Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-21
Embnlming and Immorta1ixlnE.

observations Of Philosophical Friend)
and they returned and prepared
spices and ointments"-"sweet spices,
that they might come and anoint Him.
Gospels.
"Jf could clasp times wings
I'D fold them all together"
old Song.
The efforts Of mankind away back I'm
the past TO embalm and immortalize the
great or loved ones of Their time have
not proved much OF success. When
ever we disregard a law OF nature, or
try to reverse II, we make fools Of otfr-
selves and throw away our time and
money. The law Of nature Is Dust thou
art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
The clements of our body are carbon,
hydrogen. oxygen. nitrogen. phosphorus,
silica, and may be a few other chemicals.
When our souls return TO the God that
gave them. the mortal body that has
been borrowed for awhile goes back to
Mother Earth; Il Is disintegrated, and all
it's elements scatter for other terms Of
service. Our types are thrown into pi
TO make other vehicles for other souls.
II Is a pretty thing to think of our earth
at last, all made up OF elements that have
been the clothing OF honorable souls on
their way from time to eternity. Noble
dust indeed, 1t is not a pleasant thing
to think of body, after IT has filed its
honorable Office, withheld from farther
service, its elements imprisoned and con-
fined in corruption Rather let the earth
have back its .lendngs. and let the ele-
ments go on their mission and round to
bless and beautify all nature.
Perhaps il the souls OF the old Egyp-
tian magnates could look down Tor up)
and see what has been done with their
mortal coils they would wish their de-
voices had saved themselves their trou-
bic. Think of kings and queens and So
ciety ladies and grandees beholding them
selves as mummies-horrid. offensive
mummies-exhibited in showcases or set
about in corners for idle people to gaze
at and turn from in disgust. How would
they eXclaim: Save me from my friendsl
As men have tried TO embalm and per-
petuate the bodies of great onesall Of
the earth earthy-so they have tried TO
perpetuate their memories and their
thoughts and feelings and lives. But. in
very truth, the cylinders and tablets of
the early ages have done little more for
the remote souls than the mummies have
for the bodies. Even I'm later years, when
letters have been perfected and books
have been written and afterwards print
ed and souls have made ways to en-
body and perpetuate themselves by divers
arts, 1t is only the dead facts" that re-
main. Books have their day, and pres
emily on their dusty shelves are little
better than mummies-'in monumental
mockery"-or skulls of YOric's contem-
plations. And even the greatest works
of art are only the leavings Of great de-
parted souls imparting their fiavors and
inspirations to only few. doing more
for the qualification of pride than for the
elevation Of the general world, though,
no doubt. they do both.
The instinct of immortality is part
or us. Tomorrow. next year. and the
distant future is each as much a reality
to our being as the past Childhood
opens the way TO youth, youth to man
hood, manhood to old age, and old age
to immortality. The WORKOUT body tells
Of the enfranchised soul that has aban-
dOned IT. And this instinct OF immOr-
tality impes us first to preserve the
body. and al nature forbids that, then
to perpetuate the manifestations of life
and then life itself All these have been
the worlds experiences. All over the
world are scattered works suggestive of
warnings Of man for Immortality to con-
tinue i'm some form or other And in the
fulness OF time stands the everything
witness OF Immortality. enshrined in the
soul OF humanity, enthroned In the
heavens.
These are pleasant and ennObling re-
Elections. But they may be made very
practical. As man Is immortal. so all
his words and works and qualities have
something Of immortality about them
for honor or dshonor. The words Of
Scripture are: For every idle word that
men speak they shall give account at
the day Of judgment. Charity never fall
eth; wounds OF the spirit are never OBJ
liberated.
There are not only noble characters and
valuable things that we would like TO
preserve and keep in their beauty and
excellence forever. but there are occa-
siOns and conditions and experiences that
we would like to have to last forever.
So we photograph them, photograph
them. and write about them. But, like
the Borealis rare. they hit ere we can
point the place or they vanish as the
lovely rainbow. The persons OF the pic
ture have faded from life and phono-
graphic voices GRO dreadful mOckery
And yet we will not be Knocked out of
the continuance of things. and we will
hope and trust that our loves and pure
and high enjoyments will be part OF
eternal happiness They will be photo
graphed and Photographed on our hearts
and live i'm t----' and delight and fresh
ness there forever. If the heart may be
a judgment-book for unregenerate sim
ners. why may IL not. redeemed and re-
newed. retain forever In never-fading
freshness and sweetness the best delights
Of this world? The sweet spices and ONT
ments that embaim and immortalize our
dear delights and passing joys, our loves
and friendships. our happy occasions and
Incidents, are the graces Of thankfulness
to God. unseifshness, tender considera-
tons for others. warm affection and kind
ness. watchful regard and honest devo-
ton to duty--withal lowliness and meek
ness WhateveTsis 30 embalmed and en-
wrapped will endure. in freshness, in
time. and In eternity-wlll never see
death or corruption. 1t has the assurance
OF the life that now is and Of that which
is to come.
Pretty 81. Johns.