Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-04-20


Senator. Do you think that the tomb at
Springfield can pay for Booths bulletf
oh. do Justice to the living All the JUS
tice YOU do them you must do this SIDE tne
gates of tho Metropolis. They cannot wake
up to count the number OF carriages at tue
obseauies or to notice the polish OF the
Aberdeen granite or to read epitaphal COM
memoration. Gentleman's mausoleum IN
the suburbs OF Jerusalem cannot pay Tor
Bethlehem manger and Calyarean cross
and Pilates ruffian judiciary. Post NOR
tenn honors cannot atone for ante-mortem
ignominies.
Again, standing In this garden OF tue
sepulcher, am impressed with the TACT
that floral and arborescent decorations are
appropriate for the place OF the dead. We
are glad that among flowers and sculptural
adornments Christ spent the short time Oh
His inhumation.
cannot understand what | sometimes
see In the newspapers where the obsequies
are announced and the friends say 10 con-
nection with Ii, "Send no flowers" Rather,
II the means allow-I say II the means
allow-strew the casket with flowers, the
bearse with flowers, the grave with flowers.
Put them on the brow-it will suggest
coronatioD; In their hand-it will mean
victory.
Christ was buried In garden. Flowers
mean resurrection. Death Is sad enough
anyhow. Let conservatory and arboretum
contribute TO its alienation. The harebell
will ring the victory; the passion flower
will express the sympathy; the >datfodil
will siDdle its lamp and ilume the dark
ness. The cluster. Of asters will be the
constellation. Your llttlo child loved
flowers when she was living. Put them In
her hand now that she can go forth no
moro and pluck them for herself On sun
shiny days take fresh garland aud put it
over the still heart.
Brooklyn has no grander glory than lis
Greenwood, nor Boston than It's Mount Au.
burn, nor Philadelphia than Its Laurel
HILL nor Cincinnati than its Spring Grove,
nor San Francisco than Its Lone Mountain.
But what shall we say to those country
graveyards with the vines broken down
and the slab aslant and the mound caved
in and the grass pasture ground for the
sections cattle? Indeed, were your father
and mother of so little worth that you can
not afford to take care OF their ashes2 Some
day turn out. all hands and straighton tho
slab and bank up the mound and cut away
weeds and plant the shrubs and now
ers.
Some day you will want to lie down TO
your last slumber. You cannot expect any
ference for the bones OF your ancestry. Do
you think these relics are Of no impor-
lancer You will see OF how much impor-
lance they are Ia the day when the arch
angel takes out his trumpet. Turn oil
your cemeteries into gardens.
Again, standing in this garden OF the
new sepulcher, / am impressed With tue
dignity Of private and unpreteEding obse-
quies.
Joseph was mourner, sexton. !iveryman
had entire charge OF everything. Only
four people at the burial OF the King OF the
Universe! Oh, let this be consolatory to
through lack OF acquaintance have but
little demonstration OF grief ut the graves
OF their loved ones. Long line OF glitter
ing equipage, two rows OF silver handles,
casket OF richest wood, pallbearers gloved
and scarfed, are not necessary. Ii there
be six at the grave, Christ looks down from
heaven and remembers that Is two more
than were at His obsequies.
Not recognizing this idea, how many
small properties are scattered and widow
hood and orphanage go forth into cold
charltyl The departed left small prop
erty, which would have been enough TO
keen tho family together until they could
take care of themselves, but the funeral
expenses absorbed everything. That went
for Grape which ought to have gone for
bread. A man OF moderate means can
hardly AFFORD to die In any OF our great
cities. BY all means, do honor to the de-
parted, but do not consider funeral pageant
as necessary. No one was ever more low
ingly and tenderly put away to sepulcher
than Christ our Lord, but there were only
four people in the procession.
Again, standing in this garden with
new sepulcher, l am impressed with the
fact that you cannot keep the dead down.
Seal of sanhedrin, company OF soldiers
from the tower OF Antonio, floor OF rock,
roof OF rock, walls of rock, door OF rock,
cannot keep Christ in the crypts. Come
out and come up He must. Come out and
come up He did. PRECIPITATION. First
fruits OF them that slept. Just as certain
" as we 90 down into the dust, just so
certainly we will come up again. Though
all the granite OF the mountains were piled
on us we will rise. Though buried amid
the corals OF tho deepest cavern OF the
Atlantic Ocean, we will come. to the sur
face.
With these eyes we may not look into
the face Of the MONDAY sun, but We shall
have stronger vision, because the tamest
thing in the land to which we go will BIO
brighter than the sun. We shall have
bodies with the speed OF the lightning
Our bodies improved, energized, switched,
clarihed-mortality, immortality. The
door Of the grave taken off its hinges and
flung fiat into the dust.
Oh, nv brethren, death and the grave
are not so much as they used to be; for
while wandering in this garden with the
new sepulcher I find that the vines and
flowers of the garden have completely COW
cred up the tomb. Instead OF one garden
there are four gardens, opening into each
OF Eden, garden OF tho
worlds sepulcher, garden of the earth's
garden OF heaven. -Four
gardens. Bloom, o earth! Bloom, o
heavenl Oh, my friends, wake up to. glad.
ness on this Easter morningl This day, II
l interpret 1t right, means ioy-it means
peace with heaven, and it means peace with
all the world.
Oh, bring more fowersl Wreathe them
around the brazen throat Of the cannon;
plant them In the desert, that it may BIOS
som like the rose; braid them into the
name OF the returned war charger. No
more red dahlias OF human blood. Give
US white lilies OF peace. All around the
earth strew Easter flowers And soon the
rough voyage of tho church militant will
be ended, and she will sail up the heavenly
harbor, SCARED with many conflict, but
the flags OF triumph floating from her top
gallants. All heaven will come out to
greet her into port, and with long re-
verberating ST. out of welcome will say:
There she comes up the bay, the glorious
old ship Zionl After tempestuous voyage
she drops anchor within the VEIL"