The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-07

them. The crypt, as it stands to-day,
is a brick structure seven feet square,
reached by flight of steps and lighted
by gas. On the right as one enters are
the remains of Rev. Jonathan Parsons,
on the left. those of Rev. Joseph
Prince, while across their feet lies
Whitefield's coffin The three collins
lie with the lids open, but protected
by glass, exposing the head and chest
of each occupant to view. Whitefield's
skull was taken to Boston some
years ago to have casts made
from it, one of which is to be seen
in the crypt, but the skull was safely
brought back and restored to it's place
ir the coffin. The arm of the evange-
list was stolen long ago and taken to
England, where it was seen in 1885 by
Mr.. Robert Philip, who promised to
conceal the culprits name if he would
return the spoil. This he did, but
without explanation at the time. The
name of the purloiner is said to have
been Bolton. Rev. DR.. Stearns, to
whom the mysterious box containing
the missing relic was returned, re
garded it with apprehension, lest it
might be an internal machine. After
some months a letter came stating the
facts and asking if the bone had been
received. Under the date of Sept. 20,
1S49, DR.. Stearns wrote as follows:
The trust committed to me l am hap
Ply to say has been discharged The
venerable relic was conveyed to the
vault where its kindred remains lie.
1t is further related that Mr.. Brown
of Epping Forest, England, visited the
old tomb in 1884 in order to test the
truth of a rumor that the body of the
evangelist remained entire and uncor-
rupted.' He certified that this was
true, that he felt of the flesh himself
and found the body as perfect as when
the interment had taken place four
teen years before. Another examina-
ticn was made in 1901 by Mr.. Mason
of Newburyport, who reported that he
found the flesh totally consumed,
though the gown, cassock and band
were the same as if just put in the
coffin. The suggestion has repeatedly
been made that the crypt should be
sealed up, but the opposition to this has
always been too strong to be overcome.
Hence it remains accessible to the pub
lie. The registry of visitors in 1896
showed the names of more than 5000
persons who had visited the sacred
place during the previous twenty
eight years and included the auto
graphs of some Of the most distin-
guished persons in our own country as
well as from foreign lands.
On several occasions large
religious assemblies have WIS.,
tied it in a body" In past years it
was the custom to allow visitors to
touch the crumbling skull and bones,
but now, DR.. Hovey says, visitors may
look but not handle.
summary of a Noble Life.
Originally there was a commemora-
tive marble slab in front of the pull
pit to each of the three clergymen,
Whitefield, Parsons and Prince. But
on the remodeling of the building these
were replaced by one tablet in front of
the pulpit, and a marble cenotaph,
made in Italy. through the generosity
of Mr.. William Bartlett, was erected
in the northeast angle of the church
in honor of Whtefield. 1T is sur
mounted with a golden flame, ascend
ing from an open urn" The inscrip-
ton, ascribed to DR.. Porter, of An
dover College. after briefly stating the
facts of his birth, work and death,
pays this tribute to the evangelist:
AS a soldier of the cross, humble. de-
devoted, ardent,
He put on the whole armor of God:
preferring the honor of Christ
To his own interest, repose, reputation
and life.
Ao a &HIlobldH OTdlOT, Ills Oeep pleIY,
disnterested zeal and vivid i'm
agination
Gave unexampled energy to his look,
utterance and action.
Bold, fervent, pungent and popular in
his eloquence,
No other uninspired man ever preached
to so large assemblies
Or enforced the sacred truths of the
Gospel by motives so persuasive
and awful,
And with an influence so powerful on
the hearts of his hearers.
Unfortunately, not word appears
as to his work for Bethesda. The
home that lay so close to his heart is
not alluded to.
This cenotaph has been made the
center of Whitefield corner. Grouped
about it are an authentic bronze bust
of Whitefeld, several portraits and au>
tographs. Among the other cherished
treasures of the church are the desk
and Bible used by Whitefield. The
manse, where he died. is nearby the
church, and is among the most inter-
esting relics of the old New England
port. From it's doorsteps. a few hours
before his death, wearied though he
was by the exertons of the day, White
field delivered his last message to the
people, many of whom had thronged
about the house in the darkness OF
the night eager for a few more words
There was every manifestation of
grief in Savannah when the news OF
Whitefed's death reached here. IAN
he black cloth in the stores was
bought up" wrote Rev. Cornelius Win
ter TO Rev William Jay. THE pull
PTS and desk Of the church. the
branches, the organ loft the pews OF
the Governor and Council, were covered
with black. The Governor and coun-
ell In deep mourning convened at the