Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia

This white marble sculpture of a Cherub is poised to write in the Book of Life, represented here as a scroll attached to a tree stump.  The tree stump, which is not fully matured, symbolizes a life cut short.   The Cherub is holding a quill pen which has been broken from the gravestone.  In Judaism and Christianity, the names of the righteous were recorded in the Book of Life; they were assured entry into Heaven.

The Book is referenced many times in the Bible, including Revelation, Chapter 20:12: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

The monument marks the grave of a nine-year old girl:

Carmel

dau. of Edward F.

& Mary W. Quinn

July 13, 1908

Sept. 20, 1917