Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-08-08
Funeral Services.
From the Christian Union.l

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on the subject 1t is the custom
here to have funerals in church
where q funeral sermon is expected
or, II not. extended remarks from the
pastor, containing comments on the
life, character, religious experiences
and dying testimony, as it is called
OF the deceased. Or if the funeral be
at private house, the remarks are
expected all the same, besides read
ing the Scripture and prayer, and
perhaps singing.
liz is one of the hardest things ia
the pastors life to meet this expect.
alton. If the deceased was a good
man, it is little easier; but all who
die are not good, and of some no pos.
slble good can be said while their
relatives are quite as likely to be sens
tive, and to feel wounded if moth.
ing is said in their praise, as those OF
the hottest and best of men. So the
poor clergyman is obliged to contrive
all ways of ingeniously rounding
these corners, SO as not to wound his
own conscience and shock his audi
ence by saying too much, or iniure
the feelings of friends by saying too
little. 1t is pitiful to think of his
perplexities /; almost ludicrous, in
fact, If the occasion wer not so solemn.
Ii he confne himself to general re-
marks on the shortness Of life, death
resurrection, and eternity. the case
IS not much better; for fertile indeed
must that brain be that can devise
anything interesting or improving to
be said on these themes, twenty or
thirty or fifty times o year.
Now, to me, it seems all wrong to
expect either sermon or remarks at
a funeral. Why do we then come
together? To bury our dead out OF
our sight, with weeping eyes and
breaking hearts: often with nerves
strained to their utmost tension by
watching and heart-rending scenes
of agony and separation, or by the
shock Of a sudden death Or else we
come TO show respect for the depart
ed, and sympathy for the bereaved
friends
What do sorrow and sympathy
crave at such a time Genuine sOr-
row Graves silence, seelusion, not the
being paraded before an audience to
hear a disquisition on the character
of the deceased and it surely is cruel
as well IS in bad taste to force this
on us. If circumstances render it
necessary to say something for the
mans character, let it be said at some
other time and place, where it can be
optional with the friends to be pres
ent or not. But the first freshness
OF grief it is scarcely possible to dis
sect the character or portray the
life, no matter how skillfuly, with
out Earring on the finest sensibilities
of those dearest to him. And they
have a right to be exempted from
this.
And to ever repeat to a crowd the
utterances of the sick-room, breathed
in the privacy of the last hour, just
when the quiyering voice and pant
ing breath are about to be hushed
forever, is surely great imperti-
hence. Yet this is not unfrequently
done, and there seems to be in some
communities morbid craving for
such death-bed testimonies, just as
there is for seeing hangings; but no
wise pastor will cater for 1t.
do not believe these funeral SER
mons or remarks often do good in
deed, | believe they oftener do posi-
tive harm. Death itself is eloquent:
the closed eyes, the folded hands, the
coffin and the pail, are far more i'm
pressive than words and rare power
indeed must that pastor have whose
talk does not lessen the effect pro-
duoed by them instead of increasing
it. Mans words are poor things
before the majesty of death +; the pas
tor himself knows this, and goes
homo feeling it is miserable talk be
has given; he is ashamed of it, but
it was the best he could do; and
something he must say. because it
was expected of him.
Few things are more disgusting
than the comments | have heard made
on these sermons as / have gone
home from funerals.
"Well, he put it on pretty thick,
didn't he 7" or, didn't he get round
the difficulties pretty nicely2 Hard
work to preach has funeral sermon, l
take it 2" or, 81 don't think he gave
him quite credit enough for his ac-
tivity J" or, DWELL, that's the first /
ever knew of his being such mighty
good man /" showing that the hear
ers had been made critical. 1t could
not well be helped, yet what could
so neutralize all the solemnity of the
occasion as this being made critical ?
81 do so dread the funeral" said
grief.stricken daughter of one of the
best of men. I'm so afraid Dr.
will 20 off into one of his eulogizing
strains, and | can't bear i'll can't
sit aud hear It'll"
So, to quiet her fears the pastor
was requested TO confine the service
to prayer, and the reading Of Gods
word. He seemed disappointed, as
he had prepared long discourse !;
but to that group of mourners the
retlcence was most greatful. There
were sweet singing, words of ferycnt
prryer, and the blessed, blessed
words of Christ, telling of the resur-
rection and the glory prepared for
those who love Him. There was
nothing to offend or jar nothing to
provoke discussion or difference, but
sweet soothing of aching hearts.
And such, it seems to me, all funer-
al services should be-heId at pri-
vate house, unless on rare occasions
and always simple prayer, with read
ing of Gods word and singing, when
practicable.
La expressing this opinion, | know
expressed the strong convictions
of many other laymen and could
such a service be made universal, |
cannot doubt it would give immense