Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-10-15
SUNDAY FUNERALS.
Meeting of the Pastors Of the city

4 Wrsoiurion Passed - pr,ratIng sunday
Fuarrnis D ~urdrr lu Il Mats Nls
Argument
A meeting VI the pastors Of the Evangelical
churches Of the city was held yesterday nj noon,
10 the parlors Of Tho Y. NJ. q. A. building. Tho
object Of the meeting was to discourage sunday
funerals and tho disposition to defer the burial
Of those persons dying In the middle Of the week
until the Sabbath day, as many Of them are &C.
companled with considerable parade aud have
the effect Of drawing crowds TO tho street, dc.
tainlng persons from Worship, and IN many
cases Interfering with pastors In the perUrm.
auce Of their O. hcT ministerial duties.
Rev. ]. q. HITLER was called to the chair, and
Rev. s. A. Wilson chosen secretary
Rev nr, shields said that rs the preachers
association or glnatcd this call he Wish ed 10 say
that they were DESTROYS Of Encouraging, IN the
main, sunday funerals; There were some that
| cnull not no deferred, hut many suryN ing
friends and relatives postpone funerals until
| sunday 10 get a crowd aud have ostcutaton anu
display, nafadGs With music SC, In reality des-
ecratlng the Sabbath. Il was also laying an
/ neglect tue church nud sabbath school. The
/ aim Of tho association In calling the meeting
/ was 10 try and discourage this growing practice
| Of unnecessary funerals on the Lords Day,
| DR.. butler presumed that oil were Ut one
/ mind on tho subject, and there should be some
| dthnite action taken,
| from each denomination was appointed TO con-
| slider what action should be taken In the matter;
| !. II. DeShicd, N. 4. Church; Rev. DT, Ma.
| guire, Protestant Episcopal church Row Dr.
| DrnkhOuse, NJ. l.. Church; Rev. Dr. Parker,
| Calvary Baptist church; Rev. J. A. Rankin, Con.
| grogAulual church, Rev. DR.. Boheler, EyanEel.
/ lcal church Rev, Dr Mason, Presbyterian
/ church; Rev. J. q. Butler, Lutheran church
| Rev. 7. Il. 4. johnson, African NJ. 4. church.
Rev. Bishop WAyman, Of the NJ. Z. church,
| was called upon for few remarks, but stated
l Raf hn had RaRu aba0nt In TtnlifnFHia :
time past, and being unacqualnted With the case,
could not at present prescribe a remedy.
| Mr.. DeShiolls, from the committee appointed
for the purpose, Submitted the iOllOsing
RESOLUTIONS:
| whereas the burial Of the dead on the Lords
day should be avoided, except In cases Of eN
tIemo necessity, Tor the following reasons viz
I. Because II involves unnecessary work On
that day by undertakers, livery stable men
hacEmen, and horses, the superluteudents o
cemeteries and their assistants, In violation o
tho letter and spirit Of the fourth commandment
In II: Thou shalt not 10 any work, thou moi
thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nj
| thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stran
| yer that ls within thy z Ite.' Because It pre-
vents such persons from attending divine ser
| vices. Because II seriously interiercs with TIT
duties Of ministers on the most important and
| lAborIous day Of the week. I Because bands O
music, playing the most frivolous airs On thei
return from the grave, are often employed, at
| tracing crowds Into the streets and disturbing
public worship: therefore
RrSoirFd, That we earnestly protest agalns
| the abuses, and request the members Of our con
| gtegAtiOns and the public In general, 50 far q
nossIble, not 10 select the Lord's day Tor III,
| burial Of the dead, and whenever this day mus
be selected, to avoid tho hOnors Of public service
and the employment Of hands Of music.
| Dr. Sunderland was glad to SEQ that som
action was to he taken Uu this subject but
they OnIy intended to carry these resolutions
and read them to their respective congregations
II would do no good, and the matter had as vel
| DO dropped at once. some time since he ha,
been drawn Into controversy with the pres
concerning the crying Of papers on Sunda!
| pended, and not closed Even under that h
had the shafts Of tho whole Sunday press lev
eled at him, and came out vi the night wOrstod
and II they, In their pride Of power, conclude,
to notice this meeting At ALL II would be only /
give them battle. They would deny that sur
day was any more holy than any other day, an
, DEFY any minister TO prove the contrary. The
would say that this was a free country, and
the ministers wished To go To church they cOul
go, and II the pross wished funeral they wOul
have H. They put their hngers In % mans pie
| and wanted others to keep their diVits out @
| thers II the ministers did not intend To Z
| into this work with determination and earnest
ness to ensure success. 1t would 10 useless I
commence
He believed II they would unite and wor
they could drive out and reform the press, an
finally rout them horse, foot and dragons
They were unfortunate In not having a news
| paper advocate In the city. when the contes
| came on the minister would get q space nbOu
the length OF his finger and dozen opponent
the minister had not good chance to reply.
Mr.. DeShields thought It was lnON pedlent +
| 20 further at present than the adoption Of IN
resolutions, as they had met only to make
declaration Of that kind. He did not see tn
| necessity Of being drawn into a Newspaper con
troversy on the subject. They simply made
declaration that cannot be mlsunderstOOd an
only ask, rs far as practicable, that these sun
day funerals be avoided.
| The report was then unanimously adopted.
On motion Of DE Sunderland, the committee
! was authorized to have the resolutions prepare,
In a circular form and road by the ministers 1
to their congregations, and circulated anon
the citizens generally.
On motion Of MIR. HemmlngWny the subject q
fOIminV permanent organization was TetCrre
to the committee for their consideration, which
II favorable, they should report some plan.
Bishop Wayman wished 10 know II there wa
, anything in the statutes concerning bands
, music.
, Dr. Sunderland was unable to answer tina
question, but Just as soon as they attacked th
bands the papers would come back about tn
chimes Of the NJ. +. church, and din an argI
ment into their ears that would not be pleasAn
to hear.
The meetlng then adjourned until the sscon
, Monday In November.