Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-08
FUNERAL OF MIR. cniLDs.


Mt the House and Church.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, Feb. 6.-The body of
George w. Childs was this afternoon con-
signed to the tomb. Beloved by those who
knew him and respected by all men,
thousands paid a last tribute to the phi
lanthropist by attending his funeral. They
represented all classes and condition of
persons.
They gathered in st. James p. E.
Church, of which Mr.. Childs was so long
a vestryman, and all were deeply affected
as they listened to Bishop Potter's eulogy
Of "a great and good man." There were
but few fearless eyes in the semhlage.
Previous tu the church services which
began at o'clock, Bishop Henry C. Potter
of New York and the Rev. DIR. Joseph N.
Blanchard, the latter the rector of st.
James Church, conducted brief private
service for the immediate family in the
Childs mansion.
Long before noon the vicinity of
Twenty-second and Walnut Streets the
Childs residence being on the southeast
corner with st. James Church diagonally
opposite, was thronged with crowd eager
to gain admission into the latter edihce.
The auditorium has seating capacity Of
about LOCO, and the greater portion of the
space was reserved for the family, the i'm
mediate friends, 800 employees of the
Inbtic Ledger and various delegations.
When these had been seated the public
was admitted and the church was quickly
crowded to the doors. Several thousand
persons clamored in vain for admission
and they had to be content with viewing
the cortege as it wended its way to the
cemetery.
The services were conducted by Bishop
Potter, Bishop Scarborough of New JERSEY,
BishopOzi. w Whitaker of PENNSYLVANIA,
the Rev. DIR. Blanchard and the Rev. DR..
William q. Bodine, rector Of the Church
of the Saviour.
The funeral procession was met at the
church entrance by the bishops and clergy
and surpliced choir of q boys and nine
men. With the clergymen in the lead
and Bishop Scarborough intoning the
sentences" of the beautiful but simple
burial service of the Church of England,
the procession moved up the main aisles.
The casket which was covered with black
cloth, bore silver plate upon which was
inscribed: George W. Childs; born May
18th, 1920; died February Sd. 1884,"
The casket was placed in front of the
chancel and the choir chanted the burial
anthem after which the Rev. DIR. Blanchard
read the lesson beginning with "Now is
Christ risen from the dead" The hymn
Jesus Lives" was sung with solemn effect
and then Bishop Potter delivered an adj
dress upon the manifold virtues OF the de-
parted.
When the choir had sung the hymn
My God, My Father" the creed and
prayer were intoned by the Rev. DIR.
Bodine. "In the Hour of Trial" was the
next hymn and Bishop Whitaker closed
the services by offering a pathetic prayer
and pronouncing the benediction. "lIark,
Hark, my Soul" was the recessional
The cortege then proceeded to Woodland
cemetery, where interment was made in
the DrcXel mausoleum. The brief services
at the grave were conducted by Bishops
Potter and Whitaker and the Rev. Dr.
blanchard. The interInent was announced
to be private. but over 1000 persons entered
the cemetery and crowded around the
vault.
The interment of Mr.. Childs' remains
beside the body of his most intimate
friend, Anthony j. Drexel, was fitting
finale to the lives of both men. Mrs.
Childs has not decided, however that this
shall be the final resting place for her hus.
band.
The Ledger employees, and many of the
distinguished attendants marched in a
body to the church from the Ledger office.
The latter was closed from noon until
3p. M.
The floral tributes, of which scores were
sent to the church, were of rarest blooms
and many instances of most ornate design.
A.ANAoS 1ilA pNlbIG luG OIL lle
church were opened the florists in charge
had dispensed them with noteworthy taste
about the altar and chancel so that to the
right and to the left there was bank of
heliotrope, while in the centre of the
chancel was one of pure white.
The pulpit to the right was hung with
three immense wreaths, the front panel
being entirely concealed. The wreaths
were of orchids and asparagus blooms,
banked with palm and tied with broad
heliotrope ribbon.
Al the side of the pulpit and rising quite
a distance above it, in striking contrast
with the wreaths, was the token sent by
the employees of the Ledger composing
room, large cross of red carnations the
lower arm bearing a crown OF immortelles.
In the rear and to the left of the altar was
the floral piece sent by the other Ledgcr
employees, a broken wheel surmounting an
open volume resting upon pillow. The
spokes of the wheel were of roses, while
carnations and hyacinths and the book
below was of white carnations divided by
band of violets. Inscribed on the open
page. were the words Public Ledger.''
The bank of flowers on which the wheel