Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-10-17

There are some customs prevailing at our New
England funerals, which, however venerable from
Their antiquity, have, think, character far re-
moved from appropriateness or good taste
One is the ipvariable effort, on the part of the
minister officiating to alude in his prayer to each
individual relative of the deceased, and to the
minute circumstances of the bereaved family
Frequently one may, from the information con-
yeyed in funeral prayer, acquire familiar and
minute knowledge of the various members of the
several branches of the afflicted family their en-
pigments, circumstances, and past lives That
all this tends rather to crafty an idle curiosity
on the part OF those present, than to awaken at
tentlon to the lessons OF mortality,-and that it
is sufficiently untitled to form part of a suppliea-
ton to God, on the most solemn of all occasions
seems obvious. 1t may be eminentIy appropriate
for prayer in private, with bereayed family,
when by themselves; but taste and Judgment
unite in pronouncing it untitled to i'm press suit
ably, an assembly in any degree miscellaneous
Nor, indeed, is the custom without embarrass.
ment to the the minister, who finds himself verv
often compelled to make the same requests for
various individuals, and is put to his wits ends
to clothe them in such varied language as TO CON
ceal the identity of the matter, and he usually
finds, when all is over, that he has omitted some
remote relative and that his dilipent eff
forts to mention all, have only made the ap-
parent slight, to the omitted one, more marked
The other custom is, that of giving to each
person, IN turn, an opportunity to view the re.
mains OF the deceased. 1t admits, think of a
very serious question, whether il is wise for the
most immediate friends to take their leave of fond
remains in the presence of a large number of per-
sons, many of whom are comparative stIanoers
There seems, even in this, a want Of regard for
the sacredness, the character of grief But when
the invitation is given to an entire audience
to "view the corpse" and when they press
forward for the purpose, Idisplaeing the pleasant
recollections OF friend in life, by the image of
his emaciated, shrouded, and coffined remains -
When strangers join the throng, moved by an in
comprehensive and inconceiyable curiosity
when children are lifted up to peer through the
collin lid, and to be haunted, perhaps, through
many night of fear by their remembrance of the
GOODNESS and ghastliness Of death--in all this
there is something at which one can hardly help
shuddering. is it not violation Of TASTE iudg-
ment and sentiment, to which nothing could re.
concle us, save the fact that we have become ac-
customed to the exhibition
Some years ago, was present at funeral in
small village Of Vermont. IL was upon a pleas
ant Sabbath afternoon in autumd, and the church
was full. After the funeral sermon, and the other
services appropriate to the occasion, the immedi-
ate family of the deceased were called upon the
platform, to take their leave Of the remains in
presence OF the congregation. After they had
done SO, in order that due precedence might be
observed in the order Of admission to the specta.
Gle, the clergyman, and then the leading dignita
ros Of the village, awaited themselves Of the same
privilege. The deacon who had charge Of the ar
engagements then stood in the aisle, and in loud
voice announced " the choir will now have an CD.
portunity to view the corpse" So, down came
the choir--passing down one aisle and out at the
other and then, in succession, all the congre.
CATION.
j have since become somewhat accustomed TO
such exhibitions, but then the whole had to me
an aspect OF responsiveness, and Of CHASTITY ludi
crousness, that was painful in the extreme.
OLD MORTALITY.
CoTToN BuRNT Savannah. Oct. 15.-Fivn