Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-23
From the Troy Daily Time..l
The Pageantry of Death,
By j. A. Fl, 81. Andrea. MA, f. s. f.,
lScot. etc.
NOTES ON FUNERAL Reform


By j. A. Fl, ST. Andreso. MA, f. s. f.,
| Scot. etc.
Not long ago we read an account of tbs
opening of q cemetery somewhere Ia the
United States, in which, after glowing
description of the nstural and artificial
beauties of the new location for the Dead
il was stated that "Mr. William Shaw
vas the first person who had the pleasure
TO be buried in this delightful retreat
The joke WAS grim and ahastly, and yet
it might easily be supposed by some bar
barian visiting civilized countries and un-
4cquainted with our customs, that the
lavish and costly "trappings of woe that
characterize funeral obsequies were the
result of a belief that their existence sf-
forded pleasure to the dead. Certainly il
can give no satisfaction to genuine grief
/ 20 be made the center of gorgeous dis
play of manufactured mourning. Tue
| whole system is one of sham and humbug.
4 To a man of right perceptions the agony
of death must be greatly intensified hy
the knowledge that the dear ones left
behind-bereft of the strong arm and
willing hand upon which they had relied
for comfort, advice and support-will be
compelled by the Medes and Persians of
society to waste in profigate expenditure
on the rites of burial money urgently need
ed for more useful purposes. After all has
been done that cash and folly combined
can do, to gild death with pagesntry-
after funeral as costly as that of the
Duke of Wellington, and after the erec-
| tion of tomb 81 sn'e,did as that of Ma
poleon I.-What fhenf
ssThe most maznine-nt and costly dome
| Is but the upper chamber 20 a TOMB"
There are funerals where crowds Of
mourners flock to do honor 70 the memory
iof dear friend and public benefactor,
and at which the virtues OF the departed
receive heartfelt homage from all Assem-
bled. Against such assemblsges We say
nothing, but would rather commend
them as besutifnl illustrations of the
great truth that zone touch Of nature
makes the whole world kim Are not,
however, these demonstrations Of respect
| TAR more seemly and sincere when de-
void Of the paraphernsli, and neretrici-
| eus grandeur nf undertskers uphol-teryS
The Rev. @. a. Spurgeon once said In bis
own forcible style:
"Perhsps am a very odd and eccentric
being, but would sooner be eaten by
crows than have pride and poup feeding
IN my little savings, which are meant for
ny bereaved wife and children. and not
for unsuitable, untimely and thiuk M
holy show. Put me into the ground de-
GENTLY, and let some of my friends and
'ompanions carry me on their shoulders.
Don't give me mp TO hired mourners who
smoke their pipes on the hesrse ss they
ride home. and crack Jokes about their
black job"
Charles Dickens gave the following dir
actions in bis will:
81 emph-ticaIly direct that ba buried
IN an inexpensive. unostentatiou. and
.trictly private manner; that no public
,uuouncem.nt be m -de of the time or
place of my burial; that ut the utmost not
| more than three plain or mourning
caches be empl ,yad; aud that those
Who attend my funer4l wear no scsrf,
cloak. black bow. long b-r-b,nd or other
such revolving ahsurditv."
Dickens, in his .'Gr-nt Expectations"
and also in "Martin Ch"zz'-wst," applied
his powers of ridicnle to exposing the
folly Of funerals - usually cnnducted. Ia
the former the masquerade of woe IL held
up 10 view in a way whfch suly the iu-
imitabls pen of Dickens could attain. The
whole scene of mock-ry attending a fu,
neral, culminating with the und-rt-ksr's
final notification at rtsrting-"Pocket
hsndkerchiefs ont, we're resdy"-is de-
picted to the very life.
In Martin Chuzz'evit,n Mr.. Mould,
the undertaken, is made TO say:
"Such an sffectionats regret, sir. nev.
er saw. There is absolutely no limitation
in point of expensel have orders. cir,
b. hola e
mutes, and mutes come very dear. Mr..
Pecksnif not to mention their drink."
With such q system at work in EoR-
land, Nathaniel Hawthorne might well
say II wonder how the Ensl,sh ever at
tain to any conception If futore exist
ence, since they overburden themselves
with earth and mortality in their ideas of
funerals"
There is, however, great change grad
ually coming over society in England on
the subject of funerals. That two men Of
widely different stamp, like Dickens aud
Spurgeon, should be agreed IL their opin-
ions on this matter, shows how many and
how diverse are the influences that are
bringing about better state of things.
Thackersy also denounced the "tomfool-
cries" of mourning made TO order. Lords
Palmerstop, Derby and Clarendon, three
of the greatest of English statesmen, have
all in recent years passed away, and not
the least of their public services Were the
iniunctions they left behind that their OBJ
seqnies should be as private and unstenta-
tious as possible. In London the Reform
ed Funerals Company" are seskine 10 give
expression 10 the gathering public ssn'i-
ment by intr ,ducipg a more excellent
way of c nducting burial ceremonies.
This company has BEEN established pro
bono pu5zico, and not for mere purpores Of
gain. and hence we see that IL has obtain
ed the sympathy and cooperation of mrpy
well known social reformers, including
the Very Reverend the Dean of Armagh,
Mr.. Harper Twelvetrees, end Edmund
Beales, NJ A., Judge of the Cambridselin
County Court and late President of the
Reform League.
There are many persons on this side
tho Atlantic who coincide with Chsrles
Dickenss opinions, and who will doubt
less watch the experiment nov being
tried by the Reformed Funerals
Company with equal interest. America.
no less than England, would be beDetitsd
by the adoption of wiser regulations and
customs in the interment of the dead.
What the Rev. O. 81. Spurgeon remarked
Of England is equally true here: Poor
people slave and starve TO spend money
On fine cofins and black clothes; and the
use of either none can tell"
Let those who have been wont to admire
great and costly funeral cortAges rsmem-
Der the simple and s6-oting description
If Rustic Funeral by Barham'
"Yet surely, when the I+vei ray
OF some mild ewes desoendsns SUI
Liahfs on the village pas"r. er~y
IN years err oun had WI e-Sun-
Al then-in simplsat yestmsnt dad
He sueakr benssth the ohurrhyard tree,
In solemn tobes-put yet ~ sso-
Of ~hAt II msn-what man sfeh oe -
And CLUSTERING round the grsv- hall h,o.
By that same quiet rhrrr yard yew!
The rustic msurnegs had to olo
The dust tn~y Lived. Q lest adieu-
That raw mefhinks. thst rtsts 70 Cee1
Upon each bsi4r bound hin.oA