Who’s Buried in Grant’s Tomb
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 KJV
I think one of the most perplexing things about life is that there are always questions. Sometimes we get answers, but, even then, it seems that another question then pops up to replace that one.
Other times it seems that the question goes unanswered. We search and search, and try and try, but all our efforts seem futile. Don’t you just wish you could ask a question and get a straight answer? I wonder why questions are like that.
Maybe one reason we are unsatisfied by the response to our question is that it isn’t answered the way we want it answered. A question, in its basic form, shouldn’t be open to our opinion. Simply put, a question is just that, a question. If it is an honest question, then the answer should be taken for just what it is: an answer.
For example, if I ask you what color an object is, you might say red. Realistically, I can’t disagree with you if I think it is blue. You did what you were supposed to do: you answered the question. Unless you are a teacher testing a student to see if they comprehended a lesson, an answer to an honest question is an attempt to get the opinion or expertise of someone else.
So, I could ask you, “What do you think of that blue vase?” and if you said, “That’s not a blue vase, that’s a red vase,” you are not really answering my question. In fact, you are overriding my question with an opinion I didn’t solicit. A wise response might be, “You might want to ask someone else because I see a red vase over there and not a blue vase.”
You might think this is just silly conversation, but recently I asked someone a question. I have really wanted to write a book. Many thoughts have filled my head as to what type of book I should write. The problem has been none of my ideas for a book are alike. Should it be fiction or non-fiction? Even something as simple as whether it should be serious, inspiring, Biblical based, filled with presidential stories or facts, just about me in general, and of a host of other ideas cloud my direction.
I have taken three online classes that have covered a host of topics from publishing to coming up with writing prompts. With all this knowledge you think it would have made things easier, but it has actually clouded it even more. A lot of “Oh, I didn’t think about that” added even more questions to my dilemma.
I finally came up with an idea. Following the advice of several of the classes I took, I started applying many of the lessons I learned. I discussed the concept of my book with a couple of people I thought would be a “target audience.” In my mind I took notes on how to revamp my idea a little so it would “fit” into that “target audience” better.
Then I set out and wrote a chapter. I thought a study guide would be a good idea to go along with the book. So, when I finished that first chapter, I came up with a study guide for that chapter. Then I took the chapter and study guide I finished and asked those two for their advice and opinions. I told them that I didn’t really want to hear that it “was great,” but that I was more interested in seeing if it might be helpful to someone. I also wanted to know if there might be “tweaks” that could improve it.
Later I saw both and both of them had said they read it. Briefly, one of them told me he was leading a group, and he would see if he could give me some more ideas for other chapters now that he saw what I was trying to accomplish. The other one told me he had some ideas about what I had written.
After talking with both of them I felt an uneasiness come over me. They really didn’t say anything to cause this uneasiness, but it was very real. Was it just an uneasiness from this being my first book? Could it be that this isn’t the topic I should be writing about now? Should I just get more aggressive and carry on?
There is an aged-old question that asks, “Who’s buried in Grant’s Tomb?” The question came about from Groucho Marx who wanted a super easy question to ask contestants on his “You Bet Your Life” show. He was hoping the contestants wouldn’t overthink the question. Surprising, only about fifty percent of the contestants would answer it correctly.
Technically, though, the real answer might surprise you. Where Ulysses S. Grant finally ended up didn’t actually happen until twelve years after he died. It was also quite the ordeal.
Grant knew he was dying. He had throat cancer and he knew his days were numbered. Despite his popularity, Grant was very close to bankruptcy. In a combination of poor planning, more expensive tastes than he had in his pocket to pay for, crooked friends, and bad luck, he had run out of options.
Former President Grant worked out a deal to have his memoirs published. The two-volume set was published by Mark Twain, a close personal friend. This was at a time when Twain was getting ready to publish his own Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
The two-volume set was titled: The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant. Once President Grant finished the memoirs, he died five days later. It was one of the best-selling books of the 19th century. Even today, it is still critically acclaimed. One of the main reasons Grant wanted to write the book was to make sure Julia, his wife, would be taken care of after his death.
Grant died on July 23, 1885, at his cottage in the town of Wilton, New York. The small town is in the Adirondack Mountains, which is about 45 minutes, by car, north of Albany, New York. Grant’s funeral procession made its way through New York City on August 8, 1885.
The former president was still quite popular at the time, and it seemed almost everyone who could wanted to see his black-draped casket go by. Almost every viewing area was crowded. It is said that the column of mourners was seven miles long. The former general for the Union during the Civil War, even in death, seemed to inspire a sense of American unity. Union generals William Tecumseh Sherman and Philip Sheridan were pallbearers, but so were Simon Bolivar Buckner and Joseph Johnson, who fought for the Confederacy.
For such a popular, gallant war hero and president, the whole country almost seems to demand a regal final resting place for his body. So, Grant’s body was laid in a “temporary” tomb while plans and funds could be devised and collected. Former President Chester Arthur was part of the first committee to get the ball rolling.
On April 27, 1892, almost seven years after Grant’s death and on the 70th anniversary of his birth, President Benjamin Harrison laid the cornerstone to start the construction of the memorial where Grant’s body would lie. Five years later and twelve years after his death, on April 27, 1897, President Grant received his mausoleum, where his, and his wife’s, caskets and bodies lie. Over one million people attended the parade and dedication ceremony.
One of the strangest stories in the New Testament is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. It is recorded in Matthew (17:1-8), Mark (9:2-8), and Luke (9:28-36). Some Biblical scholars also believe it is indirectly mentioned in John (1:14) and 2 Peter (1:16-18).
Jesus has Peter, James, and John come with him to the top of a mountain. The Bible doesn’t say exactly what mountain it is. In modern times it is often just referred to as the Mountain of Transfiguration. Some believe it may have been Mount Tabor, which is in lower Galilee, eleven miles west of the Sea of Galilee.
The event seems to happen a few days after Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say I am?” Peter, in one of his spontaneous outbursts, says, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Jesus tells them that Peter’s words did not come from Peter himself, but from God. He commands them to not mention this until he has arisen.
Not wanting to look stupid, the disciples, at this point, were very confused by Jesus’ statement that He would arise in three days. It wasn’t the first time they were confused by something He would say, and it wouldn’t be the last.
On top of the mountain, Jesus gains a bright glow. Utterly shocked by what is going on, the three disciples seem to be at a loss as what to say or do. To compound the problem further, out of nowhere, Elijah and Moses appear. These poor disciples thought this was just going to be another one of the moments Jesus took them to a quiet place to pray.
There seems to be a conversation between Jesus, Elijah, and Moses about His earthly exit. If the disciples weren’t confused before, I’m sure they were now. “What does all this mean?” was probably just one of countless questions running through their minds.
Peter, I guess in another one of his moments where he thought he was supposed to shine, speaks out. He says they should build memorials to honor all three of these “greats.” Where Jesus usually cuts in, corrects, or calms Peter, Jesus’ Dad, God, does it this time.
In a bright cloud, God thunders at the three disciples, “This is my Son! Listen to Him!” Frightened, all three of the disciples fall face first on to the ground, fearing even to look up. I’m not sure how long this lasted, because the Bible really doesn’t say. Then Jesus taps them on the shoulder and seems to say, “It’s time to go.” The disciples look around, but they don’t see either Elijah or Moses.
On the way down the mountain, Jesus tells the three disciples not to mention this to anyone until after He has arisen. Still shook up by the whole Elijah, Moses, Jesus ordeal, I’m sure the confused disciples were not going to take a chance by asking Jesus what he meant by His arisen comment.
For quite some time I have felt driven to write “a book.” “Writing a book” has been part of my daily prayer life for quite some time now. Up until just now, I’m not sure I ever “asked” God any questions about writing a book, I just prayed that He would be with me as I wrote it. In the last few weeks I have wondered why I prayed that way. Maybe a part of me was afraid if I asked Him any questions, He just might answer me.
It has taken me a long time to get to the place where I am today. Many times, in the past I have “asked” God to answer my question, only wanting to hear the answer I wanted to hear. If He didn’t answer me the way I wanted, or if He seemed silent, I wasn’t satisfied. My thoughts were perhaps, “No, that answer can’t be right because that’s not the answer I want.” That begs to ask, was I asking Him for His opinion or advice, or did I just want His blessing on what I thought the answer should be.
So, a few weeks ago I decided to put the book idea on hold. Hopefully it won’t be for long. Instead, I decided to “ask” God about the “book I am working on.” Does He want me to write a book? What obstacles might I run into or need to learn to handle before I start? Is there a goal bigger than the book that I’m not seeing? How can I tailor the book for Him to use me where He wants me?
To be honest, it took a lot of courage on my part to do this. One problem with asking God questions is that He always answers. Sometimes He gives me the answers I want, but very, very often, the answers are very different than I ever expected. There are times I only hear silence. Almost without exception, that means I’m not ready for the answer yet. I’ve given up being impatient during those moments, because I know an answer is not coming until I learn something, get my heart in the right place, or something is brewing to make it happen.
Over the past couple of weeks, it has become abundantly clear to me that I need to write a book. But it has also become abundantly clear that God wants to show me some things about a target audience He wants me to speak to.
For example, just in the last week I was given a couple of days of alone time. I decided to use this time to listen for God. I heard no audible voices, but my eyes noticed a few things. First, I attended a small country church. I figured no one there would know me, and my theory proved correct.
I had been to this small church many, many years ago when the pastor of the church I grew up in was the preacher there. He had pastored that church for a few years well after he pastored the church I grew up in. My parents, my wife, and I had gone there on the last Sunday he was to preach there. It had been a long time since my previous visit, so no one recognized me on this latest visit. This was exactly what I had hoped for.
A couple greeters welcomed me, and one even introduced himself to me, but it felt more like, “Welcome. I’m Bob (not his real name). Next.” I arrived a little early and noticed a gentleman, who I soon figured out was the pastor, mixing with members of the congregation. As he bounced around from group to group, he was asking each how things were going with them. He came over to me and said, “Have we met?” I said, “I don’t believe we have.” He introduced himself and moved on to the next person.
When the pastor got up to preach, he was very animated. He called out different members of the congregation on some of the points he was trying to make. I could tell he was trying to stir the crowd into a sense of excitement. After all, they were in the Lord’s House and they needed to be excited about that. To me, he wasn’t having much luck on that stirring thing even though he was stirring as hard as he could.
When the service was over, I stood around for a few minutes, and then headed out the door. Not a soul said a word to me, although one guy did wave to me in the parking lot as I was headed to my car.
It was then I felt as if God was telling me, “See, this is who I want you to speak to.” Of course, old dopey me, had to respond, “But even that excited preacher didn’t even get them excited. They didn’t even talk to me, how am I going to get them to buy a book I write?” At that very moment I felt a response, “That’s not your problem, that’s Mine.”
Still, like the Apostle John walking and writing through Revelation, I feel God still wanted to show me more. Throughout that day and the next, I felt so close to God. This didn’t become just a project I wanted to do, it helped me do something that I’m not always good at: listening. That listening is not so much listening to what I want to hear, but listening for Him to speak and show me what I should do.
I have a strange feeling this is going to be quite the ride.
So, let’s get back to the original question: Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb? The actual answer is no one. Ulysses and Julia Grant’s caskets, and bodies, are on raised sarcophaguses. That means they aren’t technically “buried.” Apparently, even when Grant’s body was in its “temporary” tomb it wasn’t “buried,” for it was thought it was going to be moved in a short time. I’m sure no one ever thought it was going to be twelve years.
If you want to get super technical about it though, the “buried” part might be open for argument. If you visit his mausoleum in New York City, you walk up some steps before you actually enter the building. Ulysses’ and Julia’s sarcophaguses are in the center of the building. As you walk into the building there is a circular wall. You look over the wall, and down to the floor below to see those sarcophaguses.
Since you have to climb some steps to get up to the “first” floor, I’m not sure if the floor below, where their sarcophaguses reside, is at street level or below it. There is the real possibility that they are below the ground level, which some may view that as “underground” and thus, “buried.”
There is yet another interesting aspect to it, though. As we talked to the park ranger on duty, he pointed out some very interesting aspects to the mausoleum’s design. As you look over the edge of the wall on the first floor, and down on the sarcophaguses, the floor is a darker color. The raised sarcophaguses and their stands are also very dark in color. As your eyes start your journey there, and you slowly raise them to the peak of the dome you will notice some real symbolism.
At different levels, the walls going up to the peak of the doom starts changing colors. At the very top of the doom, it is a bright white. This was not by accident. It was meant to symbolize the darkness of death, the blackness at the bottom, to the brightness of eternal life, the white at the top. The colors in-between we suppose to symbolize Grant’s life. Countless symbols of his life are designed into the building, hung on the walls, or even displayed in areas you walk around.
Much like our own beings, our deaths, nor our lives are the end result of our existence. It is the bright, top of the dome we should be focused on.
Most Biblical scholars seem to relate Moses’ and Elijah’s presence as being related to the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah). In sort of a one-two punch, Jesus seems to be the one bringing both of those together. I’m sure that is a very valid point.
But something caught my attention this time when I read the story. It is in the Luke (9:28-36) passage. It says Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus about His “departure.” That got me wondering, why does God pick Moses and Elijah to talk with Jesus about His departure? Sure, I understand the symbolism of the “law” and the “prophets,” but neither of the topics seem to have much to do with a “departure.”
One could argue that Malachi 4:5-6 prophesies that God said he would send Elijah to “you” before the “dreadful day of the Lord comes.” But who is the “you” in that passage referring to? Is it the Jews the prophesy seems is talking to? Or is it Peter, James, John, and Jesus who are standing there at the Mount of Transfiguration? There is the very real possibility that it could be both. After all, technically, all four of those were Jews at the time.
Even in that announcement about Elijah returning, there is no mention in the Bible of Moses coming along with him. Why wasn’t someone like David, a man after God’s own heart, not there? Or you could point to a number of other Old Testament characters that could have come along, too.
If the one purpose of the Transfiguration was to represent the law and the prophets, Moses, by himself, qualified both ways on that one. Deuteronomy 34:10 (KJV) states: “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.”
Then I got thinking about those two. Although many characters in the Old Testament have stories that are told about them, not all those characters have stories telling of their deaths. They died, but their deaths aren’t actually recorded in the Bible. Even when some of those deaths are mentioned, it is usually more of a note that they died and not how or why they died.
But Moses and Elijah are two of the unique characters in the Old Testament whose “deaths” seem a little out of the norm. Moses dies in the Valley in the land of Moak and God buries him, but no one knows where (Deuteronomy 34:6). Elijah was walking and talking with Elisha when a chariot of fire came between them and Elijah “went up by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings 2:11-12, KJV).”
So, you have two very unique “deaths” and two very experienced men involved in those deaths. I don’t think either Moses or Elijah, at the times of their “deaths,” knew how God was going to handle their “deaths.” Maybe Moses’ and Elijah’s conversation with Jesus was something like this: “We’re not exactly sure exactly what God has planned for you, as far as your upcoming death, but boy, He is always full of surprises. And you know what, people are going to be talking about it for thousands of years.”
People often forget the human side of Jesus. God sent him to this earth to live as a human. I don’t believe God gave Him any more magical powers than He has given any of us. But Jesus had an unwavering faith, and a desire to always do our Father’s will, that set Him apart from the rest of us. Thus, God was able to do great things through Him and to give us an example to follow. Yes, Jesus was a human, but He was the perfect human.
Still, if Jesus was human, just like us, He needed encouragement at times. Yet Jesus always understood the best encouragement always comes from God. He was so in touch with God that God knew the best way to help Him. In this case, it was the two best coaches on death He could send Him.
Questions, questions, questions, so many questions. I don’t think I could go a day without asking at least one. But answers, they are sometimes harder to come by. I have found, if you want the best answers you need to ask the right person and listen to their advice. And who is better to ask a question of than God?
