Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1900-04-14
EN- ROUTE FROM
PALESTINE
Mary Ann Evans Death-Beautifnl
Tribute to the Deceased
Letter Number IS.
Correspondence Richmond Palladium.

ROME, Italy, March %, 1900.
How little we know of the future.
When our party started from Rich
mond very many of our friends came
to the station to bid us good bye.
There may have been in the minds OF
some that it might prove to be the
final separation, but the thought was
not sustained. So, while there was
sadness in the parting, the hope that
we would all meet again overcame it.
Subsequent events have proven that
it was the final separation on earth
for some.
NV former letters have shown that
only four of the fifteen from Rich
mond took the horseback tour
through Samaria and Galilee. When
we started from Jerusalem we were
aware that one OF the eleven, Mary
Ann Evans, was in poor h Aalth, but
had no idea that her condition was
critical or even very serious When
we boarded the vessel at Caifa seven
was serious, and ff1ft - $500 1870 "a
skillful hands at the German hospital
in Jerusalem, her daughters, Misses
Mary M. and Sarah c. Evans, and
her brother and sister, Timothy B.
and Sarah Hussey, all remaining
with her. We were left in suspense
while our voyage continued, stopping
at Beyrout, and at Smyrna and
at Ephesus. When we arrived at
Constantinople, four days from Caifa,
the telegraph wire spelled out for US
the sad message of her death. Later,
at Athens, we learned by lady who
had come from Jerusalem, that she
was laid to rest at Ramallah, few
miles north of Jerusalem.
On arriving at Naples, the wire
again brought the message that
Sarah Hussey, whose health had
been poor, had improved, and that
the four would join the party again
at Liverpool This is the whole of
the information we have had thus
far.
1t is difficult to realize that Mary
Ann Evans has been already claimed
by death. The secret hope that it is
not true, almost causes me to re
strain from mentioning it in an
article for publication. But the
telegraph is reliable, and | am forced
to accept it. On the voyage she had
been so cheerful and appeared al
ways so ready to cheer others. How
often she greeted us, and asked af
ter the health and enjoyment o
each one. From her face beamed
forth naught but kindness and good
will for all. She was the picture of
Christian character.
When we landed at Jaffa, after
having visited ut Madeira, Gibraltar,
Algiers, Malta and Egypt. she still
had the same kindly greeting for all,
and seemed fair to enjoy the journey
and return home TO tell her friends
about il. But even then her body
was yielding to the outward in
fiuences OF the penetrating air, and
in the cold damp atmosphere at
Jerusalem, she soon developed pneu-
monia, the instrument of her death |
In all our journey we have been |
walking over the dust of the dead |
Less than three hours ago | stood at |
the very spot where was burned the /
body of the illustrious Julius Caesar.
and later still, by the tomb of the re-
Raphael and then that of the
gallant Victor Emanuel. / stood be-
fore the papa, tomb in ST. Peter 5 to-
day, and there learned that the body |
of the former Pope has been removed |
therefrom already, To make room for
the present one In Egypt we looked
into the tombS of the great. and |
then saw their bodies still preserved.
In Palestine are the tombS of Abra-
ham. Sarah. Isaac. Rebecca. Jacob and
Leah, all at Hebron. and elsewhere
we saw those of Rachel and Joseph
and Samuel and David. At Athens,
we felt that we could almost hear the
wisdom of Socrates. Plato and Arts
totle, the eloquenee of Pericles and
Demosthenes and the sweet music of
the Lesbian Nightingale, but all now
lie low in the dust
But at Jerusalem Is also the tomb
of Jesus Christ and as we stood near
it we imagined the terror of the
guard placed about il to prevent His
body escaping from it. The seal OF
Caesar had been placed upon it, but
that could not prevent Him who has
power over death from coming forth.
and l now write these words over
the ruined hopes of that same Caesar
With majestic power, that revealed
the impotence of the guard and their
emperor, He came forth the Deliver
ar from the eternal tomb OF death. of
MI who will trust Him.
Mary Ann Evans was an avowed