 be carried on nigh ~ the a. =
| out of human reach where freedom
rs;gn. Gooi-by % al.