Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-07-29
IngerSOll'S Funeral.

,rt G. Ingersoll's summer home at Dobb's
Ferry Tuesday afternoon to listen to some
brief extracts from the dead agnostic's
writings, in lieu of the usual funeral servi-
,es or ceremonies. The reading OF these
,bort hits three OF them, made up the tu-
neral ob,ervances which Col. lngersolPs
family decided to hold over his boty. Per-
han, 4O friends shared with the mourners
in this last tribute. No word OF eulogy |
was snoken. No pre- scribed form was ad-
berea 10 Only those who knew bin best
and few of those who loved him best
gathered to listen while three OF his friends
each road selec ion which had been made
by hi, family from those writings OF his
which dealt with, or bore upon, the ques-
t;on that has never been answered, which
declared not his belief as to mans destiny,
hut his po,ition a, to mans duties, and
which framed his conception OF the atti-
tude of those who refused to bind them
selves in the tenets OF church, but de-
clared themselves the true exemplars OF
liberty,
The hour of the funeral had been set for
4 O'Clock, but the friends and neighoors be-
ean To gather before that time. The last
Of those to arrive on the trains had reached
the house soon after the hour fixed, and
the a.,emblagc moved into the room OF the
dead. which was the room Col. lngersoil
had occupied at the highland home. Until
then the waiting friends bad been gathered
in the great hall of the house and the ad-
Joining billiard room on the ground Iioor.
When the last arrival had come within
doors the invitation was extended to all to
ascend the stars to the room where the
body reposed on bier before the mantel
1t had not been put in coffin, but rested,
clothed only in linen, upon bier that was
banked by flowers, almost engulfed In
them. They were piled upon chairs and
banked up from the floor around the cata-
faloue, surrounding it completely. Other
flowers were hung upon pictures about the
room. Wreaths overlap the bier and palms
rose in the corners of the room. Back OF
Col. Ingersols head were pink sweet peas,
and on his breast lay single red rose.
The room was darkened, only one win
dow shade being drawn to permit the light
to enter and fall upon a wreath near bis
head and on his face. The friends filed IN
and took places which lined the foremost
ones in semi-circle about the bier. Mrs
Ingersoll and her daughter, Mrs. Walstor
Brown, and woman friend occupied three
of the only four chairs in the room. Miss
Maude Ingersoll sat on sofa with {
woman friend and on the fourth chair sa
the blind agnostic, Charles Broadwa.
Rouss, back OF him standing his attendant
The others stood on either side of the bet
at respectful distance from the bier. A
the head of the bier stood DR.. John Clark
Ridpath OF Boston, Major Orlando }
Smith of Dobbs Ferry and DR.. John Ell
lott, who is an assistant to DR.. Felix Adle
in his School of Ethical Culture. The
were to speak such offices Of the dead a
bad been determined upon by the family
1t is said that DR.. Ridpath, though a
earnest friend Of Col. Inger,olrs, is pro
lessor of Christianity. He said: IN
friends, it is my sad duty to read in tn
presence of the dead the last poem write
| by Col. Robert G. Ingersoll, The Dee
laration of the Free"
We have no falsehoods to defend
Il We want the facts;
Our force, our thought we do not spend
N In vain attacks.
And we will never meanly try
To save some fair and pleasing lie.
!, The simple truth is what we ask,
Not the ideal;
We've set ourselves the noble task
| To find the real.
If all there is is naught but dross
We want to know and bear our loss.
/ We will not willingly be fooled
BY fables nursed;
Our hearts by earnest thought are schooled
To bear the worst.
And we can stand erect and dare
All things, all facts that really are.
We have no God to serve or fear,
No hell to shun,
No devil with malicious leer.
When life is done
An endless sleep may close our eyes,
A sleep with neither dreams nor signs.
We have no master on the land
No king in air
Without miracle we stand,
Without prayer,
Without fear of coming night;
t We seek the truth, we love the light.
I We do not bow before guess,
vague unknown;
3 A senseless force we do not bless
III In solemn tone
When evil comes we do not curse,
Or thank because II IS no WORSE.
When CT clones rend-when lightning blight
, IT'S naught but fate;
! There is no God of wrath who smites
In heartless hate.
t Behind the things that inlure man
t There is no purpose, thought of plan.
e The iewelled cup of love we drain,
And friendships wine
/ Now swiftly flows in every vein
81 With warmth divine.
And so we love and hope and dream
: That in deaths sky there is CLEAN.
U We walk according to our light,
Pursue the path
. That leads to honor's stainless height,
Careless OF wrath
q Or curse of God, or priestly spite,
q Longing to know and do the right.
We love our fellow man, our kind,
Wife, child and friend.
!. To hautoms we are deaf and blind;
r But we extend
: The helping hand to the distressed;
= Bv lifting others we are blessed.
n Loves sacred flame within the heart,
: And friendships glow;
While all the miracles of art
Their wealth bestow
Upon the thrilled and joyous brain,
And present raptures Danish pain.
4 We love no phantoms of the skies,
! But living flesh,
:, With passions soft and soulful eyes,
IL Lips warm and fresh,
a And cheeks with health's red flag unfurle