Churchyard Literature.
HIC JACET SACRUM MEMORIÆ.
Earth’s highest station ends in HERE HE LIES!
And DUST TO DUST concludes her noblest song.
Emigravit is the inscription on the tombstone where he lies:
Dead he is not, but departed, for the Christian never dies.
A hieroglyph formed by the two first letters of the Greek word Christos, intersecting the Chi longitudinally by the Rho,—a palm-leaf, or a wreath of palm-leaves, indicating victory,—a crown, which speaks of the reward of the saints,—an immortelle, or a vessel supporting a column of flame, indicating continued life,—an anchor, which indicates hope,—a ship under sail, which says, “Heavenward bound,”—the letters Alpha and Omega, the Apocalyptic title of Christ,—the dove, the emblem of innocence and holiness,—the winged insect escaping from the chrysalis, typical of the resurrection,—the cross, the Christian’s true and only glory in life and death, by which he is crucified to the world, and the world to him,—these are the emblems that speak to the Christian’s heart of faith, and hope, and love, and humility.