THE FUNERAL AT THE CAPITAL.

As early as 8 o'clock on the morning of the 19th of April, people began to throng the avenue, and by 11 o'clock many thousands were assembled in the vicinity of the departments and the Executive mansion. The avenue, between Fifteenth and Seventeenth streets, was kept clear by a strong guard of cavalry, for the purpose of forming the procession, though many of the societies had to wait on the side streets for hours. The arrangements made by the committee were carried out with accuracy. No one was allowed to enter the grounds of the Executive mansion save such as had been provided with tickets, which included enough, however, to fill the great east room, where the body lay in state. It was intended that the attendance upon the funeral services should be of a highly representative character, and the intention was carried out with great success.

At about 11 o'clock the various distinguished bodies and committees began to arrive, and to be ushered into their appropriate positions in the east room. Several tiers of low seats, or standing places, elevated one above another, just sufficient to give all a good view, had been erected on the east side and both ends of the room, and all covered with black muslin. On the west side of the room, against the door leading to the main corridor, were placed fifteen chairs, all draped, which were especially reserved by the arrangement committee for the use of the press. This grand east room was hung with black everywhere. All glitter and gay color, save in the carpet, had been covered with the emblem of grief. The only relief from the mournful shade which met the eye were the white silk sashes of the marshals and committees, the

rich silver ornamentation of the coffin, and the white japonicas, roses and green leaves, which shed their perfume as incense over the dead.

The first to enter were the officiating clergymen, Rev. Dr. Hall, Rector of the Epiphany, Bishop Simpson, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. P. D. Gurley, of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, the President's Pastor, and Rev. E. H. Gray, Chaplain of the Senate and Pastor of the E street Baptist Church. Soon after came the merchants' committee of New York, followed by the committee of the Union League. They took position on the platform at the north end of the room. At 11:25 the Mayor of Washington and the Common Council entered, escorting the committee of the New York Common Council; also, Mayor Lincoln and a committee from Boston, and a like committee from Philadelphia. Then came the officers of the Senate and House of Representatives, who took appropriate positions; the officers and members of the Christian and Sanitary Commissions; the Assistant Secretaries; the delegations from Kentucky and Illinois, the States of the President's birth and residence, who were designated as mourners; Gov. Fenton of New York, Andrew of Massachusetts, Parker of New Jersey, Brough of Ohio, Oglesby of Illinois, Buckingham of Connecticut, and their staffs; the diplomatic corps in full court dress; the members of the Senate and House of Representatives; Admirals Gregory, Porter, Shubrick, and Goldsborough ; the Supreme Court in the persons of Chief Justice Chase, Nelson, Davis, and Swayne; ex-Vice-President Hamlin ; the pall-bearers, twenty-two in number, then Grant and Farragut, arm in arm, Burnside and Hunter, Gen. Dyer of the Ordnance Department, six lady mourners, the only ladies present, save one or two of the nurses of the

household, Mrs. Stanton, Mrs. Usher, Mrs. Welles, Mrs. Dennison, Mrs. Sprague, and Miss Nettie Chase.

At 12 o'clock President Johnson, escorted by the venerable Preston King and the members of the Cabinet, entered and took their places on the right of the coffin. Private Secretaries Nicolay and Hay, and Capt. Robert Lincoln, the President's oldest son, and only member of the family present, then Gen. Todd, of Dakotah, and relatives of the family, who were seated near the foot of the catafalque.

The room was now full. The attendants upon the ceremonies had all arrived, and the scene was of a very imposing character.

At ten minutes past 12, Rev. Mr. Hall opened the services by reading from the Episcopal burial service as follows:

"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.'-John xi., 25, 26.

"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.'-Job. xix., 25, 26, 27.

"We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.'I. Tim. vi., 6; Job. i., 21.

"Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days, that I may be certified how long I have to live. Behold Thou hast made my days as it were but a span long, and mine age is even as nothing in respect of Thee.

And verily every man living is altogether vanity; for man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain. He heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what is my hope? Truly my hope is ever in Thee; deliver me from all my offences, and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish. When Thou, with rebukes, doth chasten man for sin, Thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment. Every man is, therefore, but vanity. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with Thine ears consider my calling. Hold not Thy peace at my tears, for I am a stranger with Thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O, spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen. Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth or even the earth and the world were made, thou art God from everlasting and world without end. Thou turnest man to destruction; again thou sayest, come again, ye children of men, for a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, seeing that it is past as a watch in the night. As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as sheep and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green and groweth up, but in the evening it is cut down, dried up and withered. For we consume away in Thy displeasure, and are afraid at Thy wrathful indignation. Thou hast set our misdeeds before Thee, and our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance; for when Thou art angry all our days are gone. We bring our years to an end as it were a tale that is told. The days of our age are threescore years and ten, and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labor and sorrow, so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. So teach us to number our days that we

may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

Then was read the lesson from the 15th chapter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, beginning with the 20th verse. Right Rev. Bishop Simpson, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, then offered an affecting prayer, after which Rev. Dr. Gurley, of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, in which the deceased President had worshipped, delivered the following funeral sermon :

DR. GURLEY'S SERMON.

"As we stand here to-day, mourners around this coffin and around the lifeless remains of our beloved Chief Magistrate, we recognize and we adore the sovereignty of God. His throne is in the heavens, and His kingdou ruleth over all. He hath done and He hath permitted to be done whatsoever He pleased. Clouds and darkness are round about Him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne. His way is in the sea, and His path in the great waters, and His footsteps are not known. Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as Heaven-what canst thou do? Deeper than Hell-what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. If He cut off and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder Him for He knoweth vain men, He seeth wickedness: also will He not then consider it! We bow before His Infinite Majesty-we bow, we weep, we worship. There reason fails with all her powers-there faith prevails and love adores. It was a cruel, cruel hand, that