The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-05
TIE NEWS AND OBSERVER THURSDAY MORNING. APRIL lsOo

into the joys of Paradise. 1t made the
funeral obsequies all important. Charon,
the gloomy ferryman of the Styx, had
positive orders not TO carry the unburied
soul over the black waters of the river
to the realms of joy but for eternity the
unburied soul wandered up and down the
farther bank in awful solitude. To the
ancient there was nothing more mon
strous or horrible than the denial of
burial.
And now, as it has always been. all
men desire decent sepulture. There is
within the human breast a feeling of abb
horrence less perchance such may be
denied US. The desire Of the ancient
1sraelite was to be gathered to his faith
ers'; of the Greek and the Trojan and the
Roman to Join in the Elysian Fields the
shades of his ancestors. All men desire
to be remembered after death and all
desire a fitting burial as means to that
end We wish for monuments more en-
during than brass. We yearn to retain
our individuality after our bodies have
mouldered into dust. 1t is the grasping
after Immortality.
care we dogs that our bodies should
be cast upon the dung-hilf!
"In the ancient days, the undertakers
were the salt of the Earth. They held
place and power and position and were
paid out of the public treasury. They ex-
ercised authority over mankind while
both living and dead. Their patron saint
was Pluto, the God of Hades, the lower
regions to which all souls went after the
death Of the body. Pluto was also the
God of Riches and Funeral Obsequies.
Consequently the undertakers were the
first 'Pluto-crats.' They are today the
'Plutocrats,' for / have often heard it
said by those who ought to know, that it
costs more to die than it does to live.
my friends, I trust that your meeting
at this session may prove beneficial
trust that when you get ready to depart
from our city your pursuit after the long
lest alchemy of the Egyptians may have,
reached discovery. In respect to your
happiness for the coming year | cannot
sincerely say to you in the words of Rip
Van Wrinkle: May you live long and
prosper, l hope and trust that all of us
will live long, and the longer we live, the
less you will prosper. But | wish you
much joy While you are here l extend
to you the absolute freedom of our city.
Il is yours as long as you may choose to
remain here. Whatever you want, ask
for it.. If we have it, we will gladly give
it to you. Whatever we can do for you,
it will make us happy if you will tell us
what it is. We are willing to die for you,
and we will surely do SO. You can bank
on that. We only ask the privilege Of
choosing our own time in doing it,
The response to the address of well
come was made by Mr.. c. w. Brown, of
Asheville, second yice-president of the
Association.
After this the convention listened to an
able address on Bacteria" by DR.. HUI
bert A. Royster, of the Raleigh Acad-
envy of Medicine. The address was great
ly appreciated by the undertakers, and
the convention voted it's thanks to DR..
Register.
The convention then proceeded with the
election of officers for the ensuing year,
which resulted as follows;
PRESIDENT. NJ Harry, of Charlotte.
First Presidential. w. Simpson,
of Newbern.
Second Vice President-C. w. Brown, of
Asheville.
Third PRESIDENT. w. Brown, of
Raleigh.
Secretary-W L. Bell, of Concord.
Treasurer-E. G. Flanagan, of Green
vile.
The newly elected officers were then
duly installed.
The convention elected the following
committees:
On Bylaws: r. r. Stevens, of Wilson;
e. G. Flanagan, of Greenville; Alex.
Barnes, of Henderson.
Executive Committee: r. H. Vogler of
Winston; H. w. Simpson, of Newbern;
j. X. Myers, of Thomasville.
Legislative Committee: c. w. Brown,
Of Ashevlle: II. w. Simpson, of Newbern:
j. w. Brown, of Raleigh F. H. Vogler, of
Winston; j. f. Woolvin, Of Wilmington.
After the election of the committees,