The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-12-23
Reform in Funerals.

Reform in Funerals.
The English people are investigating
one department of national economy with
thoroughness which promises important
results. Both in church and out Of church
the question of reform IN funerals is being
discussed very warmly. At the recent
meeting of the Church Congress, at Stoke
on-Irent, an entire days session was &C.
cupied with discussion of this kind, in
which nearly all the prominent English
clergymen spoke in favor of more rigid
economy in funerals and return to the
simplicity of other times. The Rev. DR..
Coils, of Stratford on Avon, read a very
lively paper upon the subject, in which he
advocated not only the cheapening but
also the Outstanding of funerals. He
presented the following rather picturesque
protest against the average English
funeral:
The present funeral ceremony was not, it
was believed, more than 100 years old, and
were of hOary and venerable antiquity!
What, for instance, was the use of mutcs,
except that both in grammar and at funer-
ais they invariably suggested the constantly
accompanying "liquids"? What was the
use of pages, except that they suggested
pages Of ledger, the items Of which We
condite mystery Of dingy black velvet horse
trappings! Optat ephippia 3d." said Hor-
ace, but why should the poor innocent
horses be made guys Of? What did
plumcs mean, and why should there be a
particular number, and why white, black, or
bothr And why was set of plumes some
times carried by pagc-boy on triangular
tca-tray in front of the coffin? Why, too,
were they put on the horses and the hearse l?
The type of funerals, moreover, never varied,
and they were as hideously ugly as they were
100 years ago. Was it not time to change
this costly, this Pagan ugliness for some
thing more Christian:
The Rev. Collis' plan was to do away
with plumes, trappings, hired mourncrs,
mutes, pages and all other attendants, as
savoring of worldly pomps and vanitics
to have the clergymen head the procession
with cross or crucitix; to adopt the
walking funeral, and that all persons at
tending should be dressed in simple, mod
est mourning attire; and that the people
SHOULD be lndoctrinated with the notion
that simplicity was not shabbiness, and
that economy was no dlshonor to the
dead Mr.. Beresford Hope, Member OF
Parliament, who has been an advocate OF
funeral reform for many years, seconded
@llC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS VI WI. OOlllS ny
urging that the people should look to The
church for their funerals as much as for
their baptisms and marriages. The Earl
of Shrewsbury gave very practical turn
to the discussion by informing the Con-
will that he should he buried at
nomical motives, but because there
NJ
spending money beneficially in behalf of
the church. The discussion in the
! Church Congress evidently inspired Mr..
John Bright also to express his views
upon the subject in letter to Mr.. George
Phillips, of Birmingham, and, as all OF
Mr.. Brlght's views are peculiarly marked
by sound, practical common sense, and
always tend toward the use of simplicity
and economy in matters of everyday life,
as we'll as in political affairs, they will
undoubtedly exercise a widespread in
fluence in the adoption of the proposed
reforms In his letter he discourages dis
play of every description, and advocates
the general adoption of the funeral Gus
toms of the Quakers (of which society he
is a member), and especially the Quaker
practice of discarding black as an en-.
blem OF mourning.
1t is healthy sign that this discussion
has taken such wide range in England
: The same necessity for reform exists in
, this country as in England, although in
F! less degree, as our funeral practices are
| not carried to that extreme of display
which characterizes the English funeral
We have no hired mourners, mutes 0,
pages, no variegated trappings or plume.
carried upon triangular tea trays. New
. ertheless, fashion makes itself manifest in
| equally frivolous ways and involves ar
expense withal which is by no means
frivolous. 1t perhaps will be impossible
ever to convince the majority of people
that the adoption of dismal, lusubrious
| black is really more suggestive of despair
| than of grief, invests the life of the sur.
vivor and the memory Of the departed
with the feeling of remediless woe, and
banishcs every suggestion of chCerfulness.
But is it not in the nature of frivolity and
mockery when fashion alone die.
tatcs the wearing of complete black
at the outset, and then, as time passes on,
grades the shading of dress down to a
black -edged handkerchief or black lined
collar, and, as the last CLEAN of sorrow
fades away, expresses the last regret on a
black bordered envelope or a black Heath
cred fan? And is it not frivolity and
mockery when fashion steps in and indi.
Gates the number, character and com
plexion of the flowers that shall be used,
the nature of the devices into which they
shall be woven, the form of letter for a
monogram on the pail, and SO on, ad
nausedm? There sprobably not sensible
person in the United States who does no,
believe it mockery that fashion should
presume to dictate how he shall express his
grief at the loss of a friend, and an outrage
that he shall be suspected of inhumanity
if he does not follow her dictates. To all
such people the recommendations of Mr.
Bright and of the English clergymen, tc
which allusion has been made, will appeal
with great force and will influence them
to make decided stand against the dis
play, the bad taste and the expensiveness
incurred thereby. 1t is a reform, how
ever, which in this country can hardly bt
instituted by Church Congresses or gen.
eral meetings. 1t must he accomplished
by individual tion.-Chicago Tribune.