grave import

Obituary

With all the distinguished honors that the order of Knights Templar pay a deceased companion, Stephen Abbott was laid to rest yesterday afternoon in Aspen Grove cemetery. A short service was held at the house about two o'clock, and then the body was conveyed to Christ Episcopal church where at 2;30 simple yet eloquent ceremonials were conducted by Rev. RG Jones, rector of Christ Church and Rev. Dr. Rudd of Fort Madison. The members of St Omer commandery, Knights Templar, of this city attended the services in a body dressed in full regalia. Six knights acted as pallbearers as follows: Charles Schilchter, WC cross, HR Young, Horace Roberts, G.F. Cook, and Albert Klein. The chancel of the church was profusely decorated with flowers presented by many friends, some very handsome floral pieces being among the tributes. The casket was a handsome one in black and bore on it the dead knight's chapeau a deplumes resting on his sword. At the foot was a handsome floral piece while the typical symbol of immortality, a wreath of evergreen leaves, ornamented the head of the casket. The church was filled with people sorrowing at the departure of so good a citizen and paying a tribute in their minds and by their serious faces to the high qualities of the citizenship thus ended. Mrs. Dr. Boatman, the organist, played a prelude to the ceremonies which softly recalled the favorite hymns of the dead knight. Among them were melodies which he and his fellow brethren in Masonry had often chanted together in the work of the order. Escorted by the cross-bearer and Drs. Jones and Rudd, followed by the members of the vestry of Christ Church of which Mr. Abbott had long been a member, and the body of Sire Knights, the casket was borne to the chancel rail of the church and the simple ceremonies of the burial service performed. Dr. Rudd spoke eloquently from the standpoint of a Sire Knight, his subject being Christ's victory over death. He painted two scenes of death, one in which man cringed before it in terror, in doubt, and in hopelessness: the other where the man meets it face to face with calm courage and a conviction that the grim monster's victory is but a temporary one at best, and that afterward comes the glory toward which every true Knight looks. The discourse was a touching tribute to those qualities of manhood, possessed by the sleeping Knight and a paeon of hope for the living that though man dies yet shall he live again. After the close of the services at the church the body was conveyed to Aspen Grove cemetery where it was laid to rest with the usual honors of the Templars, conducted by that order.
And thus ends the life of one of Burlington's good and useful men-one of whom it is universally said; "He was a prince of good fellows, a true and helpful citizen, and Christian gentleman.