The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1882.
Co-extensive with the history and the earliest monuments of mankind is one remarkable trait of human nature—the care which is taken of the dead. It would almost seem that from the first appearance of man upon the earth, his miiid was invested with a reverential sentiment for departed friends. The Egyptians embalmed their dead, and it is thought that the wonderous Pyramids were after all only huge sarcophagi, built with a view of preserving the bodies of Egyptian monarchs throughout all time. In Scripture we are told the rich believer, Joseph of Arimathea, provided the costly requisites for embalming the body of our Saviour, and had him interred in his own new vault. And again, in modern times, do not the evidences of this sentiment meet us in every cemetery ? Here we find a costly tombstone, the last tribute to one dearer than any
toricd urn or animated bust I is adequate to tell ; one who became a : life partner with the stricken mourner through the holy rites of the Church long years ago; time had only served to strengthen their affection, and even death was powerless to completely divide them. There we behold a beautiful extract from one of our grandest poets, or a verse in the robust Saxon of our honored Bible, indicating the parents' belief that their belov i offspring who slept underneath were " not lost, but gone before." And yonder is the neatlykept grave of the fond mother, whose kindness wa3 the first impression which dawned upon the mourner's mind in her infancy. Nor had that impression throughout life been superseded by any Stronger, and never did it find expression more meet than when tending the sweet flowei'3 planted by her hand over that loved parent's grave, and watering them with her tears. The latest illustration of this sentiment is the despatch of Italian troops to prevent the.body of the King Maker of Italy—the patriot Garibaldi— being cremated. AH this is surely an earaest that deep seated in our breasts there is the feeling, if not conviction, that death does not end all: that this dust did not wholly constitute the loved departed, and that by faith, we know there is a happy reunion with with our friends from whom we are thus separated, under ineffably joyous circumstances, in store for us. And this send* ment, with the concomitant customs somewhat varied, is all but universal. There is an awesome halo connected with the dead, and it jars upon our bette. 1 nature to'fi ad them treated with disrespect. But alas, it is just here a jarring
note strikes in, and mars the ryfchetn of our theme- Here at the Thames circumstances are such that ouv reverential feeling is shocked. Many and well founded are ihe complaints tbafc have readied us concerning the state of the road to the Shortland cemetery. Its present condition reflects no credit upon the bodies whoso duty if; is to keep it in repair. Ifc is a rentable slough of despond. It has hithevto been customary for hearses to proceed to the cemetery, but quite recently one was unable to go be*, yond the bridge at the Hape Creek, and on another occasion, a few days ago, the hears o was only enabled to reach the graveyard through several members of the cortege pushing it through the mud. This is a painful subject to dwell upon, and to direct attention to the neglect should be sufficient to ensure the application of a remedy. Such difficulties in connection with the burial of the dead are abhorrent at ail times, but when they are removable, and the result of carelessness, they raise the indignation of our human nature. We understand that this road is supposed to be maintained in repair by several bodies, and as usual it no doubt has been regarded as nobody's business. How delightful a change would be ! We hope that every individual member of each of these bodies will make it his business to see that the road is placed in efficient repair, so that the community may be enabled to pay the last mark of respect to their departed friends with ease, decorum, and due solemnity.
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Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4251, 16 August 1882, Page 2
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711The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1882. Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4251, 16 August 1882, Page 2
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