The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-01-13
AeLERGYMAN OF rHE pER1op.
How the Remains Of an Old Actor yvero
Treated in Madison Avenue, New York
onsetentious scrup1es About His Fu-
neral

Treated in Mad SON Avenue. New Yorl
! Conseientious Scrup1es About His Fu
neral fl f1lalt
Prom the New York Evening Telegram.
a few days since the mortal remain!
of the old and known actor
George Holland, passed through thai
gloomy portal which is one day-to ope1
for us all Nh. Holland was known by
the profession to which he added nc
mean lustre, and by those with whom
he came in contact outside, as a mild
and unobtrusive Christian gentleman
During the long and laborious life in
which he followed the theatrical pro.
fession, no single act can be remem-
bered by the many with whom he had
become acquainted as calling for o
blush of shame or dishonor. All knew
him as the same affable, kind Chris
tian. 1t is true that Mr.. Holland
walked the stage boards for livelihood;
but We have yet to learn whether, by
supplying the highest sources of intel
lectual enjoyment to his fellows, he had
forfeited their admiration and respect
as believer In the same religion and
a humble follower in the footsteps of
onr great common Master. More than
that, we have yet to learn whether it be
not far below the dignity of the man
who processes to be the faithful minis
ter of Christ nay, whether it be not
even criminal Of him-to put forth as
an excuse why the last ceremonies
religion should not be reformed over
the remains of the aged and well-re-
spected George Holland, because he
had been an actor, and the conscien-
tious scruples of congregation must be
respected and their feelings not out
ragged by the introduction into their
church of their deceased brother. And
yet it appears that In these days of
civilization and refinement clergyman
is found so true follower of the all
merciful Redeemer and a congregation
such true believers in the great doc
trines of charity and mercy which He
taught as to shut the door of the church
of God against The remains of one who,
by the testimony. of all who knew him,
was devoted adnerent of that church
and faithful observer of its laws and
ceremonies. Yes, when George Hol-
land had played his last act in
the drama of lime, and the cur
tain fell, and those who had
been his audience for the four score
years which he labored hard for their
pleasure-the best and most innocent,
we repeat, of all pleasures-wh hen 1t was
all over, and the real life began, then,
and then only, was the voice of the
minister of religion @ raised against
him, and then, and then only, was the
door of Gods house shut against him.
Through life, when he was living, ac-
tive member of the congregation there
was no objection to him, but when he
was gone and the congregation or
church could benefit no more by his
presence, then he ceased to be q
member, even in that holy COM
munion which Christ himself
teaches us exists between the
living on earth and the
blessed in heaven. When the old actor
had died, his friends, who were actors,
too, by the by, thought it only fit that
his body should be taken to the church
-wfrfcfr-l---lA1 haesr- Sc ea;t1-e--1-
member; and these actors, who for the
fsture have grave reason to doubt
whether they themselves shall receive
the rights ofChristian burial when they
die-those benighted men, who are un-
fit to have a place in Gods house,
which God tells us is open to all who
shall enter, and that He is In waiting
to receive us all-these men set about
procuring for their deceased brother
those last rites to which we all look for
ward, with veneration and awe-that
mysterious introduction into another
and better life than this, "where
blindness shall be no more and wayside
begging no more, and where we shall
see the Lord in His true glory through
all the days that the Lord shall be"
Two of the sorrowing friends-of Mr..
George Holland waited on the Rev. DR..
Sabine, whose church is situated at the
corner of Twenty eighth street and
Madison avenue, to make arrangements
for having his funeral service read at
that church. The gentlemen who wait
ed on the reverend doctor regarding
this charitable and, in the opinion of
the latter, very unsactorly work, were
Mr.. Joseph Jefferson, of Booths thea
tire, and Mr.. Edward Holland, the son
of the deceased. When these gentle
men stated that they had come on this
errand he at once politely informed
them "that really his congregation had
conscientious scruples aboat having the
funeral service performed in the church,
as Mr.. Holland had belonged to the
theatrical profession; but, however,
there was a church round the corner
where they usually did these things,
and where he was sure, from the prac-
tice of the minister, that no conscien-
tious scruples, either on his part or on
the part of the congregation, would
interfere with the performance of the
ceremony"
Having received this polite answer,
the gentlemen quietly withdrew, and
another clergyman was found to intro
duce to God his old and faithful SER
want. We wonder if any of the Rev.
DR.. Sabine's congregation ever went to
see Mr.. Holland play. We are anxious
to know, if they ever did, how far their
conscientious scrupIes lnterfered with
them on these occasions. We wonder
whether the delicate conscience of the
reverend gentleman was at all affected
when actors subscribed to his church.
1t is curious with what facility these
conscientious scruples" can at times
be dispensed with, and we very much
question whether, in that allusion to
the " church round the corner" an i'm
partial observer would not say that, to
speak a little profanely, the reverend
4 doctor was not inclined to "blind the
devil in the dark. "
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