The herald., 1895-02-26
THE BURIAL OF DOUGLASS
Impressive Obsequies Over the
Distinguished Dead
TRIBUTES FROM FAR HAYTI
Many Statesmen and Representative
People We're Present
A Touching Incident in the Serviecs-crowds
Flock to the Church-OId Abolition
Song Sung

Washington, Feb. 25.-The remains o
| Frederick Douglass were conveyed early
this morning to the Metropolitan A. NJ. L
| Church. there to lie in state till the flu
neral this afternoon. At Douglass late
residence brief services were conducted
| by Rev. Hugh 7. Stevenson. Among the
| floral pieces sent to the church was
beautiful design prepared at the instance
of the Haytien government. While the
colored people predominated in the
crowds that viewed the remains, there
were hundreds of white people. The
church was crowded during the services.
The Rev. DIR. Alexander Crumwell, Bishop
Wayman, Rev. Dr. Jenifer Rev. II. 7.
Stevenson, DR.. J. L. Rankin, John Hutch
inson, Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. May
Wright Sewall and Rev. Anna Shaw took
part in the services.
AS the time for the services approached,
the crowd in the street increased to such
proportions that passage was almost i'm
possible, aud early the church was well
filled with those admitted by special card,
general admission being denied until after
the beginning of the services.
The body, resting in plain but mass
i've oak casket, was placed in front Of the
altar, guarded by an officer in uniform
from General Russell Alger military COM
pany No. 25. A simple bunch of lilacs
decorated the casket, but at the altar and
pulpit was banked wonderful profusion
OF flowers, made in appropriate designs.
The services were somewhat delayed, and
it was 2:l5 O'Clock when the procession
filed into the church Among the guests
of special honor were Justice Harlan of
the Supreme Court, Senators Sherman
and Hoar and number of the members
OF the House of Representatives. There
was also large delegation from the Wom-
ans Council. The faculty of Howard
University attended in body.
At 2:15 the funeral procession entered
the main body of the church, headed by
the family of the deceased, followed by
the honorary pail bearers and immediate
friends. The singing of Nearer NY God
to Thee by the choir of the church was
followed by prayer by the Rev. Alexander
Crumwell, ID. D., OF st. Luke's Episcopal
church. In Thy Cleft of Rock of Ages was
then rendered by the choir, followed by
the reading of the ninetieth Psalm by
Bishop A. W. Wayman, ID. D. The fu-
neral sermon was then delivered by Rev.
DIR. j. 7. Jenifer, of the Metropolitan
church.
Speaking as the longtime pastor of Mr..
Douglass, Dr. Jenifer said: ''Mr. Douglass
was Christian. He broke with the
American Church and with the American
Christian dogma, and when he saw that it
sanctioned and sustained the enslavement
of brother he held Christ to be above
creed and above the church. In this ter
rife soul conflict he blundered into be-
wilderment, but his deliverance came and
he has spoken to me of the joy of his soul
in God.
Tributes to the memory of the dead
were then paid by Rev. T. H. Stevenson
of the Anacosta Baptist Church and DR..
J. +. Rankin professor of Howard Uni
versity.
John Hutchinson OF Boston, an old
friend of Mr. Douglass, sang hymn by
the special request of Mrs. Douglass, and
and was followed by Clement Hentjens,
Minister to this country from Hayt. Re-
marks followed from Susan B. Anthony,
p" nv oiSO iSet ii iCbltl HUH LllLdDelH
Cady Stanton. Remarks were also offered
by Rev. W. d. Derrick of New York.
A touching incident of the service was
the tribute paid to Mr.. Douglass by John
Hutchinson of Boston, who, himself an
extremely aged man, with snow-white
beard and long, white locks reaching
down on his shoulders, is said to be the
last of the well-known Hutchinson family
with whom Douglass was associated in
the slavery days.
The old man had come all the wav
from Boston to be present at the
funeral and sing an old abolition
song, which by Douglass side he had
inspired many an audience in New Eng
land and abroad against the evil of slav-
cry. He made few reminiscent remarks
and then sang song, at the conclusion of
which there were few dry eyes in the au-
dience.
The benediction was pronounced by
Bishop Williams of the Colored Methodist
Church in South Carolina
Instead of dimishing, the crowd, which
gathered around the front of the street
and in the street had increased during the
services so it was almost impossible for
the funeral procession to make its way
through to the carriage outside.
The services were extremely long and
it was after 5 O'Clock when they were con-
cluded. The body was escorted to the
depot by the colored letter carriers of the
district as well as by large number of
friends of the deceased and his family.
The remains were put aboard the $50
train for Rochester.