The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-07


not at the end of il. 50 philosophers say
1t is the custom OF some religious seets
never to use the word death They speak
Of their dead as having gone home. nor
do they decorate themselves at the funeral
or afterwa7d with emblems Of mourning
other than white rose or rosebud. In
stead Of the conventional Grape streamers
on the door they hang a sheaf CT grain.
which signifies that the earthly harvest OF
the departed has been garnered. and
flowers. which typify the beauty Of a we'll
spent life.
They do not grieve as do most people
over their dead because THAI would con
trdict their belief that going home" IS 4
glorious occasion; besides. either outward
or inward signs Of regret would proclaim
their own selhshness in that they we're
| mourning over their own loss. whereas
by letting their feelings Of loneliness have
fun sway In their own hearts they would
/ emphasize the advantage and pleasure
that occurred to them by association
with the dead before he or she went
home" With those Of this faith death Is
very far from being a terror. 1t is the
brightest and most satisfying OF hopes.
and hence 1t would be illogical and a con-
tradietion Of their faith TO give any out
ward sign Of regret that the 'peaTly
gates have opened 70 admit our belO=ed."
But mourning for the dead BY paTaGes
pomp. conspicuous clothing. music and
other ways 10 attract the attention Of the
living is as Old as humanity Not many
stop 10 think that emblems OF mourning
are expressly to aCQuaint the living OF the
themselves advertise the nCuTner's grief
and they also proclaim that il is not true
that "our loss is their gain" but rather
their gain does not compensate US for loss
Of their society" At least this is the
way philosophers reasOn-that IS, the pa
gan philosophers Of antiquity. An ancient
artist pictured death as a beautiful youth
leaping from deecy cloud 10 neecy cloud
earthward. clothed IN flowing robes Of
white and bearing flowers in his hand AID
commissioned by the soI OF love 70 lead a
human soul from earth life 70 life ever
lasting.
Another pagan representation Of death
was young and lovely girl with flowers
woven through ner flowing hair and rain
bow over her head. coming 20 meet with
kisses the chain that holds the burdeued
soul in the prison Of earth life There is
nothing gloomy. nothing dark and hideous
nothing 10 dread or mourn over IN such
conception Ct death. Il was q fancifu!
thought Ct mans best friend" but il has
the merit Of regulating the supersiitions
CT tie modern conception Of sleeps twin
brother which is crowned the king OF ter
roTs'
King David practically Tepudiated the
custom Of his people when his little boy
died They would tear their garments. cut
their hair and boards. strew ashes upon
their heads. 90 baTeheaded and bare
footed lie down and writhe and groan
ard smite tseir breasts. And not only
would they do so. but would also hire peo-
PIE 70 come and help them moUrn-"such
as are skilifui Of ianeEtation 70 wailing.'
But David put on sackcIOth and Eourue6
and took On while the child was bat
tllg with death. but when the Split left
the body David got up. took a bath. put
or ms everyday clothes and went about
h.s business. observing that the child could
not come 10 him but he could 90 10 the
child. He was Considered a very IMPROVE
dent man In those Gays who could not hire
az least Cne mourning woman 10 help him
gTieve- The rich could ard Gid hire big
crowds Of professional mourners. among
which were experts il tiSheveiinz thei1
hair and in swinging the body until they
might have beer called adept Coltortlon-
lists.
Black robes were The mourning costume
IN those days il Judea. but the goods
We're coarse sackcloth and so mucn OF q
misht that they. too. seemed 10 be On
joying the fruits OF paid-for agony. And.
moreover. II vas the custom in those days
IN more than one country 10 hire mourn
ers 10 90 to the grave % the dead for
some days after burial 70 grieve II tho
next OF kin had more pressing business
in another direction. The folly Of such
social conventions stands out distinctly
and yet there Is woman in an Eastern
state who boasts Of having attended 500
funerals. She Keeps the latest fashion in
mourning robes ready for immediate use.
and il is said she is welcome 10 al houses
OF mourning because she is so sympa-
thetiC."
The mourning color in Europe and
America is black. but why black no one
has been able 10 tell for il cOntradicts
the Christians hopes and faith. Perhaps
II was De Beranger who said Ironically
i wear black crepe to remind mankind
that am in affection, TO point myself out
as a mourner." Turkey uses violet for its
mourning color, China white and yellow.
Egypt yellow. and the Hindoos yellow or
white. and often a combination Of these
colors. and the custom OF hiring profess
siOna: mourners is still kept up in those
countries There are professional mourn
eTs in the Chinese quarters OF san Fran
cisco. and their services are in demand
whenever a celestial dies Among the
Brahmins and Buddhists Of the Orient yell
low symbolizes widows. II is the color OF
the robe OF the highest adopts. though
pure white Is worn by the elder broth
ers." So yellow al a funeral means that
the deceased Is wiser than he was before
be died while white typines the ultimate
Of the ego's evolution through human
bodies. In fact. the badges Of mourning
in nearly all pagan countries have always
had spiritual significance which related
TO both the living and the dead and were
TO encourage serious contemplation of the
mystery Of life and death
In ancient Rome, indeed down 20 the
middle ages, it was the custom to let the
women do all the mourning and they did