The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-04
D1spAToH RICHMOND SUNDAY DECEMBER D. 1910

hither to mourn over the dead. not
without hope; to soc by tho eye OF
faitI, tho departed wife or husband
amid rejoicing angels: tho father and
the mother amid patrlarchs and apog-
tles; tho child. amid n winged troop
OF chcrubs. dying from grove to grovo
of Paradise, or perchancc, hovorins
over .fo tomb, to bear upwards In Ito
epotlesa censor the pure incense OF
parental penitenco and prayer. Yes.
hore may tho Christian raise HIS head
from tho deep agony OF bereavement,
and behold, Ms did Mary at the sepul-
chre, tho form OF his risen Lord look
Ing In sympathy upon his grief, and
henr his voice, full OF consolation, ex-
claim, why wecpest thou?" Here
may tho Christian stand and look upon
tho monument of his departed friend
as his own lighthouse to tho harbor
of eternal rest. Hero may he an
tleipato his future Inheritance aud
like Moses standing upon Mount
plsgali, gaze over the Swelling food"
of death on folds of living green"
but. happier than Moses, rejoice that
his own feet shall stand on the Canaan
which meets his enraptured eyes.
II then the place of graves Is a
place so full OF Instruction, 20 In
nucnt!al in tho moral Improvement and
elevation OF our race. ought we not to
incrcase It's efficacy by removing from
1t all that 10 rcpulsivo and forblddlng.
and mako our cemeteries pleasant
places, whcre light shall be mingled
With their shades, and all that is fair
in nature shall attract tho eye to ali
that la most purifying to the heart.
No wonder that the early Christians
so sndulously cdeayored to avoid every
thing that could associate gloom or
austorlty with death. Their monu-
mental devices boro mono of the in
siCna either of hopeless sadness. or of
that vanity and pride which SO often
divides the heart with grief. They
embodied to the mind the joys and the
virtues OF tho Christian faith. Upon
sone of the monuments there were
images of flowers and fruit; upon
others. tho Good Shepherd followed by
his sheep; upon others. the ship. With
outsprcad canvass, entering her long
sought harbor; upon others, the eagle
rising above the dark clouds of human
Ill, and, with eyes fixed upon the
sun of righteousness, soaring to i'm
mortality in the skies; upon others, tho
cross. that painful ladder to the Crown.
Such replete with beauty, and teaching
truth by thousand attractive symbols,
should be tho cemetery of Christian
people
Considerations like those to which I
have referred In these remarks, have
no doubt operated upon the minds of
those Intelligent gentlemen OF our city.
who have seen the necessity and felt
the propriety OF a new place of sepul-
chre commensurate with the public
wants; In keeping with ancient and
general customs; not 30 near the city
as to interfere with the retirement and
seclus.on suitable to such a place, nor
40 FAR removed as to render II practi-
cally inaccessible to the great mass of
the population. Abouttwo years have
elapsed since this spot was purchased.
and about year since, under tho sama
enlightened auspices, those improve
rnnnts wero commenced. the re-
suits OF which arc now visible on every
hand. And sure l am that / shall be
sustained by the testimony of every
man here present. that q moro beauti-
full place could not have heen gelected
for a tabernacle for tho dead. We
stand In the midst of the most pleasing
variety of hill and valley. Around US
oak, the hickory and the holly. in
viting to retirement and repose, and
spreading forth their mighty arms as
! II to consecrate this scene to holy pur-
poSes. Here Is the most majestic Of
the trees, At emblem OF manhood In
its vigorous primo; and here are the
flowers, which, In their transient love
l!ness, faithfully represent our own
nesting estate. Here fall the autumn
leaves. sharing the curse OF death With
our unhappy race, and here tho life
lless boughy starting into new beauty
with tho breath Of spring, herald tina,
moro glorious resurrection when this
i"corruption shall put on !ncurruptlon
and this mortal, immortality" And
standing upon the summit of Hollywood
Hill, how beautiful and tceming with
! interest is tho view on every side
| Around us is wide eHpanse oi
| country glowing with rich yerdure, un-
! surpassed in fertility and ready t.
lrepry the industry and the hopes Of
/ man, AT our feet rolls that river which
worthy of admiration for it's natura
grandeur and beauty, is doubly at.
| tractiY from the noble recollcctions
with which 1t Is indissolubly associated
| We look upon 1t, and upon yondei
plains, tho former theatre of savage
| greatness and royalty, and our hearts
! feel new inspiration, for, from the grave
of the past rise tho images of Eng
hands chivalry; OF the bold and enter
prising founders of Virginia; OF those
warrior pilgrims. peerless among whom
was that dauntless captain. who dis
erved as well as any Plantagonet the
title Of "the Lion Heart" and who
was q perfect embodiment of the i'm
lpetuous valor, tho adventurous. nde-
pendent and magnanimous spirit oil
| this great commonwealth. But, IL the
day OF chiyalry are gone. tho pros
poet which may be seen from Holly
wood Hill shows that the present day
has Its compensating benefits. We see
the stream so repleto with historic
associations, seized for manufacturing
purposes, and Sondsr black smoke
telling where the captive waters strug-
sic at the wheel and labor Tor the
benefit OF man. If tho "knisllt OF tn
Golden Horse Shoe" have ceased tc
exist. wo have All even moro potent
benefit of men. If tho knights OF tho
Iron Horse, whose dark track VIC see
on yondcr bridge. and whose fierce
tramp may be heard on every hand, as
with fiery nostrils he scoms to dcvous
tho air, and with his cxulttng shou'
of triumph to make the forests ring