of
God, we may confidently hope that our souls will bloom in eternal
spring. This, too, I deposit in the grave.

The brethren then move in procession round the place of interment, and
severally drop the sprig of evergreen into the grave, during which the
following may be sung:

Funeral Dirge.

Hark! from the tombs a doleful sound!
Mine ears attend the cry:
"Ye living men, come view the ground
Where you must shortly lie.

"Princes! this clay must be your bed,
In spite of all your towers;
The tall, the wise, the reverend head,
Must lie as low as ours."

Great God! Is this our certain doom?
And are we still secure?
Still walking downward to the tomb,
And yet prepared no more?

Grant us the power of quick'ning grace,
To fit our souls to fly;
Then, when we drop this dying flesh,
We'll rise above the sky.

Or the following:

Pleyel's Hymn.

Solemn strikes the fun'ral chime,
Notes of our departing time;
As we journey here below
Through a pilgrimage of woe.

Mortals, now indulge a tear,
For mortality is here!
See how wide her trophies wave
O'er the slumbers of the grave!

Here another guest we bring!
Seraphs of celestial wing,
To our funeral altar come,
Waft our friend and brother home.

Lord of all! below--above--
Fill our hearts with truth and love;
When dissolves our earthly tie
Take us to Thy Lodge on high.

After which the Masonic funeral honors are given.

The Grand Honors, practiced among Masons at funerals, whether in public
or private, are given in the following manner: Both arms are crossed on
the breast, the left uppermost, and the open palms of the hands sharply
striking the shoulders; they are then raised above the head, the palms
striking each other, and then made to fall smartly upon the thighs. This
is repeated three times, and while they are being given the third time,
the brethren audibly pronounce the following words--when the arms are
crossed on the breast: "We cherish his memory here;" when the hands are
extended above the head: "We commend his spirit to God who gave it;" and
when the hands are extended toward the ground: "And consign his body to
the grave."

The Master then continues the ceremony:

The Great Creator, having been pleased to remove our brother from the
cares