The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-01 00:00:00

Extraordinary Scene at a Funeral.

Among our notices of deaths on Saturday (says the Bir-
minghanz Post) appeared the name of Mr. Joseph Abbott,
who, after living 65 years in this town, emigrated to Sand-
hurst, in the colony of Victoria, Australia, and recently
died there. The proceedings at his funeral, which appl)ar
to have been of a strange unseemly character, aro thus de-
scribed by a colonial paper:—" Yesterday afternoon the
mortal remains of the late Mr. J. Abbott were buried at the
White Hills Cemetery. The funeral was attended by a con-
siderable number of Sandhurst citizens, among whom the
deceased, even at his advanced age, had made many friends,
by his simplicity of character, good heart, and sound sense.
We regret to say that the funeral was not allowed to take
place in that quiet, grave, and decorous manner befitting
the occasion. Priestly intolerance and sectarian differences
which cause such dissensions in the world on this occasion
chose the graveyard itself as the scene for exhibition. It
appeared that the grave in which the remains of the de-
ceased were to be interred was situated in the Church of
England portion of the cemetery, by the side of the
grave of his deceased wife. Mr. J. 11. Abbott, their
son, had purchased this portion of the ground at the
death of his mother, as a family' burying place. The
deceased belonged to the Baptist persuasion, and the
clergyman chosen to officiate on the occasion was the Rev.
Mr. Taylor, who was accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Fletcher,
of the Cong,Tegationalists. At the sexton's residence,whero
the hearse stopped, the mourners, to their astonishment,
were confronted by an apparition in white, which turned
out to be the Rev. Mr. Stephens, Church of England clergy-
man, arrayed in a surplice. lie stated that, as the deceased
was to be buried in the Church of England portion of the
cemetery, it was his intention to read the burial service.
He had a duty to perform ; and, although it gave him pain
to act in this way, he would discharge it. He refused to
havev.
m anything
say to Dissenting preachers (this to the
Be
and in answer to the Rev. Mr. Fletcher.
told him he was always interfering where ho had no busi-
ness. Mr J. H. Abbott requested him, as he had made his
pretest, not to interfere any further—that his father did not
belong to the Church of England, and that the ground he
was to bo buried in had been bought and paid for. If it
was a question of the foe, that should be paid to save any
further wrangle. Several remonstrances were made by
others among the mourners ; but the rev. gentleman replied
that he would discharge-his duty, and that it was no ques-
tion of fees, and began in a somewhat excited manner to
recite the beautiful words, lam the Resurrection and the
Life,' &c. The effect upon the spectators may be ima-
gined. The incongruous association of sectarian rancour
and dissension, and a forcible intrusion of unasked and
distasteful services, with the language of Christ, struck all
with sorrow and disgust. The whole thing was a solemn
mockery, and the very words ' Whoso believeth in me
shall have eternal life,' sounded like a special. rebuke to
this wretched display of sectarianism. The funeral pro-
cession moved on without paying any attention to the
reverend gentleman, who, however, marched in front, re-
peating the usual words, and at the grave went through
the service, nearly all the mourners retiring until he bad
finished and taken his departure, followed by the sexton.
Then the gentlemen present drew near the grave,
into which the coffin had previously been lowered, and the
Rev. Mr. Taylor read the burial service in use among those
of his persuasion, concluding with a prayer. The mourners
then retired, and thus ended a funeral ceremony charac-
terised by a scene which would be discreditable to an un-
civilised people. We trust that this community will not
again be scandalised by a recurrence of it. We may mention
that although the Rev. Mr. Stephens claimed to have the
right to read the burial service over the body within the
precincts of the church of England portion, yet he proceeded
to exercise it before he came to the ground."

THE PRINCESS DAGIIAR AND THE LADIES OF
RUSSIA.—The following interesting letter has jusb
been addressed by the Princess Dagmar to the Empress
of Russia, in acknowledging a present to the Princess by
the ladies of St. Petersburg and
.—M Moscow :—"l3erustorf,
July 8, 1865adam,--Only a
fesv weeks back
my prayers to the Almighty were being
joined with
those from so many Russian hearts for the preservation of
the life of the Grand Duke, heir of Russia, my beloved
affianced husband. It has pleased Divine Providence to
decide otherwise, and snatch from our affection
him who would have been the source of our happiness. By
the gracious intermediation of your Majesty that general
feeling of profound grief has just been expressed to me on
the part of the ladies of St. Petersburg and Moscow, by the
precious gifts of a cross and a Bible. It is to your Majes-
ty's maternal heart that I venture to confide the sincere
expression of a deep-felt gratitude which takes its origin in
a sentiment of grief shared by so many, and which will
never be effaced. This Holy Bible and sacred cross will
always remind me that Russia, which country has become
so dear to me, seeks her strength and her consolation in the
words of the Almighty, and bears with faith and resigna-
tion the cross which Heaven imposes on her. May those
ladies accept my affectionate thanks for the Christian con-
solation which they have kindly offered me. I pray to
God to lig:tr my prayers for the Emperor, for yourself,
madam, and for Russia. Believe me to be most faithful
and devoted to your Imperial Majesty.—DAGMAlt."