The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-09 00:00:00

12.EMAREABLE FUNERAL CE.REMONE

In last night's Guardian the funeral of a lady,
which took place a few days ago in a very small
country parish in the diocese of Lincoln, is thus
described :—The deceased, who was the patron of
the benefice, had adopted the rector in early infancy
as her own son, and was the widoW of an officer
in the Indian army, who had served under
Sir David Baird at the siege of Seringapatam,
where he was severely wounded. She entered
into her rest, having fallen asleep int he faith and
fear of God, and in the communion of the church,
at the advanced age of 84 years, 62 of which
she had spent in the East Indies. The body
was placed in a coffin coveredwith violet cloth, there
being on the lid a long Latin cross of brass, enriched
with a fillet of trefoils which ran round the members,
These, at the intersection, were enriched with a
band bearing in old letter the words, " Requiescat
in pace." At the foot of the cross was a small
brass plate, bearing the name, age, date of depar
ture, and the words, " Mercy, Jcsu." The Litany
was sung in the church at noon, after which the
body was placed in a darkened chamber, which was
temporarily fitted up as an oratory, with several
tapers- burning, and the parishioners and others
were admitted to view the coffin,on -which was placed
a wreath of bay-leaves, made by the hands of her
young female attendant, who, with her adopted son,
watched over the last hours of the deceased with

unwearying, care, and all the tenderness and affec-
tion of a daughter. At the appointed hour the
body was placed on an oaken bier, covered with a
silken pall of violet and white. A procession was
formed in the following order :—The undertaker
and tradesmen employed ; the architect, vested in
surplice and square cap, bearing a large wooden
cross, coloured violet and - gold ; a choir of sixteen,
in surplices and black scar& ; a priest, in his vest-
ments ; the body, borne by the churchwardens,
sacristan, and three other communicants, the
pall being supported by six vested priests ; the
rector, in his vestments, as chief mourner ; the
friends and members of the family, male and
female; the principal farmers of the parish and
their wives ; the domestics—all two and two. As
the procession slowly moved along, the choir
chanted " De Profundis" to the Gregorian tone, the
verses being sung alternately in unison and har-
mony, which had a very solemn and pleasing effect.
At the churchyard-gate they were met by the offi-
ciating priest, who began the cheering sentences of
our beautiful burial office, the choir taking them up
and singing them as an anthem. The bier was
placed at the foot of the steps leading to the chancel,
and surrounded by several burning tapers ; at the
head stood the cross-bearer. On the altar were
burning the two lights, and it was vested in violet
and `white ; so were the pulpit, lectern, &c. The
church was decked with flowers of violet, white, and
crimson ; and branches of yew-trees and bay, and
was crowded with worshippers. After the proper
lesson, the Eucharistic was proceeded with, being
chorally rendered ; the rector celebrated, and a
short but most appropriate and touching sermon
was preached. by the rural dean. No less than
sixty persons received the blessed sacrament, and the
alms amounted to £9 18s. sd. They were devoted
to the London Diocesan Penitentiary for fallen
women. Aft& the benediction the procession
moved to the grave, which was dug at the east
end of the churchyard, behind the chancel. The
son committed, with the church's words of glorious
hope, the body of his much-loved mother to the
ground, as was her own desire. The office being
ended, the procession returned to the rectory,
singing the 118th Psalm (Confitemini Domino) to
the eighth tone, second ending, the rector lead-
ing the way, and joining in the strain of jubi-
lant thanksgiving. We understand that a
coped tomb white Mansfield stone, with a flat
cross of red polished Aberdeen granite inlaid on the
top, is to be placed over the remains. We have
also reason to believe- that the rector intends, by
God's blessing, immediately to rebuild the nave,
aisles, spire, and south porch of the church, as well
as a couple of almshouses, to the memory of his
departed friend, who was a benefactor not only to
himself, but to the church at large, and to Aose
"continual almsdeeds which she did," and kind,
thoughtful care, many a poor widowed and sorrow-
ing heart could testify. Enough has been provided
to complete the material part of the structures, but
the decoration and adornment of the sacred
edifice remains to be provided for.

THE HARVEST IN SCOTLAND.

MID-LontiAN, Sept. 7.—Since the 28th of last mont

there has not been 24 hours without rain, but light winds
soon removed the moisture and permitted the corn to be
carted home. Three days' work was had last week, part of
Monday, and to-day, after threatening in the morning, it
has cleared well up ; although a good deal of crop still re-
mains out, it has suffered little from exposure, the outside
only being slightly darkened, while there is no sprout, and
the grain is in good keeping condition, though rather soft
for early thrashing. In the oat-growing district three-
fourths are cut, and a good deal carted. The belk of crop
is about an average, and the quality promises well. In the
early district the quantity of white corn in the fields is
trifling ; there is, however, a considerable quantity in some
parts of the middle district. Beans are now nearly cut
down. There aro no large crops of either straw or grain,
while many fields on good land are very poor ; the returns
as a whole must be below an average. Potatoes, from the
state of the weather and harvest work, have not engaged
attention, and at present, and indeed for some time hence,
the quantity affected with disease will not be ascertained.
Swedes go on improving; yellow and purple-top turnips
have benefited most from the rains when late sown, but
there are many miserable fields to be seen. There is plenty
of grass for sheep and cattle.
WEST-LOTHIAN, Sept. 7.—As our farmers have had the
benefit of only three full working days since Tuesday week,
the amount of harvesting business done has been somewhat
insulted. Luckily, the rains that have fallen during the
period having been accompanied by a low temperature and
occasional breezes, no damage, at least in the lower part of
the country, has been suffered by the crops, and about three-
foutths of the white corn there is now secured in fine condi-
tion; and another week of good weather will finish the har-
, vesting of such grain; but we fear that in higher districts
there may be sonic sprout in the barley, although not to any
material extent. In these later quarters about one-half of
the crop remains to be cut ; and as little has yet been carried
another fortnight at least_ will be required before the fields
are cleared. Beans are now in the stook, and will need four-
teen days to put them in condition for the stack. Although
the showery weather has retarded the progress of the har-
vest, it has, however, been of essential service in promoting
the growth of the turnip crop.
FIFE, Sept. 7.—ln all the earlier districts the cutting
down of the crops is drawing towards a close. The grain is
now nearly all ripe in the higher parts, and another week of
fine weather will enable it to be put in the stook. On many
farms in the north part of the county the crops are all se-
cured, and although the stackyards have often been larger,
all parties are satisfied that they will thrash well out. On
first-class soils the wheat is most abundant, but several
parties are complaining that there is a little mildew on the
light lands, which will deteriorate the quality. The spring-
sownad wheat has cut up quuite as well as was expected, and
seldom
seldom has the quality been better. The showers that have
fallen keep the turnip crop growing ,so that wehave
still some prospect it will reach an average. Potatoe stems
are now generally much withered, and the disease has been
progressing both in the gardens and fields.—Scotsman.
RENFREWSHIRE.—AgricuIturaI operations are greatly
impeded by unsettled weather, and although all the grain
in the neighbourhood is in perfect condition for cutting,
this work is proceeding slowly, in consequence of its fre-
quent interiuption by rain. The moisture has not, how-
ever, inflicted any damage on the crops up to the present
moment. A large quantity has been reaped, but the
greater part of it is still in stook. The potato disease has
proved most injurious, and fields which were at one time
valued £3O an acre are not worth half that sum. Consider-
able loss will thus be sustained by growers in this vicinity.
The potatoes in the market, untouched by the blight, are
of most excellent quality.—Greenock Advertiser.
BANFFSHIRE.—Farmers are now everywhere busy with
the harvest, and the weather during the past week, if not
particelarly fine, has been such as not seriously to impede
operations. Already some have actually completed their
harvest. Among other cases of earliness may be men-
tioned one remarkable instance. Mr. Allan, Inveramsay,
had a field of here in stock on the 11th of August. In
connection with harvest work it may be interesting to
mention that the enormous quantity of 160 acres of grain
was cut down on the farm of Rettie in the space of eleven
days, and finished in time to lead several stacks in the
afternoon of the last day.--Banffshire Journal.
INVERNESS-SHIRE—For the last few days (says the
Inverness Advertiser) we have been favoured with splendid
harvest weather, and the consequence is that great progress
has been made all around. In our neighbourhood few
fields remain uncut, and a good proportion of the grain is
already safe in the stackvard.y A few days more of such
weather, and harvest will be over in the low-lying districts.
The cereals are turning out a fair average—in some cases in
the neighbourhood of Inverness they are greatly superior to
former years. The only drawback on this cheering state of
matters is the state of the potato crop, which is giving way
on all sides.
DUMFRIES-SHIRE.-The close of August and commence-
ment of September have been very unfavourable for harvest
operations, the weather having been very unsettled, more or
less rain falling every day during the past week, and on some
days very heavily. Had fair weather remained, loading, which
had been in abeyance during the previous portion of the
week, might have been resumed on Saturday, but though
that day was on the whole fine, rain fell for some hours in
the morning, and the week closed with very little, if any,
increase to the number of stacks in the district. The baro-
meter has again fallen nearly as low as 291 inches, and
there is little prospect of an immediate return of good har-
vest weather. Sprouting has already been detected, aild
should fair weather not be at hand serious damage to grain
in stock may be anticipated. Our Whithorn correspondent
od in
informs a good aii,‘eva rain
s ledin has
inthdaotnne good
durto-
ho endof deal of grain
thew cek. The
turnips and pastures, but theremolre „ leas
,neonwidtbeeeninpmeraortemtheains
enough of moisture, and a
wanted, both for securinAintlph_e.cereal and promoting the
—owth of green crops.—
fries Courier.

ELOPEMENT.—At the Liverpool police court
yesterday (Wednesday) a man and a woman, named
Wil-
liam Markham, aged 29, and Ann Billet, aged 47, the wife
of a publican in London, were brought up, charged with
robbery and elopement. It appears that the woman is the
mother of six children, and having formed an acquaintance
Nvith Markham, she procured LW belonging to her hus-
band, and eloped with him. They came to Liverpool,
where they took a passage to Quebec via Galway. They
were both apprehended at the London Coffee-house, Lord
Nelson-street, and on the male prisoner was found .33 and
a gold watch. After the case had been gone into, an orCer
for their removal tQ WAWA y grantOcit