Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-11-28

FuNERALs-The Clergy of Charleston interest
ing themselves concerning funerals Their object is to
put down the ostentatous display which has distinguish
ell them. We are glad to this and we give the
Charleston clergy great credit for the they have
taken.
There always appeared to us be great and solemn
mockery in the pagent which accompanies corpse to
its last resting pacethe idea of the in which dust
is decked always sickened US. In Europe, there is
great ponp attending the funerals of the great-there is
long array of hired mutes, the bearse is emblasoned
with the of the deceased-the coffin is made Of the
richest material and string of carriages to the amount
of rom twenty to hundred closes the procession In
this manner, the mortal remains upon which the worm
is already banquetng is borne church prior TO
It's being intern ed in the family vault 1t accompanied
almost invariably by crowd of oilers and curious per-
sons, who gaze upon the pageant and break the suen
silence which should prevail with idle alk-vugar COM
mentor cold and apathetc criticism, upon the bearing
of the mournersther DIE and the grandeur of the
ceremony which always falls short CT something still
more grand which they remember to have seen some
time ago. When the ceremony is eoncluded-the
mourners the equipages that await them--whch
rattle them back n good round gallop to their
residences. This compared to the slow pace at which
they to the tomb, reminds those who witness the
ceremony-we hei almost said the perforraance-of a
waltz country dance which beginning with slow
movement, ends in perfect gallop. There is some
thing about this winch scenic-t the seem
but to be actors in pageant, and we can scarcely
think of sorrow beneath such parade of grandeur
is exhibited.
How different is the funeral oftne humble. Here no
ostenation dstracs the attention from the which
is so becoming at such moment and which breaches
greatle to those who behold ithappy for them if
it makes a proper impression. The coffin of plain
terial adorned only with perishable plate, recording
the name and age Of the deceased borne the shout
ders Of most probably Of his old friends in life Then
fellow the relatives and those who share with them in
their sorrow They walk in sad procession to the hum
bic grave over which the last ceremony is performed
amidst sobbing hearts, and eyes swollen and red with
weeping No organs swell here browns the grief
which is sacred idle and vulgar curiosity proianes it,
There is sanctity and a sublimity about this, which
awes back the prshigate, and makes them think,
for the moment least that they will prepare for such
change The procession then moves back IN the same
solemn pace at which it started Every thing is in
unison with the soemnty of the occason-it is IN no
" rise brokeni in upon.
How much better ia this than vain and idle dis
play-how much more bene6lting Furthermore, the
adoption of such plan is proper in this wise ltmakes
all seem equal where all really So 1t draws the
of the rich and poor together when their hearts
are open TO sympathes. 1t shows them that they
arc all the same whatever distinctions may be drawn
in the affairs Of e-and they yearn towards each 9th
er more kindly than they would otherwise do
We once more express the pleasure which the good
sense OF the Charleston clergy has afforded us-we
hone il will be carried out.