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the quietness of the scene is disturbed by quantities of stones 
standing like gate posts with nothing to support. Compare the 
new portion of Greenwood, as we saw its beautiful grassy slopes 
some years ago, with that part covered with railings and sepul- 
chral structures. In the latter case the eye is “distracted by the 
flutter of the scene.” The following of french origin is applica- 
ble here : 
“Insult not Nature with absurd expense 
Nor spoil her simple charms by vain pretense. 
Weigh well the subject, be with caution bold. 
Profuse of genius, not profuse of gold.” 
We are to hear later of The Cemetery as a Work of Art. 
Those artistic people, the Greeks, were told “by an unerring 
perception” as Prof. Butcher said, “that the beautiful must also 
be the true.” As in conduct they insisted on an energy which 
was rational, so in art and in literature they required of beauty 
that it, too, should be before all things rational.” A thought in 
the same line has been expressed thus, ‘‘In all the arts which 
serve the use, convenience or comfort of man, from gardening 
and building down to the designing of the humblest utensil 
which it is desired to make beautiful, utility and fitness for the 
intended purpose must be first considered,” A cemetery 
serves the useful purpose of furnishing a place for the disposal of 
the dead, and by its artistic perfection it should comfort and 
satisfy the living. Upon purely rational grounds there is no ex- 
cuse for the erection of mausoleums or the ordinary type of 
monuments. 
In an account recently given of a new cemetery, after giving 
a glowing description of its advantages, the writer uses the fol- 
lowing lines : ‘‘Not only is the civilization of a people expressed 
in the avenues of palatial homes and in the imposing edifices of 
commerce, but also in the condition of their places of sepulture. 
The tomb is to the future the witness of the present ; it carries 
to posterity the records of a generation’s ideals, whether they be 
high or low, debased or noble. In the monuments of the an- 
tique world we read the history of her tyranny, of her moments 
of enfranchisement and of her years of darkness ; and the en- 
lightenment of this age — the enlightenment of widespread edu- 
cation, charity and freedom — will not be less truly mirrored in 
the cemeteries which we establish and adorn and which we leave 
for the edification of posterity.’' I would a-k, is there any- 
thing enlightening in many of the cemeteries of the present day? 
Will posterity respect us more when they see a wilderness of 
meaningless monuments ? What does such a cemetery express? 
It speaks only of the thoughtlessness and self-conceit of the gen- 
eration it commemorates. The following incident shows how 
little the people think of the meaning of monuments. A lady, 
looking at a new mausoleum of Egyptian design, said she 
thought It viry strange that a Christian, in putting up such a 
monument, should follow the architecture of a heathen nation. 
She had just erected an obelisk on her own lot. 
While most of our members recognize the fret that monu- 
ments are out of place in a cemetery, and that the true beauty 
lies in an artistic landscape and not in the stonework or the 
formal flower beds, we must admit that the influence of our 
meetings and our efforts throughout the year extends to compar- 
atively few. While some progress is made, the result we desire 
seems to be coming very slowly. There will come a time, how- 
ever, when another step in advance will be taken. We have 
seen how progress in the past has been due to the energy and 
enthusiasm of one man supported by a few kindred spirits. We 
may look for progress in the future in the same way. Someone 
with artistic instincts, energy and enthusiasm, aided by public 
spirited citizens, will create a cemetery without blemishes. It 
will have a relation to the present cemetery similar to that of 
Mt. Auburn to the old churchyard. It will contain trees lasting 
onger than most monuments, and vistas lasting longer than 
trees. There are many books and magazines at the present time 
calling attention to the beauties of Nature by their reading 
matter as well as their fine illustrations, that we are learning to 
appreciate more and more the good things of this world. The 
camera and the bicycle also help us to see many charming bits of 
nature. Some time all the charm of foliage and flower, sun and 
shade, open glade and cozy nook, lake and stream, cloud and 
sky, will contribute to the beauty of a cemetery that will be 
looked upon by succeeding generations as we look upon the 
paintings of the Old Masters. To mar a vista in it with a tomb- 
stone, a geranium bed or any other object not in harmony with 
the surroundings would be like putting a spot on the face of the 
Sistine Madonna. “Actions speak louder than words.” An 
example is better than a sermon. In the progress toward better 
methods Mt. Auburn and Spring Grove produced great results. 
When an ideal cemetery is once established under favorable con- 
ditions, a cemetery in which beauty is the controlling motive, in 
which provision is made for perpetual care, for excluding mon- 
uments and other discordant objects and for continued intelli" 
gent supervision; its superiority over other cemeteries will be 
quickly recognized and its characteristic features imitated. 
Then another great step in advance will have been taken. 
Secretary and Treasurer F. Eurich read his an- 
nual report which showed an increase in member- 
ship of 14 and a prosperous financial condition. 
The present membership is 1 39. 
Papers read at the morning session were “Re- 
view of Richmond meeting” by Charles W. Hamill, 
of Baltimore, Md., and “Foreign Funeral Cus- 
toms,” by L. L. Mason, of Jamestown, N. Y. An 
informal discussion on the admission of bicycles in 
cemeteries was exceedingly animated. Two-thirds 
were in favor of admitting cyclers under certain 
restrictions. Those who opposed their admission, 
even under restrictions, did so from various reasons, 
in most instances because the privilege had been 
abused. 
In the afternoon carriages drawn by coal black 
horses conveyed the party to the leading ceme- 
teries, Bellefontaine and Calvary, by a route that 
took in many points of interest. Bellefontaine 
BROAPWAY ENTRANCE, BELLEFON I'ATNE CEMETERY. 
