The New York herald., 1921-12-14
BLIND MEN MOURN
ARTHUR PEARSON
Thousand Walk at Funeral i'm
Line, Fingers Touching
Each Others Backs.
TWO SERVICES IN LONDON
COncOurse From All Parts of
British Isles Pays Tribute
at Grave.

Special Cable TO THE New York HERALD.
COPYRIGHT, 1891, bv THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
London, Dec. 13.
The presence of more than a thousand
blind men, who had come from all parts
of England to pay homage TO Sir Arthur
Pearson. Bart. together with a great
number OF others. including scores of
prominent persons. made his funeral
to-day one Of the most notable ever
seen in this city.
The long line of blind men. escorted
by 200 guardsmen. walked in the process
sion with their fingers touching each
others backs, and with their courage in
paying tribute to the man whose motto
was victory over blindness" they
proved living testimonial of what his
doctrine accomplished.
The ranks included hundreds of
blinded ex-soldiers from St. Dunstans
Home. which SIR Arthur founded. At
the grave their strong and fearless
voices Joined In that hymn particularly
fitting to the. memory of their patron:
Lead kindly Light. amid the encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on!
The night Is dark and am far from home
Lead thou me on
Keep thou my feet: do not ask to
The first part of the service, conducted
at noon by the Bishop of London at Holy
Trinity Church. was held while a silent
crowd of some thousands lined the
streets. Another service was held in st.
Clement Danes Church, and while the
procession was moving the chaplain of
st. Dunstan's conducted a service at the
cemetery.
The coffin was preceded by a boy scout
carrying a wreath In the form of a Union
Jack, the STAFF Of which was supported
by dove and bearing the device "V.
o. b." meaning victory over blindness
The number of floral tributes was SO
vast that florists said their resources
had not been so heavily taxed since the
funeral of the late King Edward VII.
The blind men flocked In from all
parts Of the British Isles last night, the
Government assisting them to houses
near st. Dunstan's Home which were
guarded by special firemen. Many
brought wreaths and bouquets, and there
were many pathetic reunions of men
who, having fought side by side in the
war. now recognized each other by their
voices.
At the cemetery there was a huge con-
course Of people. men and women or
reverent demeanor who never had seen
Sir Arthur but knew him as man
who, though. himself afflicted. had made
life easier for those in a similar condi-
aion. No sooner had the Rev. ]. A.
Williams begun the opening prayer than
thousands of heads were bowed. AS
sisting In the ceremony was the Rev.
Harold GLIB, who himself was blinded
In the war.
The procession stopped for a minute
with heads barred and bowed in front or
st. Dunstan's Home In silent tribute.
Fleet street journalists and representa-
tives of the printing trade attended the
Strand service in bodies and the famous
bells of st. Clements were rung half
mufiied. Sir Edward Wellington at
tended as the representative Of King
George. Col. Sir Henry Streatfield rep
resented Queen Mother Alextndra. Gen.
Ponsonby the Queen of Norway, and
Gen. F. Trotter the Prince of Wales.