The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1897-08-16
PEACE De TO HIS Ashes
The Body Of Pom kwaag Sob
Reduced TO lis Elements.
ONLY A HEAP OF DUST REMAINS
Simple, Impressive and Beautiful
Rites Tributes TO His Memory
by His Theosophical Brethren
The Cass-od Garment of tie Soul
Consigned 10 the Fire.

Oneof the leading Theosophists of Wash
iugton said yesterday over the body OF
Pom Kwang Sob, about TO be cremated;
Peace To his ashes" In The Light OF
Asia. {" the poet speaks Of a departing Bud
dhiSt soul as the shining dewdrop lhat
slips into the sea-
There were many incidents alike beautl-
fsil and touching la the ceremonies al The
cremation yesterday afternoon OF The Dody
or Pom Kwang Soh, the iliustrlous Korean
statesman IL was Lot alone the infre-
ocency, the practical novelty or snch d
ceremony in Washington thai Invested the
event with ats rare and peculiar interest.
but ratl.er that III was held under the
auspices OF the Washington Theosophical
Society, or which the distinguished Korean
was a nsember- Ii WAS not the fact,
either, ssf cremation that gaze
the ebsequies their melancholy
and tender charm to the attendants and
mourners, and, indeed, 10 the public, but
TIE IIystioisln and poetry OF The Oriental
rIies-the beauty, splendor and fascination
OF their thoughts and suggestions.
Although IL was understood tfal none but
the KurCdn Colony and the Thecsophicai
Society would be admitted TO The oisse-
ouies there was congregation OF The
curlyus on the - reel an front OF Lees tn-
dertaking establishment. Appropriately
enough all OF the Orientals in town had
also gathered there. The Japanese and
Chinese lin ed up on both sides of the
undeIra ker's door most Of them dec keo oEt
m their sIlken Sunday robes These COR
serEatiNes wore plainly cynical express
si0ns a. II IN uttcrconterupt of the deeener-
ate snifIt uf the Korean who abandoned
his idols and citizenship 10 he disposed OF
in any but the conservative fashion
This opinion by the way, was shared, II
f. said, Toy one high up in rUyal state In
TINS city, who disdained for political and
religious reasons uC attend the funeral.
Besides the Chinese and japanese tnone
OF whom in official life were present. there
were around the building a gathering OF
Christians and other white and colored
people Some Of the Christians, no doubt,
Thought il strange that the Oriental, SO
highly polished and educatedtn the ways Of
Uhe Christian civilization, should have
TUNED TO Theosophy rather than 70 Chris
tiGnity This is d question, however, solely
for the thsologians and doctrinariaHs.
The ceremonies preceding the cremation
were hello IN the chapel, ar II might be
called, OF the crernatory II is sIuah room
lighted by tiozen or more windows with
pictured panes, through which the light
sareaRed soft tandsubdued. Notwithstanding
this Hight, 1lfeinterior was dim, as 1t stoulc
have been, &c preserve the poetical pro-
prietaes. just III front Of the lec1ern was
the huudsorae black coffin. This was
draped with the Gated States and Korean
flags. both OF ~ liich were ample enough TO
fall gracefully over and conceal the sup
ports
The casket WAS, in addition TO this decora-
tiea, fairly covered with Roses nearly all
white, and they were arranged in the usual
forms ss at Christian funerals. There were
Grosses, and anchors Of hope, and crowns
az iInfnoTt aIity. The trIbut es were evident
ly very expensive. Some were sent by
Prince Mir and the royal Prince FL Wah,
anG others by Korean students ir lie city.
A particularly beautiful one. q double
cross was the offering of Mr.. Suhr, a
Korean Of note and a lifelong friend OF
The distinguished de ad.
A feature OF the assem- Mage which could
not have escaped observation was the vivid
cuEtr2st o. the two civilizations 1t is not
often thar 50 mahy Orientals assemble
with Americans as Yesterday in this Theo-
sophie chapel. On the left of the altar, as
it might be called, Were the KOREANS They
were, II course, given the front rows of
seats. aud il was interesting 10 note that
an Oriental who lad abandoned his own
religion found il q Christian land a re-
ligion ouI OF which his own was born
thousands OF years ago He left Ruddha
and BraEnla III his own land and adopted
their teaching in the land Of Christ
All OF The Koreans, except Prince Min,
were dressed in black suits He wore
the gorgeous Korean military uniform OF
blue and gold. with sword at his side
Prince Il IN is Of the family OF the Korean
Queen. lie, with Prince Fl wah. M
Suhrs and Mr. PAX, Were folI of the pail
bearers, the other four being Korean
students.
The congregation being seated, AIr. Coffin
OF tue The0sophicaI Society. said. we
ere here 10 carry out the last wishes OF
our frieI.d. Pom KwaIsg Sob, and the
services viii be short and simple, al he
was u TheoSopnisI We endeavor to make
these services simple and nothing could
be more in harmony with the character
OF the man than simplicity and unosten-
tatIOn. u was his desire that his remains
be Creplafed.
'liefore we consiGn the body, the cast
of garnent Of the soul, to the fire 20
be purified 10 mineie again with the
elements. we have d word TO say about
his life and character
As he was d Theosophist. his pre-
dominating idea was that life did not
end here He believed in imrnort altv,
and 50 We are net here to speak OF death.
but OF triumphant life, an idea that has
been nowhere more magnifioentiv EN-
bodied or described than in the sacred
writings Of the East; Those who ar. wise
IN spiritual things grieve neither for the
dead nor f0r the living" Mr. Coffin
here read from the sacred writings the
scheme Of Immortality as understood br
Theosophists and Hindas alike.
That a" he said. was our friends idea
OF eternal life, and it was so THAI lae lived
50 he cied. and we are now about to
carry out his last wishes
1t was cnI privilege TO know him i'm the
days Of his adTersiUy, when he held but
an humble position in the employ of this
great Government From that he was
elevated re the high position of niinister 7
Justice IN his oEn country II was in
adVersity, however, that his soul shone
tie brightest, and it was Of him in such
times that I Ike TO think I admired
iiiin fos fis steadfastness of purpose and
his cRnaciiy 70 perform, and above all for
his desire 20 heap up not the treasures OF
the WoIld, so beautifully spoken of by the
Saviour Of the Jews, and which are held
SIPS To Baltimore and Re- s1.o5