The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-06-17 00:00:00

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THE CEMETERY QUEESTION.
VESTRY MEETING.

A meeting of ratepayers was held in the Corn
Exchange on Tuesday morning last, There was
a. very large attendance, amongst whom were the
following gentlemen :—The Revds. H. Downing.,
T. Williams, H. Sherrard, G. Adley, W. J. J.
Welch, J. Richards, D. Maginnis, and R. Thomas;
Messrs. J. B. Cochrane, F. Evers, W. J. Turney,
J. Cook, J. Burton, G. Perry, J. B. Shepherd,
&c., &c.
On the motion of Mr. G. Perry, seconded by
Mr. Shepherd, the Rev. H. Downing was voted to
the chair, and read the notice calling the meeting
which was

First, for the purpose of taking into considera-
tion a resolution passed by the Burial Board for
the above-mentioned parishes, on the 27th day of
May, 1876, in the words following, viz.
"That subject to all necessary approvals being
obtained, the Board do build on their burial
ground a chapel to be consecrated and used for the
performance of burial services according to the
rites of the United Church of England and
Ireland, and that, if it should be found la u ful,
the same chapel be also used for the burial ser-
vices of persons who are not members of the said
church. But if it should be found unlawful for
the consecrated chapel to be used by such other
persons as aforesaid, then that the Board do build
two chapels."
And for the purpose of passing a resolution on
the subject referred to in the resolution of the
said Burial Ward.

And also for the purpose of considering whether
or not (under the 14th section of 18th and 19th
Victoria, chapter 128,. and .any other statutory
enactment applicable thereto) a representation
shall be made by the vestry to one of her Majesty's
principal Secretaries of State that the building of
a chapel upon the portion of the said burial
ground which will be left unconsecrated for the
use of persons not being members of the said
church is undesirable and unnecessary, and if
thought expedient for the purpose of making
such representation accondingly. '
The Chairman said he had been called upon to
take chair. He supposed it was because he was
the rector of Oldewinford, however, he was quite
willing to do so. -
Mr. G. Perry rose and said he begged to move the
first resolution "That in the opinion of this
meeting it is desirable that the Burial Board of
the parishes of Stourbridge and Upper Swinfoid
do build on their burial ground one chapel to be
used as well for burial services according to the
rites of the Church of England and Ireland, as
for those persons who are not members of the
said church, and that so low' as such chapel may
be so used it 'is so undesirable and unnecessary
to build a second chapel on the said burial
ground." He did not enter into the law of the
question, for he took it the meeting had no
jurisdiction to decide such a question, and that it
was called that the wishes of the ratepayers might
be ascertained. If there was a preponderating
desire for two chapels, the question fell to the
ground; but if the preponderating desire was for
only one chapel, it was the duty of the Board to
see if there was any insuperable legal obstacle to
this being carried out. It was his earnest hope
that there would be only one chapel—(cheers).
When be saw in the different cemeteries through-
out the country two chapels erected, he could not
help regarding them as a sad monument of the
bitter sectarian animosities of the
.past, which he

hoped time was softeninc, and doing away with.
The question of the saving of expense was an
insignificant consideration in the matter..
Mr. C. Evers rose to second the resolution, and
in doing so said he endorsed what Mr. Perry had
said and by building one chapel thought it tended
to bring christians closer together.
Mr. Prescott said he should at once demand a
poll. and complained that a private meeting of the
clergy and others had been held and deeithd to
build two ehapels.
Prescotto to
sl eusesaid
saopinion e
Mr. Cochrane said he did not know why Mr.
Prescott demanded a poll. I certain resolution
had been passed by the Burial Board and they
were
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and
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if he was not right.
The Rev. H. Sherrard said he supposed all
were agreed that there should be one chapel, and
that it should be consecrated according to the use
of the United Church of England and Ireland.
Assuming they were to have one consecrated
chapel, the question arose—would it be available
lot all denominations at the burial of the dead?
Ho could not understand Mr. Perry ignoring the
legal question, for it came in strongly. The
Bishop of Worcester stat d in a letter he hold in
his hand, that there must be a chapel for the ser-
vice of their church, and it must be consecrated.
and he further stated that no service but that of
the Church of England could be used in that
chapel. That was the bishop's view of the law,
and then there were also the requirements of the
Burial Acts to be taken into account. If the
ratepayers were not agreed their dead should be
interred according to the service of the Ch Fell of
England, then the Burial Acts made provision for
a second chapel being erected. He thought the
ILW of the ease was quite clear It was said that
one chapel would tend to union among different
religious bodies, but he believed.it would not tend
t 3 peace and harmony. If all kinds of services
were performed under the one roof, there would be
no reason why the district secularist society,
which be saw had been formed, should not claim

the use of the consecrated chapel for their ora-
tions over their secular friends and the con-
*deuces of church people would be grieved mad